What accuracy do you get at 300yards with 45??

[dehart.stephen]

Hello, I have a custom 45 percussion rifle with 1 in 27" twist. I'm shooting a 400g bullet and getting 5 shot groups at 300 yards of 6", i.e. 2 MOA.
I'm rather unhappy with this. What type of accuracy to you guys get at that range and what 45cal rifle do you have. I use open peep sights so I guess using a scope would be other than the context of this question

Before investing in mounting a scope, check narrel bed fit and bullets, etc. Check your velocities for consistency, and your bullets for consistent weight and symmetry. The new magnetic chronographs are great, and not fooled by patches , wadding, etc. A very slight wear, play, or misalignment of your bullet mould can sometimes be a bad actor. Drop a cold bullet into your mould and look at the base with about a 10x magnifier. Then rotate bullet 180 degrees in the cavity. An out-of- square bullet base will show itself and indicate need for adjusting something back into symmetry. A good set of aperature sights will aim just as accurately as about a 6x scope. But the scope DOES help you acquire sight picture faster before the wind and mirage shift much (perhaps moot after losing a couple minutes loading the rifle). Is this a 10-lb British style target rifle or a heavy New England style slug/ picket rifle or what? That may steer the investigation somewhat.

 

[stikshooter]

Before investing in mounting a scope, check narrel bed fit and bullets, etc. Check your velocities for consistency, and your bullets for consistent weight and symmetry. The new magnetic chronographs are great, and not fooled by patches , wadding, etc. A very slight wear, play, or misalignment of your bullet mould can sometimes be a bad actor. Drop a cold bullet into your mould and look at the base with about a 10x magnifier. Then rotate bullet 180 degrees in the cavity. An out-of- square bullet base will show itself and indicate need for adjusting something back into symmetry. A good set of aperature sights will aim just as accurately as about a 6x scope. But the scope DOES help you acquire sight picture faster before the wind and mirage shift much (perhaps moot after losing a couple minutes loading the rifle). Is this a 10-lb British style target rifle or a heavy New England style slug/ picket rifle or what? That may steer the investigation somewhat.

Never experienced mirage using venier or iron sights ,just scopes . I use venier cause the base/ring set up for long range setup can cost more than the venier before the scope/Ed

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Never experienced mirage using venier or iron sights ,just scopes . I use venier cause the base/ring set up for long range setup can cost more than the venier before the scope/Ed

A scope is useful for reading mirage.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Bullet guns need a means to ensure the bullet is started straight in the bore.

 

[deermanok]

Nice looking rifle.

 

[dehart.stephen]

A scope is useful for reading mirage.

The scope

Never experienced mirage using venier or iron sights ,just scopes . I use venier cause the base/ring set up for long range setup can cost more than the venier before the scope/Ed

The scope DOES make the mirage readable. The absence of a scope merely means the mirage is harder to notice, through aperture sights. I didn't even believe in mirage until I shot in clear midday, still heat, then shrunk my group amazingly in the cloudy stillness after a good rain (aperture sights at 200 with black bull). Done it with smoky and with smokeless loads. Hard to notice mirage or lack of it through iron sights, but sometimes you can with a REALLY solid benchrest. That way you know the little drift of the bull in the front sight ring is mirage, not necessarily your hold. But Im guessing our friend with the long range .45 probably need not fuss with mirage much until examining the usual load / barrel-related factors. Like to hear more aboit his rifle, too!

 

[gustrolland]

Hello, I have a custom 45 percussion rifle with 1 in 27" twist. I'm shooting a 400g bullet and getting 5 shot groups at 300 yards of 6", i.e. 2 MOA.
I'm rather unhappy with this. What type of accuracy to you guys get at that range and what 45cal rifle do you have. I use open peep sights so I guess using a scope would be other than the context of this question.

Believe it or not, done that or better at times. Now try that with a patched round ball. Out shooting with a formal state pistol champ, we tried out shooting prb at three hundred yards and did pretty fair. But my 45 with 80 grains of 3f had no more penatration than my thumb at that range. His .58 did a lot better. Just shooting for fun, and maybe just lucky that day.

 

[M. De Land]

A scope is useful for reading mirage.

No rifle scope especially one of these long tube low field models will be any good for accurate wind or mirage reading.
The technique we use in Mid and long range competition is to focus our spotting scopes on the target butts (numbers) then back off on the focus and this allows you to see the mirage well and get a reading on wind direction and velocity. Fish tails and reversals are what really screw up a good score and never-ever shoot through a "boil" if it can be waited out.

 

[stikshooter]

Believe it or not, done that or better at times. Now try that with a patched round ball. Out shooting with a formal state pistol champ, we tried out shooting prb at three hundred yards and did pretty fair. But my 45 with 80 grains of 3f had no more penatration than my thumb at that range. His .58 did a lot better. Just shooting for fun, and maybe just lucky that day.

Believe it or not, done that or better at times. Now try that with a patched round ball. Out shooting with a formal state pistol champ, we tried out shooting prb at three hundred yards and did pretty fair. But my 45 with 80 grains of 3f had no more penatration than my thumb at that range. His .58 did a lot better. Just shooting for fun, and maybe just lucky that day.

My fun gun has a 1-17 twist 45 cal Rice barrel sitting in a TC Renegade just about 12Lbs rockets launched a BACO 530 gr PP eliptical over 81 gr of OE 1 1/2 F 1260fps and has been known to thump the 700 yd gong and break saw blades (46 incher) .

 

[Uncle Miltie]

No rifle scope especially one of these long tube low field models will be any good for accurate wind or mirage reading.
The technique we use in Mid and long range competition is to focus our spotting scopes on the target butts (numbers) then back off on the focus and this allows you to see the mirage well and get a reading on wind direction and velocity. Fish tails and reversals are what really screw up a good score and never-ever shoot through a "boil" if it can be waited out.

I have used such rifle scopes to win medals at NMLRA and NRA matches. The 9x scope I usually use works very well for reading mirage.

No rifle scope especially one of these long tube low field models will be any good for accurate wind or mirage reading.
The technique we use in Mid and long range competition is to focus our spotting scopes on the target butts (numbers) then back off on the focus and this allows you to see the mirage well and get a reading on wind direction and velocity. Fish tails and reversals are what really screw up a good score and never-ever shoot through a "boil" if it can be waited out.

I have used this type of scope to win matches in NRA and NMLRA competitions. Past 500 yards I need a spotting scope to see bullet holes on my target but for reading wind (mirage) the 9x scope I use most often works very well. Shooting the heavy benchrest rifles as used in the US in the late 1800's is different than the type of shooting done with lightweight rifles used for long range competition.

 

[M. De Land]

I have used such rifle scopes to win medals at NMLRA and NRA matches. The 9x scope I usually use works very well for reading mirage.

I have used this type of scope to win matches in NRA and NMLRA competitions. Past 500 yards I need a spotting scope to see bullet holes on my target but for reading wind (mirage) the 9x scope I use most often works very well. Shooting the heavy benchrest rifles as used in the US in the late 1800's is different than the type of shooting done with lightweight rifles used for long range competition.

This is buffalo gun target shooting with .45 cal bullets up to 560 grains . Some shoot Paper patch some shoot grease bullets.
Mid range is 200.300 and 600 yards. Long range is 8, 9 and 1K yards. The spotting scopes with 70- 80 mm lenses set on a tripod that can be turned into the wind to slow the mirage image/shimmer along with the wind flags will allow precision wind read that just isn't possible with small field, gun mounted scopes. I'm sure some mirage can be detected but there will be no comparison to that which can be seen with a large field 80 mm lens spotting scope. The difference is the greater amount of light transfer that the larger lenses can handle.

 

[ResearchPress]

. . . The spotting scopes with 70- 80 mm lenses set on a tripod that can be turned into the wind to slow the mirage image along with the wind flags will allow precision wind read that just isn't possible with small field, gun mounted scopes. I'm sure some mirage can be detected but there will be no comparison to that which can be seen with a large field 80 mm lens spotting scope. The difference is the greater amount of light transfer that the larger lenses can handle.

Scope sights don’t feature in U.K. long range muzzle loading - except perhaps in local clubs. Shooting is prone or back position with aperture sights. My spotting scope has an angled eye-piece, and I can set it up next to me, such that while in position my head barely needs to move from aim to glance through the scope, and check mirage. Range flags obviously assist, but mirage reacts quicker to wind change, especially after wet weather and flags may be heavier due to being damp.

We also shoot Enfield rifle, with open sights, out to 600 yards (occasionally 800 yards). Same conditions, prone with military sling for support.

David

 

[Uncle Miltie]

For the light weight rifles used in LR matches with weight limits a scope would be hard to use. But again, with heavy barreled target rifles used in the US during the late 19th century they were in common use.

 

[shorthair]

Nice setups! You might need to trim some tree branches when you’re shooting the 515’s at 400 yards… keep us posted, I’m interested to know how the longer bullets handle that rate of twist. Beautiful rifle by the way. Just gorgeous!

After a while they'll trim the tree limbs themselves.