New Muzzleloader Shooter Hold Over Question

[Tom A Hawk]

Websearch "Sight adjustment calculator". By entering necessary values you will determine how much sight change is needed. Go a little little less to avoid over compensation.

 

[Bad Karma]

Will do. I should strive to be dead on where I hold at 50 YDS is that correct?

Maybe. That’s going to have you hitting low at 100. If what you want then go with that.

 

[CapPopper]

Will do. I should strive to be dead on where I hold at 50 YDS is that correct?

What are you doing with the gun? If you're just shooting steel or what not at 50 yards or so then sure. If hunting small game sure. If I was hunting deer and such I would probably go for an inch or two high at 50.

 

[nchawkeye]

Will do. I should strive to be dead on where I hold at 50 YDS is that correct?

For my big game rifle, I sight in about 2 inches high at 50 yards...This puts me dead on at 75 yards and about 3 inches low at 100...You will have to settle on your load and then work up what your gun does...

For my squirrel rifle, I sight dead on at 25 yards with the lightest load that groups well...

 

[BillRob]

Before you do anything with the gun - do you have the correct sight picture? Are the sights aligned horizontally? Is your target above, or behind the front sight?

 

[TDM]

Will do. I should strive to be dead on where I hold at 50 YDS is that correct?

If you plan to make most of your shots at 50 yards, yes. It’s a good place to start.

 

[Shadowalker164]

If you’re holding 8” high at 50 yards to correct your low POI and you don’t have adjustable rear sights you’ll have to file down your front sight to raise your POI. Just file a bit at a time and make some shots.

That’s what I thought. And it’s a lot easier

 

[Grenadier1758]

What does your sight picture look like?

Let's talk first about sight alignment. I copied these doing a search for iron sight alignment.

Note that with a blade sight and square rear sight notch, the top of the front sight blade is even with the top of the rear sight edges. Deepening the notch will do nothing unless you have the top of the blade held at the bottom of the rear sight notch. This is difficult to hold for consistency.

This sight alignment is for the classic 6 o'clock hold. Adjustments can be made for a center hold.

 

[TDM]

Never hurts to review the basics from time the time.

 

[Shadowalker164]

“This is difficult to hold for consistency.” Ain’t that the truth

 

[SDSmlf]

For a hunting gun I always try for a 85 yard zero with round balls. Typically puts the ball about 2” or so high at 40-50 yards and about 3” low at 100 yards. Basically a point blank range out to 100 + yards without having to think. This with a hunting load. With a reduced charge I can usually find an accurate load that’s dead on somewhere between 30 and 50 yards with the same sight picture. Just takes a little range time to work out the details.

 

[SB1911]

What does your sight picture look like?

Let's talk first about sight alignment. I copied these doing a search for iron sight alignment.

Note that with a blade sight and square rear sight notch, the top of the front sight blade is even with the top of the rear sight edges. Deepening the notch will do nothing unless you have the top of the blade held at the bottom of the rear sight notch. This is difficult to hold for consistency.

View attachment 182729

This sight alignment is for the classic 6 o'clock hold. Adjustments can be made for a center hold.
View attachment 182730

I believe I have the correct sight picture, front post matches rear sight.

 

[TreeMan]

Correct, if the gun is shooting low, filing down the front sight will raise the point of impact.
Just file off a little at a time.
File, shoot, repeat until you get on target where you want to be.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I believe I have the correct sight picture, front post matches rear sight.

Now you know that to raise your point of impact, the front sight must be lowered.

 

[SB1911]

Is 70 grains of Pyrodex RS with a .018 patch and .440 ball enough for deer hunting?

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Maybe too much how long is your barrel?

 

[SB1911]

Maybe too much how long is your barrel?

32”

 

[SDSmlf]

Is 70 grains of Pyrodex RS with a .018 patch and .440 ball enough for deer hunting?

If it’s accurate it’s just right. Some may argue it’s not the most efficient use of powder or some other nonsense, but if it’s accurate and you like how it shoots, you have found your hunting load. Too many variables to go to a lookup chart or a formula, when all that matters is how the load performs.

 

[Bad Karma]

Is 70 grains of Pyrodex RS with a .018 patch and .440 ball enough for deer hunting?

I don’t know. I’ve never shot anything besides squirrels, rabbits and grouse with a .45. The fellas who live back east seem mostly to think it is. Whitetail deer hit right aren’t hard to kill but the deer up in Montana are quite a bit bigger than most eastern Whitetails.

 

[johnraleksa]

So A few weeks ago I posted about picking up my first Muzzleloader used at a pawn shop. I cleaned it up and have been shooting it. The riffle groups shots very well. My concern or questions is around the amount of hold over I having to use. At 50 Yards I am holding about 8” high to hit a target bullseye. It’s shooting good groups but is this hold over normal? My most recent load is 70 grains Pyrodex RS, .018th patch and .440 ball. Any insight would be appreciated and thanks in advance for all the great information.

That's a lot of powder wasted.way to much. Try using 50 grains then go up even down. Your shoulder will think you also.