New Muzzleloader Shooter Hold Over Question

[SB1911]

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.

 

[TDM]

Do you have fixed sights?

 

[waksupi]

I would want dead on at 50 yards personally. Need a higher front sight?

 

[SB1911]

Do you have fixed sights?

Correct

 

[SB1911]

I would want dead on at 50 yards personally. Need a higher front sight?

Thank you. I will start looking around. Parts are a little hard to find where I live it seems.

 

[waksupi]

Thank you. I will start looking around. Parts are a little hard to find where I live it seems.

You can make one with some steel, a hacksaw, and files. Easy quick project.

What part of the state are you in?

 

[TDM]

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.

 

[Phil Coffins]

For raising the group lower the front sight. There’s been a formula to calculate how much to move the sight. Use it and save a lot of powder and lead!

 

[2 shots]

deepen the notch in the rear sight.

 

[TDM]

That too, if your shooting high.

 

[SB1911]

You can make one with some steel, a hacksaw, and files. Easy quick project.

What part of the state are you in?

Billings Montana

 

[waksupi]

Billings Montana

Too bad, we do have a grumpy old guy in Kalispell who usually has parts.

 

[SB1911]

For raising the group lower the front sight. There’s been a formula to calculate how much to move the sight. Use it and save a lot of powder and lead!

So file down the existing front sight to bring the group up, correct?

 

[TDM]

Yes

 

[Phil Coffins]

Yes, the front sight always moves the opposite way you want the group to go, the rear sight moves towards the way you want the group to go.

 

[ORBushman]

So file down the existing front sight to bring the group up, correct?

Yes.

 

[ORBushman]

Seems I was typing same time everyone else was!

 

[deermanok]

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.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

So file down the existing front sight to bring the group up, correct?

If a dead on hold prints low, yes.

 

[SB1911]

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