Sighting in a Sidelock

[Coueswhitetail]

After several months of waiting the ranges are finally open and I'm off to see what my Austin and Halleck .50 cal mountain rifle likes to shoot. I made a posting a while back asking some questions around these lines, but before I get to the range want to make sure I get everything I need. If it's not too much trouble I'd love any feedback on how I can improve my plan for finding the right powder combo. The rifle has a 1:28 barrel and I am using CCI #11 caps, hornady 410gr. great plains conicals, and FFF pyrodex powder. Right now, I'm planning on setting up with a big piece of butcher paper as a 50 yard target (make sure I know where I'm missing if they don't hit around POA) and starting with an 80 gr. load. I will then fire a string of 3 shots with the same charge, cleaning the barrel with a patch after each shot, and see what kind of groups that gives me, increasing each string of 3 shots by 5 grains until it is "minute of deer". Do I need to start with a smaller load? I'm wanting to conserve powder and ammo so I'd rather not start too low. Additionally, where these bullets are discontinued, I'm concerned about the lubricant being too old and dry to be effective; is this a valid concern? Let me know; thanks in advance!

 

[russellshaffer]

A 45-70 has significant recoil and you are going to be shooting a 45-80. Be sure to pad your shoulder well. A 45-70 is more than good enough for elk so you should be just fine on a deer with your starting load. I don't think you will recover any bullets.

 

[LawrenceA]

I have a GPH in 54 as well as a Trapdoor.
I would suggest starting at more like 50 grains (55 was the Trapdoor cavalry load with a 405gn pill). I use 65gn as my hunting load and no bullets recovered. The Enfield Musket used 65gns behind a 510grain pill.
My working load with the GPH is 80 grains with a 500+ pill.

I don't know about the lube but you can boil it off and add fresh lube. Lubes can perish.

The thing you may need to watch is the shift in impact between your first and second shots. It is very normal for the first shot to go high.
As most hunts start with a clean barrel , and often end that way, it is the POI on the first shot that is paramount.
Depending on your shooting you may need to consider cleaning between each shot so each sot is from a clean gun OR shoot a fouler and wipe (not necessarily clean) between subsequent shots to try and maintain the fouling level.
The other factor is if you are not used to the gun there is a small learning curve here to so a few training shots is a good thing. A lot of training shots is a great thing.

If it were me. do what you said.
It won't be too hard to see when the groups stop shrinking and then start to open. But I might fuss a little around this point of opening up but probably not. Chances are the gun is out shooting me.

If it is a new gun do the whole load thing again after a few hundred rounds. Don't be surprised if the best load needs tweaking.

Well that's my 2 bobs worth.

One last thing have fun!

 

[deermanok]

I'd say to load up with what your planning to use. You'll know after a few shots if you need to change anything.

 

[Coueswhitetail]

Thanks for the help! 80 grains did the trick. Shoots about a foot high and 6” to the left but at 100 yards gave me a nice 2.25” group. Only complaint was what a pain it was to get those dang conical down the bore. Took a Herculean effort to get it started but slid down nice after that.