I HAVE to go burn some powder in this new rifle today!

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Bones816 said:
I'm all set to go back to the range tomorrow. I'm jacked! Hopefully my Windex won't freeze! I'm thinking if all goes well I'll run out of bullets! That's ok, I'm narrowing down my choices. And I want to burn up these pellets so I don't feel so bad about buying the BH! I've checked my local Walmarts, no black powder stuff in them. Sad. $40 at my local sporting goods store. Hoping to find it for $35 or less.

Assuming you end up liking the BH and want that as your goto powder, you can buy it in bulk....5lb jugs for much less per oz. That is if you would shoot enough to warrant that big of a purchase. Its definitely not cheap, but I can say... just the fact that I don't have to swab each time is worth it to me! Around here its about $40 for the bottle also. Some places higher. My walmarts carry very little for MLing even during selling season. Seems odd to me, as the two week early ML season in VA is probably the biggest thing going. It coincides with the rut and is before rifle. Good luck on your next trip!
 
Bones816 said:
GoexBlackhorn said:
Me too! I use Butch's Blackpowder Bore Shine for swabbing at the range, or during Hunting Week, when I fire daily.

As I approach 70 years-old in a few years, I need 45-50 degrees, when spending 2-3-4 hours at the state-provided gun range. It could be 4-6 weeks longer for me, before Lower Michigan starts thawing out.

I'm 61 and in NE Wisconsin.

My body felt warmer 6-7 years ago.
A very gradual change in different body parts, as we progress thru the 60s.
 
Bones816 said:
I'm all set to go back to the range tomorrow. I'm jacked! Hopefully my Windex won't freeze! I'm thinking if all goes well I'll run out of bullets! That's ok, I'm narrowing down my choices. And I want to burn up these pellets so I don't feel so bad about buying the BH! I've checked my local Walmarts, no black powder stuff in them. Sad. $40 at my local sporting goods store. Hoping to find it for $35 or less.
It is not cheap and I can't even buy it local to me. They so far don't seem to sell it here on Long Island. Mostly Pyrodex or T7. I watch the sales at Cablea's and get it there when I pass buy one.
 
Another wasted day at the range. Either the scope is loose or I'm crushing the pellets or sabots when I load. Shots were all over the place. Some not even hitting the target at all. How much difference can it make in the shot if loading is not perfectly consistant?
 
Bones816 said:
Another wasted day at the range. Either the scope is loose or I'm crushing the pellets or sabots when I load. Shots were all over the place. Some not even hitting the target at all. How much difference can it make in the shot if loading is not perfectly consistant?

Consistent loading is necessary for accuracy. If you're crushing pellets, you're changing the pressures. Sabots only need to be seated firmly on pellets, which can crack, break, or crush at pressures of 40#. If you're swabbing between shots, its imperative that patches NOT be wet, only ever so slightly damp. Check and verify your scope mounts and ring torques.
 
ENCORE50A said:
Bones816 said:
Another wasted day at the range. Either the scope is loose or I'm crushing the pellets or sabots when I load. Shots were all over the place. Some not even hitting the target at all. How much difference can it make in the shot if loading is not perfectly consistant?

Consistent loading is necessary for accuracy. If you're crushing pellets, you're changing the pressures. Sabots only need to be seated firmly on pellets, which can crack, break, or crush at pressures of 40#. If you're swabbing between shots, its imperative that patches NOT be wet, only ever so slightly damp. Check and verify your scope mounts and ring torques.

Ring screws were not tight. Geez. I don't have a torque driver but I snugged them up. I was swabbing with a damp patch with window cleaner. I ran both sides of the patch and then a dry patch, both sides. I had marked my ram rod yesterday but started doubting whether I was seating the bullet too hard or not hard enough. Could uneven seating throw shots off of a target that is say 18"x18" or is it more likely the screws not being tight?
I must sound like a total rookie! I assure you I've done this before but never really put this much effort into it. I want to get really good with this one.
 
Hang in there Bones, you'll get it figured out. Possibly the pellets are out of date (gathered moisture). Like Encore said check scope mounts, bases. Next time out try a different powder, that would tell you if it is a powder issue. If the problem isn't resolved then itmight be a scope problem?

Sent from my ME301T using Tapatalk
 
Yeah, I have a new bottle of T7 FFg. I should probably use that next trip.
 
Bones816 said:
ENCORE50A said:
Bones816 said:
Another wasted day at the range. Either the scope is loose or I'm crushing the pellets or sabots when I load. Shots were all over the place. Some not even hitting the target at all. How much difference can it make in the shot if loading is not perfectly consistant?

Consistent loading is necessary for accuracy. If you're crushing pellets, you're changing the pressures. Sabots only need to be seated firmly on pellets, which can crack, break, or crush at pressures of 40#. If you're swabbing between shots, its imperative that patches NOT be wet, only ever so slightly damp. Check and verify your scope mounts and ring torques.

Ring screws were not tight. Geez. I don't have a torque driver but I snugged them up. I was swabbing with a damp patch with window cleaner. I ran both sides of the patch and then a dry patch, both sides. I had marked my ram rod yesterday but started doubting whether I was seating the bullet too hard or not hard enough. Could uneven seating throw shots off of a target that is say 18"x18" or is it more likely the screws not being tight?
I must sound like a total rookie! I assure you I've done this before but never really put this much effort into it. I want to get really good with this one.

Darn Murphy's Law........

That was most likely your largest contributing factor. Ring screws loose. If you told what scope you had, I missed it. Here's what I "think" I know about pellets...... Unless they're total JUNK, they should not be throwing bullets like a shotgun pattern.

If you made your witness mark correctly in the first place, ALWAYS trust it when using the identical load.

Invest in one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Wheeler-Firearms ... B0012AXR4S

You'll get it...... :wink:
 
ENCORE50A said:
Bones816 said:
ENCORE50A said:
Consistent loading is necessary for accuracy. If you're crushing pellets, you're changing the pressures. Sabots only need to be seated firmly on pellets, which can crack, break, or crush at pressures of 40#. If you're swabbing between shots, its imperative that patches NOT be wet, only ever so slightly damp. Check and verify your scope mounts and ring torques.

Ring screws were not tight. Geez. I don't have a torque driver but I snugged them up. I was swabbing with a damp patch with window cleaner. I ran both sides of the patch and then a dry patch, both sides. I had marked my ram rod yesterday but started doubting whether I was seating the bullet too hard or not hard enough. Could uneven seating throw shots off of a target that is say 18"x18" or is it more likely the screws not being tight?
I must sound like a total rookie! I assure you I've done this before but never really put this much effort into it. I want to get really good with this one.

Darn Murphy's Law........

That was most likely your largest contributing factor. Ring screws loose. If you told what scope you had, I missed it. Here's what I "think" I know about pellets...... Unless they're total JUNK, they should not be throwing bullets like a shotgun pattern.

If you made your witness mark correctly in the first place, ALWAYS trust it when using the identical load.

Invest in one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Wheeler-Firearms ... B0012AXR4S

You'll get it...... :wink:

That's funny. I already looked at that torque driver! Those pellets are not junk, I kept them sealed up. I think I just didn't know if I was pushing through any crud ring that I might not have cleaned out with the swabs. I know better now. I was getting it pretty clean. I think I was mashing the bullet/sabot down to hard and forced the pellet to go up into the sabot. At least that's what I'm thinking. Plus the screws being a little loose.
 
I shoot T7 pellets almost exclusively and if they're stored right, they shoot better from my rifle than most think a pellet can shoot. ------->

I know some like Windex, but I've yet to find anything that works better for me than Butch's when using T7 pellets. A VERY lightly damp patch, in with one side, pull it out and in with the back side and load. The main thing is at the point of ignition, make a couple extra strokes where you feel the crud ring starting to form. If you use saturated patches or plain wet patches, its going to affect consistency.
When I run the sabot/bullet down the barrel using pellets, I push the sabot down until I feel it makes good contact the pellets, verify using my witness mark and I'm ready to prime. Loading in the extreme cold and using gloves, might just take away the feeling of the sabot contacting the pellets? Once you do it a couple thousand times, you can feel the sabot skirt start over the pellet :lol:

Tightening both your mount and rings is a good thing :yeah:
 
Thanks Encore. I'll be back in the game next weekend. ShawnT is sending me a few 275 gr Bloodlines. I'll see if those fit. If not, I'll order the 265 Lehighs and some sabots. Not sure which ones I guess.
 
I've not ever had any rifle that would throw that type of pattern that was powder or load related. Sounds like it was your rings. Good luck next trip!

Oh, and I use crush rib sabots with my .452 bloodlines. They work perfect in my knights, and my omega. Most places sell them in bulk for reasonable price.
 
I remounted my scope today. There was no thread lock on the mounting screws at all.
Got some tubes from Lane and measured out some T7 loose powder.
Received some new accessories from Muzzle-Loaders.com including a range rod. I might get back out next weekend to get zeroed in once and for all!
 
8) Really like your Greenbay Packer logo!! I've been a fan ever since they beat Dallas Cowboys in the Ice Bowl, way back when... :mrgreen:
 
Thanks! Obviously it's a combo of all the Sconnie teams (except the Bucks) and we follow all of them!
 

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