Effective Range- Blackpowder experts

[Raypo]

Normally (last decade or so), I’ve hunted Colorado archery elk, OTC, Private, and mostly for rut reasons. As I’m sure a lot of us encounter, often times my shots are a tad out of bow range. For some reason I’m cursed with drawing tags in all states and in fact I can’t even draw a mule deer tag on my own property (5 years).

To the point - I drew a muzzleloader elk tag (not hard only normally takes 2 preference points), and it should be smack dab in the middle of the rut (I hope). Due to stupid laws and restrictions I’m limited to iron sites and granular powder. My question - what is my effective/ethical range? 250 grain Thor tipped bullet, 80 grain volume / 56 grain weight, and BH 209. Today I zeroed at 50 and grouped well and then stepped to 100 and my front sight covered a lot of paper. I hit ok, but felt like maybe the max. Thoughts?

[TWP]

Get onto Rokslide and hit up their black powder forum. Lots of good articles and videos as well. Seems like everyone uses a type of peep and very narrow front sight. Williams or something of that sort. I would also call the folks as Muzzle-loaders.com, they know their stuff forwards and backwards. I have NOT done any black powder stuff, but it looks like a ton of fun. I have personally spoken to a couple folks who have used .50 cal bullets on mule deer at 130-150 yards with your kind of a set up. But that takes a lot of practice and time behind the weapon.

Those muzzy hunts during the rut would be on heck of a good time, especially when you can double your effective range.

[Ag 96]

I’m good on my Pedersoli traditional to 125 on whitetaila no problem. You could do a lot better than that with a vernier tang on if. I shoot 325 that aren’t loaded particularly hot. Remember, with that grain of bullet, you don’t have to hit them exactly in the crease. Just practice and take a small sight... aim small, miss small.

[Buff]

I hunt a lot with a muzzle loader and a Shiloh Sharps rifle
Pretty much anything over 100 yards my front sight covers up too much of the animal.
So I would say 100

[Raypo]

Thanks and I do have a rear peep but was shocked with the amount of paper I covered with the front site. Kind of like when you think you can shoot your glock at 50 yard and the sites cover a barn. In all seriousness I did shoot 5 rounds at 100 and I was grouping 6-8 inches. I kept looking looking for the zoom. I might just eat tag soup and by an OTC archery tag.

[Raypo]

I hunt a lot with a muzzle loader and a Shiloh Sharps rifle
Pretty much anything over 100 yards my front sight covers up too much of the animal.
So I would say 100

That makes me feel better... I was hoping it wasn’t me

[Bilbo]

100 yards max I would suggest. Preferably in the 20-75 yard range.


Going on an adventure!

[SolocamShooter]

Open sights on whitetail I’d say 100 yds max just because the sights cover so much of the target. Of course an elk is a lot bigger than a whitetail so maybe a little further like 125 or so.

[T-roy66]

Look at changing out the front sight. This will reduce the amount of paper that it covers.

[mchildress]

It is like opening a box of CrackerJacks waiting for the smoke to clear to see your prize.

[175gr7.62]

It’s all about th type of sights you use. I’ll put this out there. I grew up shooting muzzle loaders competitively. Back in the late 70’s thru the 80’s the NMLRA was a big deal and while the Nationals are still held every year it doesn’t seem to have as big a following as it once did. That being said, I have targets in my scrap book shot off the bench at 100yds with 5 shots groups that measure in the .7’s using a .495 round ball.

The 100yd Big Bull Target has a 1” X-ring and a 2” 10 ring. If you didn’t shoot a 50 with 2-3x’s off the bench you weren’t close to being in the running. If you didn’t shoot in the high 40’s offhand in the flintlock aggregate you weren’t in the running.

All bench rifles shot rear peeps with interchangeable front apertures. Everyone thing else we shot hooded blades with Bomar rear sights. We did shoot 2oz triggers.

It comes down to centering the front in the rear and centering the target on the front. At the big shoots if you didn’t knock down 10 out of 10 rams offhand at the 200yd line you hand no chance of placing. To knock them down you had to hit them in the top half and they were way smaller than a whitetail deer.

I guess what I am saying is that with the right sights and knowing how to use them 150-200yds is not difficult at all.




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[jeffpg]

I’ve hunted Colorado’s muzzle loader season a good bit. I use a peep sight and the 6 o’clock sighting technique. With practice I’m pretty good out to near 200 yards on paper, but I don’t like shooting elk past 150, even with a good rest. Rutting bull elk tend to excite me!

[Uncle Saggy]

Normally (last decade or so), I’ve hunted Colorado archery elk, OTC, Private, and mostly for rut reasons. As I’m sure a lot of us encounter, often times my shots are a tad out of bow range. For some reason I’m cursed with drawing tags in all states and in fact I can’t even draw a mule deer tag on my own property (5 years).



To the point - I drew a muzzleloader elk tag (not hard only normally takes 2 preference points), and it should be smack dab in the middle of the rut (I hope). Due to stupid laws and restrictions I’m limited to iron sites and granular powder. My question - what is my effective/ethical range? 250 grain Thor tipped bullet, 80 grain volume / 56 grain weight, and BH 209. Today I zeroed at 50 and grouped well and then stepped to 100 and my front sight covered a lot of paper. I hit ok, but felt like maybe the max. Thoughts?

Gotta laugh at the "stupid laws and restrictions" comment. SMH


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[Raypo]

It’s all about th type of sights you use. I’ll put this out there. I grew up shooting muzzle loaders competitively. Back in the late 70’s thru the 80’s the NMLRA was a big deal and while the Nationals are still held every year it doesn’t seem to have as big a following as it once did. That being said, I have targets in my scrap book shot off the bench at 100yds with 5 shots groups that measure in the .7’s using a .495 round ball.

The 100yd Big Bull Target has a 1” X-ring and a 2” 10 ring. If you didn’t shoot a 50 with 2-3x’s off the bench you weren’t close to being in the running. If you didn’t shoot in the high 40’s offhand in the flintlock aggregate you weren’t in the running.

All bench rifles shot rear peeps with interchangeable front apertures. Everyone thing else we shot hooded blades with Bomar rear sights. We did shoot 2oz triggers.

It comes down to centering the front in the rear and centering the target on the front. At the big shoots if you didn’t knock down 10 out of 10 rams offhand at the 200yd line you hand no chance of placing. To knock them down you had to hit them in the top half and they were way smaller than a whitetail deer.

I guess what I am saying is that with the right sights and knowing how to use them 150-200yds is not difficult at all.




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From my experiences yesterday, I’m not in the running . I’m all about perfecting my skill sets with multiple means but muzzleloader just seems to close to archery and I feel way more comfortable with a bow. I think muzzleloader will be a rare thing. As a kid I did always hunt muzzleloader in Oklahoma when the rifle season was only 8 days and loved it. Just rambling...

[HDWRENCH]

Being a huge ML fan I started to try the CO way as yes very limited My Knight with a 3-9 is deadly accurate with 150 grns of pellet and a barnes bullet.

So I get iron sights on it and start testing . Thus far 150 is the edge due to iron sights and well ageing eyes.. I will test a few more sights as it will be a next year deal . But CO makes it much tougher than others .

current sight is Williams FP peep sights for the rear sight, XS Sights white line "partridge" front sight.. Just need to get use to it further not had a ton of time . and playing with bullets as well .


Also as most of the new ML have a fast twist rate for a sabot You might try Thor bullets You have t order sample pack to fin the right fitment . Go to the thor sight it will make sense .


blackhorn has been the best for me so far


and they are very accurate as well not 100 on which bullet I will shoot

https://www.muzzleloading-bullets.com/product/50-caliber-460-grains/

I have been eyeing this company for a true high end ML

http://ultimatefirearms.com/modelsprices.php