My first sidelock/traditional post

[younghunter_86]

So I took out my enemy today, a .50 TC Pennsylvania Hunter. This was the first gun I ever took muzzleloading. I froze for 2 afternoons with this thing sitting in my lap. When the time for the shot arrived I fired off 4 caps with no results, the deer simply stared at me up in my treestand wondering what in the world I was trying to do. By the time the 5th cap finally got on the nipple and went off, I was so upset I could hardle hold it steady. I manage to trim a few of the long guard hairs and that was that. Found nothing more in the snow. :evil: For all I know she tore the hairs out with her teeth, herself so I wouldn't think I completely missed. :wink: This was robably about 4 years ago. Never shot it since. It was complete user error but I wasn't going to admit that.

Either way shot it yesterday at 40-50 yard berm. First couple of shots were pretty sketchy. It's been awhile since I used open sights. They were the shots at the red circle on the right. The latter shots were shot at the target on the left. I was using a 250 gr, .452 blemished XTP's and a harvester short black. Powder was all the old T7 that I've had four around 2 years, both 3F and 2F, mainly 2. I had measured powder in film canisters so if it said 90, I shot it, but if it was 100, 110 or 120 i remeasured and only used 90 grains. I have some work to do if I'm going to shoot this thing as well as you guys can! My goal is to MAKE her shoot a deer this fall.

 

[cayuga]

The PA Hunter is a great rifle. I happen to have one of them also. Mine has a 1-66 twist barrel, but some of them were 1-48 twist. Your shooting a good powder to. Your powder might be of question, so do not get too concerned if the accuracy is not there.

Another thing is, have you tried a roundball and patch? I have excellent results with a patched ball out of my PA Hunter.

Never think for a second that a roundball is not a good deer killer. I know the professional writers might claim that a roundball is not lethal past 50 yards, but I have seen too many dead deer shot past that distance, to believe that idea.

The main thing is swab your rifle before you start, pop a couple caps then. And swab between shots if you can. I use alcohol to swab with, and then a couple dry patches after that.

 

[younghunter_86]

Haven't tried the roundball yet. I have some on hand, with the TC lubed patches. I'll get to it sometime.

As far as swabbing, 1 of the alcohol/washer fluid patches both sides, and then a dry patch both sides between each shot. This is still a tight load, loads very even, just snug. I'm planning trying the 3 petel EZ load sabots in it next. Why? because I have a lot of them left from some SST's and want to use them. Looking for something just to launch some lead with this spring/summer while at the range. I think I need to get some bigger dots to shoot at though. I could hardley see the little red circles.

 

[big6x6]

Thanks for the report! I think that is pretty good shooting! That's certainly a lethal load! As Dave mentioned, patched roundballs are really a lot of fun to shoot!

 

[Swampman]

Try to find some 3F Goex. I'd use about 70 grains under a patched round ball.