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sight-in range

nuttinbutxsnuttinbutxs Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
edited October 2009 in Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting
I told a friend of my son's that I would take him to the range so he could sight in his TC Omega. Neither he nor I have black powder experience so I'll ask at what range should he sight it in? I'm sure he would like to be able to shoot to 100 yds but not knowing trajectories and such should he go dead on at 100 and if so what would the impact point be at 50 yds? Or should he be doing some other distance?
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    allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,230 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sight in 2 inches high at 100.
    This will put you a little high at 50. I will put you dead on out at, maybe, 140, and after that, it will drop real fast.
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    PA ShootistPA Shootist Member Posts: 689 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have wondered the same things exactly, and found I had to see for myself. If I sight in at 100 yards to be dead on, trajectory with my .490 patched round-ball is quite high at 50 and again at 75 yards. Things are dropping really fast past 100 too. You will get a new appreciation for range estimation with the trial. Of course sabots and higher-velocity loads help a lot to change that situation, but I really believe that there is no substitute for actual trial, and good notes. I personnally ended up sighting-in at 75 yards, as that fits my normal hunting conditions in the woods. Yours may be different.
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    nuttinbutxsnuttinbutxs Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks guys. Two inches high at 100 yds is the same as I do for my rifles. Gives a good kill zone in most situations without compensating for yardage.
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    anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Last year I sighted in my Omega 50 for 100 yards since I'd been having some 80 yard shots in previous years. Not a good decision, I totally missed an easy 40 yard shot shooting down from my deer stand!

    I'm hunting in the woods, so most shots would be more around the 50 yard thing anyway. When you are trying to act fast (another part of my problem!) for a close shot, I think I'm better off to be on the button.

    And for a 100 yard shot ... well, I'm thinking that I'd have time to consider my shot and hold a tad high. And this year I am going to be well practiced, so I know exactly how high I need to hold!
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    allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,230 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You were dead on at 100, and you missed a 40 yard shot?

    I bet if you took your rifle to the range, you would be nearly dead on at 40.
    I have my scoped inline dead on at 100, and I am 1/2 inch high at 40.

    I think you must have flinched to have missed a 40 yard shot, or maybe the deer jumped.
    Were you trying for a lung shot?
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    slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Shooting down out of a tree stand is the problem. If you sighted in on level ground you will shoot high from a steep angle down. Have seen it explained several times and still do not quite understand it. Missed first deer I ever shot out of a tree 3 times. Reloaded. aimed for the bottom of the deer and hit high. The angle does funny things.
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    allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,230 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you are taking a 200 yard shot with your inline, and shooting down a steep 45 degree slope, then yes, definitely, you will be way off. You will shoot high.
    And if you are shooting UP a steep 45 degree slope at 200 yards?
    Same thing, you will hit way higher than you are aiming at.

    At 40 yards the bullet hasn't had much of a chance to rise, or fall below, the line of sight.
    On a steep 40 yard downhill shot, I doubt your point of impact would be more than an inch off.

    Test it out yourself before the season opens. Get up in your highest stand, set a cardboard box 40 yards away and try 3 or 4 shots.
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    anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yup, I was dead on at 100 yards. I went to the range right after making sure I did not a wounded deer in the swamp below my stand. I was 5 inches high at 50 yards! I think it probably was a combination of shooting down hill from a stand and being high at 40 yards.

    No problem this year ... I'm going back to sighting in at 50 yards. For my dense woods, I think it is the best thing for me.
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    clownboyclownboy Member Posts: 85 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
    If you are taking a 200 yard shot with your inline, and shooting down a steep 45 degree slope, then yes, definitely, you will be way off. You will shoot high.
    And if you are shooting UP a steep 45 degree slope at 200 yards?
    Same thing, you will hit way higher than you are aiming at.


    I trust what you are saying is true I am just trying to get my mind around it. So why is the shot High when shooting up hill as it is down hill? At a 45 degree up hill shot I would have guessed it to be lower.

    Love to hear some more discussion about this.

    Brad
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    swearengineswearengine Member Posts: 1,329 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by clownboy
    quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
    If you are taking a 200 yard shot with your inline, and shooting down a steep 45 degree slope, then yes, definitely, you will be way off. You will shoot high.
    And if you are shooting UP a steep 45 degree slope at 200 yards?
    Same thing, you will hit way higher than you are aiming at.


    I trust what you are saying is true I am just trying to get my mind around it. So why is the shot High when shooting up hill as it is down hill? At a 45 degree up hill shot I would have guessed it to be lower.

    Love to hear some more discussion about this.

    Brad




    It is because of actual horizontal distance to the target. Uphill or downhill angle does not matter.
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    anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Oh, yes, this sadly is the truth of the matter. Both things were working against me ... that's why hunting is so much fun. There are lot's of things working against us ... kinda begging us/me to make a stupid mistake. I have no illusion of out-smarting a deer on his turf. I have tricked a few though!

    No. 1. I did not have enough ammo the check to see just how high I would be at shorter distances. I was OK at 100 yards, and I just decided to go with the 50 yard guess that I would be high. And in the heat of the moment I think I just aimed dead on which did put me high.

    No. 2. I have always heard that the feel of things when shooting down hill kinda puts us into a feeling that I'm OK when in fact the shoot could well be high. In my case I was in a deer stand 15 feet up on a ridge and the deer was 40 yards down the hill. I missed, but at least I hope that I learned from it.

    This year I may still miss for some other stupid reason. I have a fairly long list of stupid things I've done ... but I'm not giving up!
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