Kill zone?

[buckshooter]

I have a Traditions 50 caliber, Tracker 209 in-line rifle, or muzzloader.  What kind of patterns should I expect at 100 yards using this gun.  What kind of ammo do you guys use. 

please reply

buckshooter   

[NYSdeerslayer]

I use a remington 700 ML with 150grs. tripple 7, and a 240gr. sabot jhp.
Anything over a 2" group at 100 yds. is shooter error with that set up.
Every load, and gun combo is different but I would say 3" would be the max
that I would allow with any ML or I woudn't use it.
If you take some time at the range performance gains always show.

[glshop20]

Use quality sabot/bulets ex.T/C shockwave.  Try different powders and loads(grs.)  Some rifles like a particular sabot/bullet and powder combo.  Half the fun of getting a good shooter is the time you spend experimenting.  All the cost of components that you don't need for a particular rifle will be absorbed over time as you buy more toys.   

[dmurphy317]

For me it depends on if I'm shooting with a scope or open sights as to how acceptable a group is. For a hunting load, I work up the most accurate combo I can and then worry about sighting in for max point blank range (i.e. +/- 3"). Then I test it to see how far I can shoot and still stay within the kill zone (i.e. 9" circle) consistently. Depending on the rifle and load I will test them out to 200 yards or so.

Generally I don't use loads that don't group under 2" at 100 yards with a scope or 3" with open sights. Most of the loads I use shoot better than that, some much better. I usually choose a bullet that is designed to work for the type of game I'm hunting and then find a powder level that will push it to the velocity range I'm looking for with the accuracy I mentioned above. If I can't achieve that goal I try a different powder or change bullets. It makes for a lot of range time and gives me a chance to shoot a lot and makes for some fun days at the range. Good luck with whatever you come up with.

[buckshooter]

My muzzloader has a scope on it.  Which is a Simmons 3-9 by 40 rifle scope.  Three shots at 50 yards, I got 1.5 inch groups.  Is this a good group?  I use 245 (grs.) hollow point with Triple seven.  I use it for deer hunting.     

please reply

buckshooter     

[dmurphy317]

1.5" is OK at 50 but you should be able to find a load that does better than that. What bullet are you using, a conical or a saboted bullet? How much powder are you using? Are you using pellets or loose powder?

Some guns will shoot the lighter bullets like you are using, others will not. The only bullets I use that are lighter than 250 grains are the 200gr Shockwave and a patched round ball. I prefer 300gr bullets or larger for most of my guns. At normal ML hunting distances (<150 yards) there's not enough difference in most bullets trajectories to justify using a light bullet. The slightly flatter trajectory does not make up for the loss of momentum and energy compared to the heavier bullets. At longer ranges (>200 yards) the 300gr bullets like the Shockwave will actually have less drop than the 250gr if shot with the same powder load. This is due to both bullets being the same diameter (45 cal) so the 300 has a better ballistic coefficient and loses less velocity over time and distance. The 200gr SW acts a lot like the 300 due to it being a 40cal with a similar BC to the 300, it will shoot faster with the same powder load and thus will shoot flatter but still will have less energy because of the weight difference.

The best thing to do is shoot several different bullets and see what you come up with. Good luck.

[buckshooter]

I use Powerbelt sabots.  I use two, powder pellets for each shot.  Where I live 100 yards is the farthest you will shoot.         

[Double 30]

Buckshooter, Dont laugh but I've had a Tracker 209 .50 for 5 years , its my daughter's now...Its a great little rifle .I converted it to use musket/#11 caps by cutting the 209 holder off the plug and drilling and tapping for a 1/4 x 28 nipple. Works great and gave a significant improvement in accuracy too. Our load is 40 gr( yes forty grains no typo) of 3f Triple 7 and a T/C Cheap shot sabot. 1350 fps and between baby girl and me we've taken 9 deer with 9 shots at ranges of 15 feet to 115 yards and all save 2 were pass throughs.The farthest any deer went after taking one was 60 yards and that was a front quartering shot at 80 yards on a 225 lb 8 pointer.It was a pass through btw. Accuracy ( she's scoped ) is a boringly consistent 1 1/2 inches for 3 shots at 100 yards.When my daughter confiscated my Tracker I looked around for another but couldn't find one in time , so I bought my Omega ( and a Black Diamond). I do think enough of the Tracker to say that if I could have found one I would've ended my search for another inline then and there. Best of luck with yours! 

[mechanic]

Buckshooter,
I do not know if you are shooting offhand, or from a rest.  If you are shooting offhand, 1.5" is not too shabby.  That will open you up to about 3" at 100 yds. which keeps you in the kill zone.  If you are shooting from a rest, you shoud be able to cut that down a bit.

I recently bought a weighted shooting rest, and found a new level of accuracy for many of my guns.  But I still realize that for the type of hunting I do, inside 100 yds. most of the time, I don't have to split hairs to be effective.

I also have a power line that I hunt, with the possibility of 200yd. plus shots.  There I shoot from an improvised rest.

The more you experiment, the more you shoot, the more confident you become.  Most of the weapons available today are better than most of us who hold them.

Ben

[dmurphy317]

Buckshooter,

The Powerbelt your shooting is actually a slip fit conical with a plastic gas seal on the rear that helps hold the bullet in place and seals the bore when shot. The PB's are usually accurate bullets, though expensive, but many rifles will prefer a specific weight range. The ones your shooting may be too light for your gun. I've had good accuracy from the 348gr PB's in some of my guns and they routinely group under an inch at 100 yards off a bench rest with 100gr of powder.

PB's also have an impact range that they perform best at. If they are pushed too hard, they tend to fragment or turn into a pancake. Many shooters feel they should not be pushed by more than about 80 to 90 grains if shooting less than 100 yards. If your shooting no more than 100 yards and your commited to using pellets, I would suggest testing some other bullets such as the SST/Shockwave line, the XTP's or cheapshots by Hornady, the shots line by Nosler for lower cost sabot bullets. You could also look at the Hornady Great Plains or Bull Shop or No Excuse conicals for cost effective game getters.

Let the experimenting commence.

[1marty]

I have a omega and found the 245 grain PB shot all over the paper at 50 yards after the first shot with 2 777 pellets. Changed to the 295 grain PB and  and the rifle was dead on shot after shot. I'm shooting 2 inch groups at 100 yards. The 245 grain in a PB is marginal in putting down a deer.