What is acceptable muzzleloader accuracy?

We all feel it's fair to the game to harvest quickly and humanely. Nobody wants to witness a suffering animal. Plus, nobody likes 4-6" groups shooting..... period/exclamation point. It has nothing to do with floating anybody's boat. Lets not compare people who instantly know what 11 X 12 is, versus those that carry a small solar calculator and must compute it first externally, not internally.

A notable member here once told me he would quit the sport, if he only shot 4' groups. So really, if his private land - well fed wallet - artificial aids to deliver his 1-1/2" groups all disappeared.....etc.....etc.... would he really quit the sport?

I really dislike BS'ers. I really dislike the chest pounders. I really dislike those that can get all the new age / high tech toys at their disposal...... and don't seem grateful for it.

I'm done with this thread. It's all yours Hawg...... have at it.

No Bsing here.

I strive for this and normally achieve it through practice in hunting conditions. Loads are first worked up on a bench and sled. This tells me the gun and load are up to par. Final sight in is done either in my stand or off a picnic bench and a rolled up blanket or bag.

2 shots 2 hearts


Nothing really fancy about my carbine. I might have $550 in the entire package.

Bottom line is if you've never lost any game you've shot. Your method and accuracy are just fine.

If you feel like you have to hit the hair you're aiming at to be accurate. You're probably a stand hunter who uses a scope and a rest.

An acceptable level of accuracy will change from person to person, it can depend on what you are shooting for, fun competition, hunting close range medium range or far range and some of these ranges have a different definition for different people.
It only makes sense to take certain steps like working up loads and tuning up guns on the bench and al the knowledgeable people will tell you that what a gun shoots for a POI on the bench is not always going to be the same as what it does off an impromptu rest or off hand.
The situation that you will be using the gun in is a controlling factor and I only know of a few people who haul a portable bench around with them when hunting and the road hunt in the mountains and shoot very long range from one mountain to an other with flat shooting center fires.
If we make a couple of assumptions starting with a well worked up top brand rifle that is capable of an inch group with its best loads we have to go from there to are you going to use it for hunting. Assume the answer is yes, and in a tree stand with a three sided rest, then if we have a good shooter who is as good as the gun hitting something the size of an orange should be possible. A good silent stalker should be able to get with in 50 yds. and hit a 3 to 4 inch spot off hand if he has to, any one who does not use a rest when the opportunity is there is a xxxxxxx not a hunter.










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Lee 9 said:

An acceptable level of accuracy will change from person to person, it can depend on what you are shooting for, fun competition, hunting close range medium range or far range and some of these ranges have a different definition for different people.
It only makes sense to take certain steps like working up loads and tuning up guns on the bench and al the knowledgeable people will tell you that what a gun shoots for a POI on the bench is not always going to be the same as what it does off an impromptu rest or off hand.
The situation that you will be using the gun in is a controlling factor and I only know of a few people who haul a portable bench around with them when hunting and the road hunt in the mountains and shoot very long range from one mountain to an other with flat shooting center fires.
If we make a couple of assumptions starting with a well worked up top brand rifle that is capable of an inch group with its best loads we have to go from there to are you going to use it for hunting. Assume the answer is yes, and in a tree stand with a three sided rest, then if we have a good shooter who is as good as the gun hitting something the size of an orange should be possible. A good silent stalker should be able to get with in 50 yds. and hit a 3 to 4 inch spot off hand if he has to, any one who does not use a rest when the opportunity is there is a xxxxxxx not a hunter.
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I like that.

Confidence is everything.

FYI, hit our steel target today at 270+ yards using the BDC reticle on the Nikon scope. See circled hit.

Barnes T-EZ 290 over 120gr volume (actual 84.0 weighted) of BH 209.

I found out today when shooting that I'm likely getting a lot more velocity than I expected as it really shoots quite flat. I couldn't get the Magnetospeed on it so I'll try my conventional chronograph soon so that I can have some data to work with. Based running numbers I'm suspecting well over 2000fps, but I won't give particulars until I have data.

Does anyone happen to know if the Barnes published BC for the 290 T-EZ is accurate? Thanks.

Close to .240 for the TMZ depending on MV. Thats very close to Barnes spec. Im guessing the TEZ isnt far off either.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3747

At this point in time I feel that I have to clear up my reply that I made at 0748 this morning. First off that reply wasn't directed at anyone on the forum. That reply is how I shoot and not about how another hunter or target shooter how he conducts themselves at the range or in the field. As long as it's legal, it's fine with me.
I base all of my opinions and replies on how I do things through first hand knowledge. I don't shoot off hand or kneeling or sitting or from the prone position. I hunt now from a blind and I shoot off BOG Gear shooting stix. I tip my hat to you guys who shoot off hand. I'll say it again that snap shooting is just that, bringing the rifle up and in a split second pulling the trigger. If that's what you like and do, it's fine with me. If your happy with that kind of shooting and hunting, more power to you but don't condemn a shooter that shoots 1 to 1.5 groups at 100 or a 130 yards. I am 67 years old and wear bifocals. My MR has a scope and my traditional rifles have irons sights. I don't find wearing glasses a handicap.
Do what works for you that's how I look at it and leave the B/S where it belongs and don't ***** and moan because another hunter practices or hunts differently then you do. Do the crying elsewhere. The forum is a place for help, opinions and to have fun with our stories and view pics. Not a bashing board.

Ray................ GOOD HUNTING EVERYONE.

Muley Hunter said:

Some of us shoot offhand Ray, and if you can shoot those groups offhand I bow to you. So, being an offhand shooter I accept larger groups.

If I was shooting off a bench with a scope i'd want small groups too, but I don't shoot off a bench when hunting. It's ok to shoot small groups to sight in the gun, and check the load, but after that they aren't needed.

I've watched guys shoot small groups at the range, and then completely miss the animal when hunting. I'd rather see someone shoot 2-3" groups at the range, and then repeat it in the field.

Click to expand...

Are you actually suggesting that a scope causes you to move off-target? That is ridiculous. And as to "practicing" off hand versus a bench, frankly, a bench will simply get your system up to it's capabilities. In the woods it is indeed up to the shooter. But why on earth would you not want to have the gun at full capability?
Let's just think about this. You "practice/sight in, in a wobbly position, off-hand, and "dial in".
I do the same off an absolute still platform.
10 shots later, who's gun would you trust? NOW it is up to the shooter. The gun, sight, and load are out of the equation. They are confirmed.
Off-hand shooting is common in my area, but half-assed sighting in techniques are not.

We all have what we personally set as acceptable accuracy, no matter what you shoot for a gun or your load choice it is going to be different then what I or anyone else uses. At the end of the day what you determine is accurate and how you go about achieving it is your choice if you are happy with 2-3 inch 100 yard groups and you bring game home who am I to say that you could shoot better.

Do the best you can with the gear you have and good luck this fall in the woods may we all get the deer of a life time. :yeah:

All I want is just a little more than ill ever get