Where to set the sights ?

[Hawk78]

Hawk, My 54 cal, 44" long Douglas barrel flintlock likes 60 gr at 25 yrds, 80 gr at 50 and 100gr at 100 yrds. (2F real black) I made this rifle in about 1975. It weighs ten pounds and still shoots well today. I am not the one shooting it any more, my SIL does. It is too heavy for me. I use an adjustable powder measure with the funnel attached on top. My other flintlocks that are different calibers, have different charges, but use the same process. I keep on hand a small 6 ring binder log that lists the powder charge for each. Most every ML will have a sweet spot with a specific amount of powder for optimum accuracy. I do not want to lead you in the wrong direction. Work up a load for your gun that gets results, then if you can/want to simplify by going more powder for longer etc, try it. If it don't work, it is simple, don't do that. Changing powder charge for yardage is what I do, but that method is not the bible by a long shot.
Flintlocklar

I am very interested in trying this for my rifle. I already worked up a load for it and been shooting that combo since around Feburary/March and came in second place with it (in the main aggregate) at our small Spring rendezvous and third place in the animal aggregate. There was only around twenty or so shooters but I was very proud to come in 2nd in the Main aggregate and 3rd in the aa. The fellow that beat me shot a 102 and I shot a 101 out of 150. I do not like having to aim 5 inches high at 100 yards because doing so prohibits me from seeing the actual bullseye. I'm gonna bump up my powder charge and see what happens, thanks friend!

 

[Snydly]

I stick to one load....this way I don’t have to remember multiple loads. If it shoots accurate at 100 it should shoot excellent at closer ranges. At 25 yards it shoots cloverleafs,, at 100 it shoots 3” groups. This is my hunting rifle a 54 flintlock.

 

[shootrj2003]

I have plenty of experience with competition using a 6-o'clock hole on match targets with modern arms.
I'm wondering how the community sets their sights on ML's.
Do you favor point of aim at 50 or 75 yards ?

I use a 3” black bull which is close to a deer heart size ,on that I hold at 6:00 and at fifty yds my bullets hit the top of the bull at 100 they drop down a bit if I were to have a perfect day with perfect light and a perfect rest and the target was a bit further I would raise it a might and be good that it was a good shot,however most of my shots have been well under 100 ,it’s just the nature of my terrain your going up or down,with lots of brush, hemlock and laurel to see through oh and blueberry brush!
so to clarify any shot on a critter is aimed at where his heart should be and out to a 100 is apt to be deadly ,I don’t believe I ever had a perfect set up but never missed or lost a deer so far.

 

[shootrj2003]

Mostly I only shoot one load in any rifle; except the .40. The .40 likes 30 grns 3F for small game, call that 25 to 30 yds. 40 grains for all around at any range I shoot. But if I'm doing only 100 yards the load will be 55 to 60 grains.

I find this to be the best way to go,especially with muzzleloader,if you know where it goes with one setting,and one load , it will always go where you want it too,the art of knowing your rifle and using the often,nowadays,joked about “ Kentucky winddage” is one that is largely lost on shooters today,however if shooters spent as much time practicing it as they did adjusting thier sights they would find it a bit less work and probably quicker in a pinch.

 

[oldwood]

For deer , Use the most accurate load for the caliber. Sight the gun in dead on at 50 yards. I personally don't use 6 o'clock holds , because you handicap yourself, if you have to shoot farther than 75 yds. at an unknown size animal , at an unknown distance, . Sighting in at 50 yds. has you covered from 0 yds . out to 75 yds. by just holding where you want the ball to hit. Depending on the caliber if you have checked the point of impact at 100 yds. , , and the group is fool proof , worst case , all you have to do is hold the top of the sight an inch below the top of the deer's back , and you should get a killing hit.
If you have any experience using scope sighted rifles , what just described is the same as this above.................oldwood

 

[The Crisco Kid]

What you're looking for is called the "point blank range" at least a regards hunting. It's the setting that lets you aim at the place you want to hit and result in a killing shot even if the ball strikes high or low. For example, if you set your sights to hit dead center on a paper plate at 50 yds. what ever distance you can hit somewhere on that plate with a center hold is your point blank range. It may be from 20 yards to 150 yards depending on the trajectory of the load. Pretty much the same idea as oldwood above.

 

[Flintlock]

It really depends on the caliber of the rifle and the intended purpose of that rifle. I sight some like my .45 to shoot center at 30 yards with light loads becouse I mostly hunt small game with it so head shots are neccesary. My daughters .50 is sighted in the same becouse she only uses it with light loads for targets-plinking- and the occasional small game at close range. My .54 is sighted in at 50 yards becouse where I hunt it's very rare to even find a spot you can see 100 yards. You really have to sight in for what it's going to be used for.

 

[hanshi]

The problem I have with sighting "dead on" is that I often can't make out the front sight blade against the target. This can also be a problem for me in the dark squirrel woods from time to time. But I CAN see to put that little, round head balanced on top of the front post for a good shot. I even paint the front blades white to help a little in the dark, shadowy woods.

 

[rafterob]

When I started shooting with the club I am now with I sighted at 6:00 hold and did well on targets (after about a year of practice). But then discovered I had a hard time hitting silhouettes and swingers and the like. So I switched to a dead-on sight. I do fairly well on 25 and 50 yard targets with that hold and can hit most of what I aim at out to 80 yards. AT 100 yards I am aiming at the target which is small blurry dot and hope I hit somewhere in the vicinity. When I actually score in the black I am tickled pink!

 

[Bigpete]

I sight in dead on at 50m.

 

[renegadehunter]

When I was young I shot by holding "right on", that is putting the top of the front sight over my intended target. The concept of a six oclock hold didn't enter my mind at such a young age. Thousands of rounds were shot this way in my youth.
This is very thoroughly embedded into my brain to this day, so in the heat of the moment when a nice deer or elk steps out that I want to shoot, I will automatically use that hold unless I very consciously think about having to use a different hold.
Rather than fight that I just sight in for a "right on" hold. If I shot targets in competition that would make me more likely to put in the effort to overcome this, but I do not.
75 yards is my choice for zeroing a right on hold.

 

[megasupermagnum]

If I'm using an NRA target, I use a 6 O'clock hold. There's really no other accurate way to do it. You could try to center on the black, but unless it is only 25 yards away, it's tough. When it comes to load development or sight in targets, you have to play around to find what your eye likes. In my case, for whatever reason, a super white target, with a black bullseye doesn't work that great. Instead, I see much more clearly a brown target, with a black bullseye. In fact, I've gone away from a "bullseye". I currently make all my targets from a roll of brown rosin paper, stuff used for flooring. Super cheap, same thing I pattern shotguns with. I cut my square targets, and I have a couple cheap stencils I use for the bullseye with black spray paint. If using open sights, I use an upside down T. I find I get a crystal clear visual of that, and it is very natural for aligning with open sights, aiming at the bottom of the T, and the upper line naturally aligns windage. It's way easier, and more natural than a circle. My T is about 8" X 8", and I see this well to about 100 yards. If shooting mainly at 50, then a smaller T might help, maybe not. I shoot these same targets at 50 yards with handguns, and it seems just right to me. For any scoped guns, I use a diamond, and I aim at the very bottom tip of the diamond. I find a 2"x2" works really well for lower power scopes at 100 yards.

 

[hanshi]

If I aim dead on at the bullseye, say, at 50 yards the front sight is very difficult to distinguish from the black of the bullseye.

 

[oldwood]

Hanshi...........About 30 yrs. ago I couldn't discern a black bullseye either. There are other colors besides black. I just started turning the targets backwards. I use orange duct tape ,4" square , or less. Now I can see the bullseye again. I had to take my rear sight away , and put a peep sight on my long rifle. Now , I see the target , and front sight............oldwood