Sighting in a new ML for a newbie

[Wolfshead]

I have a new Optima V2 with a 3-9 x 40 Powderhron EXT scope
I have gone through cleaning and setting up the scope very thoroughly I believe
I plan on shooting Blackhorn 209 with CCI mag primers
Shooting scorpion PT golds 300 grain with sabots
I have some 295 grain power belt hollow tips that came with my cva accessory pack
And I have some 245 grain power belt aerotips

I plan to start at 25 yds as has been recommended in previous posts

Could someone talk me through step by step how you would go about sighting in your ML for me based on this information
I know this is a lot but my searches have (again) been fruitless....

Thanks in advance

 

[Hornet22savage]

I would start with 90 to 100 gr. by volume and set your target out at 25 yds. Once your get your windage zeroed and your elevation about an inch high move your target out to 100 yds and set your elevation zero. Not a fan of the powerbelts but the 295's should do ok on deer if you don't push them too hard, however the PT golds are a very good bullet.

 

[rsrocket1]

I am a newbie at muzzleloading too, but I use the same method to sight in the muzzleloader as I do with any other rifle, whether it be a 10/22, bolt action .308, or an AR-15.

It really helps to have a fixed rifle mount, but sandbags will work. You just need something to support both the front and back of the rifle. This rifle mount cost me $30 at Big 5 so you don't need a $100 sled. It's not as sturdy, but you only need to hold the gun steady as you adjust the sights.

1. Try to bore sight the rifle. Line up the center of the muzzle with the target or a distant object and adjust the sight so that it also lines up with the target. That ought to get you on paper at 25 yards.

2. Shoot 3-5 shots with the sights on the bullseye. Don't make any adjustments to your shooting.

This is where a gun vise really helps. Even a cleaning stand will work because you are not shooting with it, you just want to hold the gun steady.

3. Aim the sights again at the center of the bullseye and "lock" your gun to that position.

4. Adjust the sights or scope settings and move the center of the reticle to the center of your group. I adjust only one axis at a time because it's tough enough to hold the gun steady.

5. Shoot another group. Your gun should now be "on target" in the left/right axis or the "up/down" axis.

6. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to adjust the other axis. You should now be on target.

If you lock the gun down so that it doesn't move, it should always shoot to the same spot. If you adjust the sights to where that spot is, the next time you shoot, the gun should shoot to where you aim. Obviously there will be some spread if you haven't optimized your load for your bullet, especially as you move out to 100+ yards, but at 25 yards, you should be able to hit paper and see where your shots fall.

Here are my first 11 shots out of my (new to me) used 2004 CVA Optima Pro using 230g Lee TL452-230-TC in TC yellow sabots (yes, these are cast bullets meant for 45ACP pistols) with 80g by volume Blackhorn 209 and a Winchester 209 primer.

You can see the first group was nearly a foot low and an inch right. The second group was an inch low and an inch right. The third group was an inch right and the fourth group was on target. I couldn't get much better than this because the fiber optic sights were larger than the center dot. This was just to prove to me that I can shoot a muzzleloader.
The next step would be to mount a scope and shoot at 50 yards and optimize a load using good bullets, then go out to 100 yards.

This is what works for me, other more experienced shooters are welcomed to comment or correct this procedure.
Good luck and congratulations on your gun.

 

[cayuga]

I shoot an Optima and the same scope. I also shoot Black Horn 209. When I sighted in I did it the following way...

First because of the powder I selected.. I shot a squib load of 30 grains. I wanted to foul the bore of the rifle. Then I set my target out at 13 yards. That's right, 13 yards. If your dead bull at that distance you will be real close at 100 yards. So shoot a dead bull at 13 yards. The closer the target the less fault of the rifle. So this will tell you if your flinching also. You should almost stack the shots at this distance. And do not swab the barrel between shots.

My Optima liked 90 grains of Black Horn 209 and a Hornady 300 grain XTP and then I tried some different sabots.

Once at 13 yards dead on, decide where you want the rifle sighted in for. 50, 75, 100 yards? What ever. I like 50 yards as it matches my shooting environment in my woods. So I sight in just a hair high at 50 yards. As you can see I am just a little low at 100 yards.

This way no matter the distance out to 100 yards, all I need do is aim dead center kill zone on the animal. And it should be mine.

 

[Wolfshead]

PERFECT!
Gentlmen thank you very much it is extremely helpful
Cayuga, could you explain a squib load please?

Thanks again!

 

[Hornet22savage]

A lot of folks myself included have discovered that our gund shoot better on a fouled bore. My Knight Rolling Block the first shot on a clean barrel can be off by as much as 3 inches at 100 yds. I counter this by removing all of the oil from my barrel and then shooting off three primers. I then use a dry patch to distribute that residue, load and go. Certain aspects of BH209 are corrosive and I have seen very small amounts of rust form in my barrel if left uncleaned for any more than a few days. My barrel is stainless and the rust cleaned right off but now I no longer leave it dirty unless it is only primer fouling.

 

[cayuga]

Many muzzleloaders shoot best on a fouled bore. I discovered with my Optima and BlackHorn powder, that when you shoot the first few shots, in other words foul the bore good, that suddenly the accuracy with that powder gets even better. So a squib load is basically fouling the bore. What we are doing is trying to replicate that fouled bore where the accuracy starts to get even better.

I dump 30 grains of the powder I am going to use down the bore, AFTER I REMOVED ALL THE OIL. And then with the powder down there.. I usually push a cotton patch down on top of the powder. But with Black Horn you need compression. So I push a sabot on top of it, and then I aim down range and fire it off. This makes the barrel fouled. So now I basically took the rifle to that point where the accuracy was getting even to the best. The nice thing about BlackHorn is the fact it is so slow to promote rusting.

We often hear the discussion of clean bore hunting VS fouled bore. Basically when we are on the range, we shoot and think.. the scope is off. So we swab the bore. Well you never swab back to a clean bore status. So what your really sighting that scope or iron sights in, is a foul bore. Although there are some that will actually shoot on a clean bore, completely clean the bore and then shoot again. I never had that kind of patience. And then there is the thought.. you sight the scope in on a squeaky clean bore.. OK, well now the bore is fouled. What happens when you need another shot? Do you still get the same accuracy? So I foul the bore with a squib load.

 

[Wolfshead]

Thanks again guys!
Well, I went out today and sighted in my new Optima V2
My first shot was a 50 grain of Blackhorn 209 with a 240 powerbelt aero just to foul the bore as recommended.
At the time of shooting I was not sure what a squib load was so I went with the lowest load recommended and the smallest bullet I had
I just shot into the dirt background from the standing position
Then I went to 13 yds as Cayuga recommended and used 80 grains of Blackhorn and a 300 grain scorpion PT gold bullet with the crushed rib black sabot
Shooting off the bench at 13 yds my first shot on target hit 3.5" low pretty much on center
Next two of same powder bullet combo resulted in a rise of 1 inch and still on center
I then adjusted the scopes elevation and shot again at 13
I hit 3/4" high on center still
Good for me, backed up to 50 yds
First shot was 5" high and about inch left, second 4" high and inch right. Then I thought that I should be aiming a little low at this point based on if 13 is similar to 100 that a little low would be right at 50 so I aimed just below the bull at 3.5 inches and I hit 3/4 high on the bulls eye on center
All this off the bench on a rest
Shot again and this time 80 grains of balckhorn and a 295 poowerbelt hollow point and I hit 2" high and 1" right from a kneeling position
All in all I was pretty happy with the day
I'll see if I can get some target pics up soon
I can say this it was a blast!
I have a lot to learn but today was just a lot of fun
Thanks for all of the help
It is greatly appreciated