Newbie In Need of Help Please

wolfer said:

Timberelk said:

So I drove all over the valley but found the stuff I need. I ended up with:

Nikon prostaff 3-9x40
New one piece rings/bases
BH209
Hornady XTP 300 grain
Harvester crush rib sabots
Digital reloading scale to measure my BH209 by weight (I believe 100 grains of vol is about 70 grains in weight)

Damn I hope this gun will finally shoot or I will literally pull my hair out!


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Looks like you are on your way. Just remember to shoot a cool barrel. Old saying is 1st shot is cold shot and best shot you'll get. I'll also suggest you start a little below the 70 grain by weight of BH209 at say 60 grains to get close on the X ring and then work up. Also make sure the mounting screws are not bottoming out. Good luck and good shooting. And let us know how it goes. W

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Weather for tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a high of 67 and low of 50. I will be shooting start at 8am so I imagine the shooting temp will be 55-60. How long should I wait between shots? Till the barrel no longer feels warm?


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Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

I like to wait 15 minutes. Just to be sure.

Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

If the barrel feels warm, its too warm. First 2 shots should be cool enough but after the 2nd i bet it feels a bit warm. Let it cool after the 2nd and following shots.

Pay close attention to where the first 2 hit on a primer ONLY fouled bore.

GM54-120 said:

If the barrel feels warm, its too warm. First 2 shots should be cool enough but after the 2nd i bet it feels a bit warm. Let it cool after the 2nd and following shots.

Pay close attention to where the first 2 hit on a primer ONLY fouled bore.

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Maybe that's why I had big/bad grouping with BH 209 because I was only giving the gun 3-5 minutes between shots


And the harvester crush rib sabot and Hornady 300 XTP will hopefully tighten up the pattern

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Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

If you go slowly it could take a couple hours or more. Time well spent.

rangerod said:

If you go slowly it could take a couple hours or more. Time well spent.

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I've got 50 bullets, 50 sabots and half a bottle of BH209 so it may be an all day shorting session!


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Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

When I shoot rifles or muzzleloaders for groups as part of load development I spend far more time on the line waiting than shooting.

One of my favorite tactics (assuming the range is fairly empty with lots of open benches) is to set up my CF rifle or ML on bags and rest, then set up a second station at a much closer target. While I'm waiting for my barrel to cool I'll step over to my second bench and plink away with a 10/22.

So if I end up shooting 40-50 shots tomorrow, should I stop and clean around shot number 20 or is the BH 209 good to go for 50+ shots without cleaning?


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Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

I think about 20 is the maximum I've ever gone in one day. I'm not sure. If you notice it becoming much harder to load a sabot, probably time to give it a quick clean.

Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

I hit the range with a clean gun but I pour a real short load of 209 in the barrel and then tamp down a wad of tissue and set it off. By a short load, I mean like 5-10 grains....just enough to burn in the barrel. 209 likes a little fouling of its own kind. I wouldn't do a fouling shot of black, pyro or T7 and then load the 209...nope. Start with 209 , stay with 209 or clean then go to one of the other powders if you want. 209 is as close to trouble-free as you'll get and its a darned accurate powder that cleans very easily. I'd take the 209 and leave the other stuff at home so your focus is on what you have. Sometimes its better to work thru issues with what's there and only what's there. Its way to easy to let the mind wander if you have ten different bullet, 6 different sabots and five powders along with 7 kinds of primers. This close to season opener for you, focus should be paramount. And don't hurry anything.

MrTom said:

I hit the range with a clean gun but I pour a real short load of 209 in the barrel and then tamp down a wad of tissue and set it off. By a short load, I mean like 5-10 grains....just enough to burn in the barrel. 209 likes a little fouling of its own kind. I wouldn't do a fouling shot of black, pyro or T7 and then load the 209...nope. Start with 209 , stay with 209 or clean then go to one of the other powders if you want. 209 is as close to trouble-free as you'll get and its a darned accurate powder that cleans very easily. I'd take the 209 and leave the other stuff at home so your focus is on what you have. Sometimes its better to work thru issues with what's there and only what's there. Its way to easy to let the mind wander if you have ten different bullet, 6 different sabots and five powders along with 7 kinds of primers. This close to season opener for you, focus should be paramount. And don't hurry anything.

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Do you do the small powder charge shot before loading your gun to go hunting too?


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Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

For me that is a yes to the above question.

For wait time 1 shot then 2nd shot then wait 12 to 15 at less than 60f and keep the gun in the shade. Over 60f then 18 to 25 depending and keep gun in shade.

Like some said I have 2 ML and alternate shooting each plus a 22rf to get to Xring too.

Just be sure to mark your ramrod so as not to double load/charge your ML. distractions on the line can be bad. W

Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

Timberelk said:

Do you do the small powder charge shot before loading your gun to go hunting too?

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I do, but I do it at home in the back yard the night before the season opens so I can load [leave un-primed] before leaving home. I arrive at the hunting area well before any kind of light is available and carry the un-primed gun to the stand where it is finally primed AFTER I have gotten settled in the stand I never carry a primed anything in the dark....can't shoot so it doesn't need priming until I am set and ready to pull the trigger.

Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

I myself do not shoot any charge before a range session or hunting as it is not really feasible. Never found it necessary, but I am not saying anyone that does is wrong either, its just a different way to foul the bore. At the range or the evening before I go hunting. I swab my bore with a very lightly dampened patch with either alcohol or Windex. Both sides of the patch. Then I do that again but with a dry patch, both sides. Next I take another dry patch and push that down to the breech plug and leave the rod there. Then load one cap/primer and point in a safe direction and fire that cap/primer. The cap/primer is not enough to make the rod leave the bore but if the primer is sealed well it will move 3 or 4 inches. Next I push that back to the breech plug and then remove it and look at the patch. This will show you how much flame is getting to the charge area. I do this with 3 dry patches and 3 primers. A tight patch on the jag will help setup a little pressure and help spread the fouling. It can surprise you how much patch can be burned away when the plug to primer seal is a very good and how little is burned though with a poor seal. I've never had an issue with this and my first shot on deer has never been an issue, and don't really see an issue on target too. This little procedure was one I learned from a Knight Video made by Tony Knight a long time ago, wish I knew what happened to it. Works for me, your mileage may vary. :wink:

Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

3 primers puts more fouling in a bore than many people would believe.

I do the same thing the night before. Degrease the bore and primer foul but i just run a dry patch 1 time after firing 3 primers. First shot is so close to the rest i see very little need to do anything else.

Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

3 patches might be over kill but it is just second nature to me now. Don't really think about it, just do it.

Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

GM54-120 said:

3 primers puts more fouling in a bore than many people would believe.

I do the same thing the night before. Degrease the bore and primer foul but i just run a dry patch 1 time after firing 3 primers. First shot is so close to the rest i see very little need to do anything else.

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X2 and amen to that. 209 primers produce more fouling for their size than almost anything but black powder. 2 or 3 primers a quick swab and ready to go full power. W

First I want to say THANK YOU to everyone that has helped me on here! It is much appreciated!!

So I spent 4 hours at the range and shot a total of 14 times (let the barrel cool about 10-25 min been shoots in the shade in 51 degree weather)

I was using 70 grains WEIGHTED of BH 209 CCI mag primers, crush rib harvester sabots and Hornady 300 grain XTP's. The first 8 shots were sighting the gun in to hold 1.7" high at 100 yards but the next 4 shot an 1.25" group at 100 yards!

I then moved onto the steel targets (see pics). Shot one round at the 200 yard target which had a 2" Orange circle in it and hit it dead center of the Orange circle!! (200 yard target is one with gravel in front of it)

Next was 300 yards. I was using the fat part of my cross hair post (Nikons website said I'm dead on at 295 with the fat post). I aimed slightly high because the target was 304 yards but I ended up hitting exactly where I aimed( middle of the target left and right and just below the shoulder line).

I feel like I can't miss with this thing now! Next time I hit the range I'll have to try the 400 yard steel just for fun!


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Re: Newbie In Need of Help Please

Glad you're on your way............. :yeah:

This is my 4 shot group at 100 yards(15 ish min between each shot). I didn't use the lead sled but used bags.. wasn't perfectly still but was pretty close to no movement in the crosshair as I pulled the trigger. There was also some wind moving from the right of the target to the left




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