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I got a chance to get a load dialed in for my Hawken-style 50-caliber with round ball. Taking the advice I received on this forum, I dropped to 40 grains Pyrodex & settled on 50 grains. It wasn't stellar but it was at least within minute of deer at 50 yards. It had much less fouling as well. Cleaning every 3rd shot still showed less fouling than a single shot of 90 grains.
However, I played around with my hold a bit & managed to shrink my groups considerably by holding the rifle more like a spring air rifle (artillery hold). The difference was not small. I tested this at 25, 50 and 100 yards with consistently better groups from a standing, supported position (vertical post) using a loose artillery hold than I was getting from a benchrested position.
My groups were even slightly better at 100 yards with the artillery hold than they were at 50 on a benchrest. It has made me reconsider if my load was ever really an issue or if it was my hold that was messing things up.
Has anybody here experimented with their hold on lower-speed muzzleloaders like these? Was this a fluke or a quirk with my shooting? Or is this just how older rifles like to be shot?
However, I played around with my hold a bit & managed to shrink my groups considerably by holding the rifle more like a spring air rifle (artillery hold). The difference was not small. I tested this at 25, 50 and 100 yards with consistently better groups from a standing, supported position (vertical post) using a loose artillery hold than I was getting from a benchrested position.
My groups were even slightly better at 100 yards with the artillery hold than they were at 50 on a benchrest. It has made me reconsider if my load was ever really an issue or if it was my hold that was messing things up.
Has anybody here experimented with their hold on lower-speed muzzleloaders like these? Was this a fluke or a quirk with my shooting? Or is this just how older rifles like to be shot?
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