Monoflex 250 not performing well on game?

[Steelheader323]

I'd try a black crush rib sabot even though it's a boat tail bullet.

They make a yellow crush rib sabot for the boat tails

 

[10gaugemag]

https://www.harvestermuzzleloading....sabot-for-451-cal-boattail-bullet-pack-qty-50

 

[MrTom]

Well, there you go.

 

[GregK]

If this question has been asked earlier in the form, please forgive me, but when you shoot at the range or site, do you by chance use a lead sled or something similar? I have seen multiple times where a gun is dead on but once it comes out of the sled, it’s not anymore. I put my guns on paper with the sled, and then move to the bags as fast as possible.

Greg

 

[MrTom]

I have an adjustable front rest and a bag for the rear end of the gun. I'm not a fan of shooting with a sled. My guns are all 1"" +/- a hair at 100 yards using this method.

 

[10gaugemag]

I have an adjustable front rest and a bag for the rear end of the gun. I'm not a fan of shooting with a sled. My guns are all 1"" +/- a hair at 100 yards using this method.

Those sleds are known to be a scope wrecker.

 

[Steelheader323]

I shoot off bags…never a lead sled..they are really hard on the scope,actions, and stocks…guns are meant to move with recoil. Bags are best for what I do and I can still shoot very good groups..they also make the shooter still work a bit rather than just touching off the trigger..I see way too many guys at the range shooting off a fixed rest out to 300+ yards and say “yep I’m good to hunt”

 

[phalanx]

I think the "trick" to using a sled is to not put any weight on it other than the gun. I've been doing that for years without issue and the rest recoils quite well. As always YMMV.

 

[Okie Hog]

Those sleds are known to be a scope wrecker.

i've seen several guns wrecked by lead sleds, including a beautiful pre-64 Winchester model 70 in .375 H&H magnum.

 

[Bushfire]

Monoflex work fine.

 

[morehops]

White fur is never a good sign. And no way to tell how bad the deer was hit even in a non-vital area. I do commend you for posting here and admitting you might need a bit of help. Loosing one deer is bad but it happens to the best of us (mostly). Loosing multiple deer is reason to re-evaluate. good luck.

 

[zach.trumble]

Lots of info here. Thanks everyone for the advice.

Right now I'm suspecting the scope. It is not the scope that came stock on the optima. I got this Optima used and the scope had been swapped. I don't think it's high quality and in particular the left and right adjustment doesn't seem to be behaving correctly.

Some had asked about breech plug: yes I'm using the 209 breech plug. I keep the flash hole cleaned with a torch tip cleaner. I'm careful not to grind on it, not trying to enlarge the hole just keeping it open. Attached is a picture of the breach plug after Maybe 10 to 15 shots of no cleaning the plug.







I shoot off of an adjustable rest. It's not a sled. It just has a fork bracket for the front and rear. The gun still rests on my shoulder. The front fork rests on the stock, not the barrel.

As seen in the pictures I showed though, shooting just resting elbows on the back of a golf cart I was putting bullets close together, but in the wrong place. I don't think it's my shooting and I don't think it's the gun.

I think I'm scope shopping.

Still wondering about the unburned bits of powder though. I guess I need to do some experimenting with different loads again. I did all that when I first got the gun and settled on 84 wt. Maybe I'll try some 77 gn. Or even 72 or something like that.

Honestly though, with black horn getting so expensive I might just be switching platforms to a 450 bushmaster. They legalized those here in lower Michigan a while back and my goal is to put meat in the freezer at the end of the day. I don't want to spend a lot of time at the bench and a lot of money testing out stuff.

Used to be we had a Muzzleloader season here in Michigan, but we basically don't anymore. You can hunt with anything all the way through.

I like to hunt for bucks with the bow, then by the time gun season gets here I just want to easily fill the freezer. After missing or not finding five deer with this Muzzleloader this year I'm really not feeling it.

I guess if it's a scope issue I can't blame the gun though.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Lots of info here. Thanks everyone for the advice.

Right now I'm suspecting the scope. It is not the scope that came stock on the optima. I got this Optima used and the scope had been swapped. I don't think it's high quality and in particular the left and right adjustment doesn't seem to be behaving correctly.

Some had asked about breech plug: yes I'm using the 209 breech plug. I keep the flash hole cleaned with a torch tip cleaner. I'm careful not to grind on it, not trying to enlarge the hole just keeping it open. Attached is a picture of the breach plug after Maybe 10 to 15 shots of no cleaning the plug.

View attachment 28756

View attachment 28757



I shoot off of an adjustable rest. It's not a sled. It just has a fork bracket for the front and rear. The gun still rests on my shoulder. The front fork rests on the stock, not the barrel.

As seen in the pictures I showed though, shooting just resting elbows on the back of a golf cart I was putting bullets close together, but in the wrong place. I don't think it's my shooting and I don't think it's the gun.

I think I'm scope shopping.

Still wondering about the unburned bits of powder though. I guess I need to do some experimenting with different loads again. I did all that when I first got the gun and settled on 84 wt. Maybe I'll try some 77 gn. Or even 72 or something like that.

Honestly though, with black horn getting so expensive I might just be switching platforms to a 450 bushmaster. They legalized those here in lower Michigan a while back and my goal is to put meat in the freezer at the end of the day. I don't want to spend a lot of time at the bench and a lot of money testing out stuff.

Used to be we had a Muzzleloader season here in Michigan, but we basically don't anymore. You can hunt with anything all the way through.

I like to hunt for bucks with the bow, then by the time gun season gets here I just want to easily fill the freezer. After missing or not finding five deer with this Muzzleloader this year I'm really not feeling it.

I guess if it's a scope issue I can't blame the gun though.

Most likely not the problem but you should fix or replace this before it becomes an issue.

 

[zach.trumble]

Yeah it rolled off the bench and dented itself on the floor one day. It's been like that for years.

 

[Bushfire]

I've seen it more than once that someone has a nice gun, nice scope but cheaps out on mounts and rings and has problems. I haven't read the thread but if you don't have good ones I'd replace that before the scope.

 

[WV Hunter]

Make sure to thoroughly clean the flash channel, that is where the buildup is. The flash hole is not really a concern. I don't ever put anything in there, personally.