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54 cal trajectory

flatironarmsflatironarms Member Posts: 5 ✭✭
edited December 2013 in Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting
I am new to muzzle loading, just started last week and have already gotten a deer. I originally zeroed it at 100 yards, then fired it at 50 yards and noted that it hit at 8 inches higher. After shooting the deer and watching several others at 50 yards or less I decided to change the zero to 50 yards. I ran into one issue, I had to buy heavier bullets because they were the only ones anyone locally had. So I changed from 295 Powerbelt to 345 powerbelts. 100 grains of powder with a heavier bullet, I hit center mass at 50 and 100yards with no adjustment. I'm confused that the lighter bullet had an 8 in difference between 50 and 100 yards, and no notable change at 50-100 yards with 50 grain heavier bullet. Am I missing something here?

T/C Regegade 54Cal
Rodney
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Comments

  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not sure. I shoot round ball in my CVA .54 Hawken. Do not really see much if any drop between 50 and 90 yards which is the max on my backyard range and the max I am comfortable shooting with this gun. The group is bigger. I am using 90 grains of Triple 7.
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  • festusfestus Member Posts: 1,011 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I shoot a 54 cal. with 325 grain bullet and sighted in for 50 yard zero it will drop 9 inches at 100 yards. I use 100 grains of ff black powder. Did you shoot more than once with same results? Can't understand why a heavier bullet would shoot flatter from a muzzleloader. I have a 50 cal. that drops 2.5 inches at 100 with 250 grain bullet when sighted in for 50 yards.
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  • flatironarmsflatironarms Member Posts: 5 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I shot 3 at 50 and 3 at 100. Confused the heck outta me. I'll go out again and see if it was a fluke.
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  • single actionsingle action Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    heavier bullet with same powder charge = higher pressure = higher velocity = flatter trajectory.
    at least it makes sense to me.
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  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Using a lighter bullet with the same powder charge will result in higher velocity. Using a heavier bullet with the same powder charge will result in a lower velocity.
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  • navc130navc130 Member Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The trajectory curve just happens to coincide at 50 and 100 yards. It is not shooting flatter.
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,668 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I do not believe that a rifle that was sighted in at 100 would be 8 inches high at 50. More like, 2 high at fifty yards.

    A big old hog leg .76 flintlock pistol, might be 8 inches high at 50 and dead on at 100.
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