Sighting in a new rifle

[griffiga]

The trajectory past 13 yards would depend on the weight & type of projectile & the amount of powder used, thus the velocity. Predicting a trajectory based on where an unknown load hits a target at 13 yards is a fool's errand.

I was thinking it might be a place to start to see what actually happens. I'm guessing you'd want to use a bit heavier load than a target load, maybe, maybe not.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The 13 yard zero is the range we used in Basic Army training to sight in our rifles. They only used one model. The 13 yard range will work for you muzzle loader to get your windage and basic group. the close range will keep the shots on target. Too many variables to predict where the ball will cross the line of sight again.

 

[Zonie]

Out of curiosity, I ran some numbers thru my External Ballistic calculator for patched Round Balls.
Choosing .50 caliber at 1400 fps muzzle velocity and 7/8" for the front sight height above the center of the bore, I was able to get the value at 15 yards to be zero.

Down range the ball would be hitting the following amounts:

15 yards = 0.0"
30 yards = 0.3" high
45 yards = 0.0"
50 yards = -0.3" low
70 yards = -2.4" low
80 yards = -3.9" low
100 yards = -8.7" low

Of course, this is with a patched roundball. A bullet would be quite different.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Has anyone tried this when sighting in their muzzleloader? I saw it on a post from another gun forum.

Place a target 13 yards away. Get a good rest, aim at the bull’s-eye and nudge the trigger. If the bullet is off the mark, adjust your sights and shoot again. Once you are taking out the X in the center of the bull’s-eye, you now have a rifle, which will be dead-on at about 75 yards, just a tad low at 100 yards and a smidgen high at 50 yards.

This is what I was taught, works well with a tightly patched roundball from a cap or a flinter, with a six o'clock hold @ thirteen yds (rondyvoo tie breaker distance) drops 5 1/2" to six" @ 100yds, with a tightly patched .495 rb with seventy gr fff.

Try it before you discount it as a bad idea, it eliminates the issues associated with trying to get a new rifle to group at 50 yds, if you can't cut a single hole at 13 yds then you need to find out why.

 

[Col. Batguano]

When doing your adjustments, I like to calculate how much movement of the sights it takes per inch of miss (usually that's the up and down but it works for side to side too) and mark the sights with calipers before I do any filing. (For example a calculated adjustment of .030" adjustment looks like a LOT so it's easy to under or over file it.) I'll be conservative with the file when doing it because it's pretty much impossible to add material once it's gone. Then, shoot and adjust again.

The first time I did it this way I didn't trust my calculations so was even more conservative but I found that they were right on after that.

The next big trick is to figure out what actually IS the center of the group. I like to use a 10 shot group to figure that out, and call my shots, marking both the "called shot" and the actual hole and linking them on my marked piece of paper I use for adjustment purposes. This is much easier to do from a benched position than from standing, particularly with the somewhat variable ignition / lock time of a flint gun.

Because my personal point of aim is a little different for shots in standing position than benched (standing usually hits a little higher with heavier loads) I get that nailed down too before making my final and permanent file adjustments.

With as slow as muzzle loaders are to reload and shoot a lot of shots this usually means at least a few trips to the range. You want to do it over multiple days anyway, because conditions are always a little bit different each time anyway.

I'll give you a case in point;
With my Ohio Vincent (cap gun) I knew I had my sights dialed in perfectly. (I can hold 90% of my shots in the 9-ring or tighter in standing position.) But one day they were all centered at12:00 o'clock around the 8 ring. Bugged me. I just put the gun away, went home, cleaned it and put it back together. I resisted the urge to file the sights. The next 3 trips to the range it was back to shooting centers around the 10 ring. I don't know what the deal was that day. Maybe after that many shots the barrel moved in the bedding. Maybe I assembled it differently or put more pressure on the tang bolt that time, but it has never done that on me again.

 

[LME]

Has anyone ever tried a lapping compound? I've tried steel wool wrapped around a cleaning patch with some oil to clean out a neglected bore with decent success.

I have used car compound the white type with a soft patch . Use it with caution! Don't over do it.

 

[dkasprzak]

I'm in the process of buying a plains rifle from one of the forum members. The rifle has been test fired, but not sighted in. My question to you forum members. Windage is going to be via tapping the rear sight and elevation by filing down the front blade. What recommendations do you have for distance? Right on at 50? 100? I will use it for hunting, but mostly for target/fun. I'll be shooting patched round ball.

There are two separate processes to get an accurate muzzleloader. First is load development, second is sighting in. You need to determine the most accurate load for your particular gun so that it shoots tight groups. Once that is done THEN and only then should you start adjusting the sights to move the group to the point of impact you want.

 

[thompson50]

Sounds like you have a Colerain barrel with a 1:56 twist. I have the same barrel on my 54. It’s your gun so shoot it often and get to know where it hits. I sight in for top of bull at 50 and use Kentucky windage at a 100. Once you know where it hits at 25, 50 and 100 you should be all set. Just have to burn a lot of powder.

 

[Crow-Feather]

I sight my rifles at 3 inches high for whatever range I believe is my target range, If I an short on range estimation, I am not going to hit below the lungs. BE SURE that you have a ton of fixens for your hunting load. It hurts to look around and find that your out of something and can't re[lace it.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I think guys that shoot muzzle loaders are ex-golfers that couldn't quit frustration entirely.