new 209x50 and a question

[john john]

hey all im new to this forum and wanted to ask a question about my new 209x50... a buddy of mine told me that if i wanted to shoot my gun out to 200 yards i would probably have to jack up the powder to 150 grains but i dont really think that is necessary. i just plan on hunting whitetails here in ohio and i will be using 777 behind shockwaves or barnes mzs or whatever sabot shoots the best for me. do you guys think that the 150 grains will really help extend my range out to 200 is what i want to know?

[Redhawk1]

First off, Welcome to Graybeard.  Now for your question, 100 gr. is sufficient in my opinion. I shoot my 45-70 with only 64 gr. of black powder in a cartridge past 200 yards. I know it is not a muzzleloader.  But in my Encore .50 cal, I only shoot 100 gr. of triple7. I think the 150 gr. is a bit much and I personally would not use it for deer. Know if I were going after Elk or Moose I would work up to 150 gr. of triple7 and a good bullet for penetration. But it is not needed on deer size game IMHO.

You may also want to post this in the MODERN Inline Muzzle Loading Rifles & Shotguns area. You might get more replys there. :grin:

[Catfish]

I recomand that you get the heavest bullets you can find, at least 300 grns. Load it up with the 150 grn. powder charge and shoot a 10 shot group from the bench. If your not ready to give the gun away after that your a better man than I.    100 grns. of 777 is pleanty. I would recomand the Barns alinement tool though if your going to shoot saboted bullets. It looks like a cleaning lag, but the end of it is concaved. This is to aline the axis of the bullet with the center line of the bore. Barns claims it will cut your group in 1/2 no matter what it is. It cut mine to less than 1/3 of what it was shooting.

[john john]

yeah thanks guys that definitely seemed unnecessary to me using all that powder especially with 777

[Omega]

I think the 150 gr. is a bit much and I personally would not use it for deer.

Hey, what ever floats your boat! Powder charge is only 1/2 of the distance equation. A bullet with a high BC is the other half. Sandi and I shoot 150 grains all the time and my furthest ML kill is 221 yards (rangefinder) whitetail buck, her's is 165.

Know if I were going after Elk or Moose I would work up to 150 gr. of triple7 and a good bullet for penetration. But it is not needed on deer size game

First two moose Sandi and I killed with the Omega were shot with 100 grains of powder and 240 grain XTP bullets. The distances were 120 yd (Sandi) and 90 (mine). neither went 10 yards.
So my feelings are if your gun and you shoots well with the load go for. When they're dead you know you had enough pop anyway!  
[/quote]

[trophyhunter]

I think that its not the load you have to worry about if you can make consitent hits with it then you should be just find out to 200 yards