Range time with the Pro-Hunter...

[flint head]

TC Pro-Hunter .50
Three Jim Shockey's Gold Sticks (150 grains)
Nosler Partition 300 grain PP .451
HPH 24 sabot
CCI 209m primer
All shot @ 100 yards off a bench
50 degrees
54% humidity
winds calm

The gun was sighted in previously two inches high at 100 yards. The first shot was my fault... the gun went off before I was really ready that's the one in the bull. The next three shots I bared down and squeazed them off,,, that three shot group measured 5/8".

 

[flint head]

After this, I set up my chair I use while hunting in my ground blind and shot off my shooting sticks at 150 yards at a paper deer target. If you don't practice like this you should, it will really tell on you... luckily both my shots would have resulted in dead deer.

 

[Cajun]

Humm! I think you are ready for hunting season! Those are all nice shots. :yeah:

Where did you pick up that target?

 

[Buck]

Bullet on that

Being somewhat new what does the ,451 mean?
Nosler Partition 300 grain PP .451 I bought TC shockwave super glides and very happy, but i dont remember seeing . anything,

Also why 150 grain JS Gold Sticks, and not 120 grain 777 powder? Is it the bullet size or what makes someone load that hot?

I am shoting a pro hunter in 50 cal and lookin as always to optimze. Again I'm new to this sport.

 

[flint head]

Cajun, those are called Champion xray targets. They are supposed to be the same as a 190lb buck... I think you can buy them at any of the major hunting stores. I bought these at Dick's sporting goods... they're nice to shoot at,,, it gives you an idea of your effective killing range.

 

[flint head]

Buck, .451 refers to the bullet size or diameter. This will need to be matched to a specific size of sabot for a .50 rifle. I shoot Shockey's Gold for alot of reasons; it's clean, powerful, no 777 crud ring, and pretty darn accurate. Why do I load 150 grains? Well I like a hot load... Encores usually shoot better hot and we have some 400lb wild boars on our hunting club that are nasty critters. This load also gives me added range as noted in the deer pic, that was 150 yards... that's about my max range and my gun is in the kill zone at that distance. I hope this helps and welcome to muzzleloading!

 

[cayuga]

Very nice shooting there. Hard to argue with shooting like that. Your 150 yard deer target would be a dead deer. How much do you hold over at teh 150 yard like since you are a few inches high at 100?

 

[flint head]

Dave, that was holding dead on mid body just the way you would shoot a deer. I was on shooting sticks so I was not exactly rock solid but that was the purpose, I wanted to see what I was smelling like in a real world huting shot at that distance.

 

[Cajun]

Thanks Flint Head! I'll keep an eye out for those. I still need a lot of range work before I try one of them out. I think that is a great idea.

 

[choc-dog]

Flinthead,

You are so "right" about shooting at paper deer targets.

Chocdog