I've been shooting the same .50 cal T/C Hawken now for 20 years. It has always been a very good shooting gun and never have had a problem keeping good groups at 50yds....until now.
I've spent the last 3 days at the range and I am at a loss. Here is the situation:
Day 1: .490 round balls with .015 patches. Started out shooting 6" right and 5" high. Was able to work the elevation to where I wanted it, but could not get balls to hit near center line. I have always fired a clean shot and a 2nd shot, so 2 shot groups before running a patch...I used all of my rear sight adjustment (which I have rarely had to move) and also had to drift my front sight. (and yes I know which way to move my sights..lol). Was touching 2 shot groups consistently at least 3-4" right through out this process. I checked my patches and they were shredded and burned up..should have looked at that earlier, but I was still shooting solid groups, just not in the center. I packed up and went home to clean-up, AND I put sights (both rear and front back to dead center...starting fresh day 2 from 25ds.) (Day 1 = 27 shots)
Day 2: I did not have any other patches, but I used to shoot 350gr maxi Hunters and had plenty of them. My goal was to shoot at 25yds and make sure that they were dialed in, then move to 50yds. This way I would at least know that I had the Maxi-Hunters dialed in. At 25yds, I was stacking them on top of each other with very little sight adjustment..see above..intersting????. Moved to 50 yards...and could barely hold a 10" group...high/low/left/right, you name it. Now more frustrated, packed up and wont home. (Day 2 = 18 Shots)
Day 3: Went and bought some new patches (.018) to see how they reacted and at 25 yds, same story as day 2...stacked the round balls on top of each other, about an inch high and an inch right.... move to 50yds and same as day 2..I didn't even hit the 8.5 x 11" target I was aiming at on first 2 shots...one off paper at 12:00 and the other off the paper at 3:00. I went back to 25yds....dead freakin center. Put a maxi-hunter in, just a little high. Maxi-hunter at 50yds...same as day 2..10" group, BUT 4 shots with PRB never hit target (thank goodness I had 4'x4' cardboard up so I at least knew where they were hitting....packed up and went home...AGAIN.( Day 3 = 15 shots)
I have no idea what is going on...could it be me and I just can't see that far? don't think so because had the Mosin out with open sights and no problem drilling center at 50yds.
I have not tried changing the powder load, which I am shooting 80 grains and always have....Do I need to try changing load..70gr? 90gr?
Any constructive feedback is welcome...need a game plan for tomorrow....
Thanks!
Mz
I've spent the last 3 days at the range and I am at a loss. Here is the situation:
Day 1: .490 round balls with .015 patches. Started out shooting 6" right and 5" high. Was able to work the elevation to where I wanted it, but could not get balls to hit near center line. I have always fired a clean shot and a 2nd shot, so 2 shot groups before running a patch...I used all of my rear sight adjustment (which I have rarely had to move) and also had to drift my front sight. (and yes I know which way to move my sights..lol). Was touching 2 shot groups consistently at least 3-4" right through out this process. I checked my patches and they were shredded and burned up..should have looked at that earlier, but I was still shooting solid groups, just not in the center. I packed up and went home to clean-up, AND I put sights (both rear and front back to dead center...starting fresh day 2 from 25ds.) (Day 1 = 27 shots)
Day 2: I did not have any other patches, but I used to shoot 350gr maxi Hunters and had plenty of them. My goal was to shoot at 25yds and make sure that they were dialed in, then move to 50yds. This way I would at least know that I had the Maxi-Hunters dialed in. At 25yds, I was stacking them on top of each other with very little sight adjustment..see above..intersting????. Moved to 50 yards...and could barely hold a 10" group...high/low/left/right, you name it. Now more frustrated, packed up and wont home. (Day 2 = 18 Shots)
Day 3: Went and bought some new patches (.018) to see how they reacted and at 25 yds, same story as day 2...stacked the round balls on top of each other, about an inch high and an inch right.... move to 50yds and same as day 2..I didn't even hit the 8.5 x 11" target I was aiming at on first 2 shots...one off paper at 12:00 and the other off the paper at 3:00. I went back to 25yds....dead freakin center. Put a maxi-hunter in, just a little high. Maxi-hunter at 50yds...same as day 2..10" group, BUT 4 shots with PRB never hit target (thank goodness I had 4'x4' cardboard up so I at least knew where they were hitting....packed up and went home...AGAIN.( Day 3 = 15 shots)
I have no idea what is going on...could it be me and I just can't see that far? don't think so because had the Mosin out with open sights and no problem drilling center at 50yds.
I have not tried changing the powder load, which I am shooting 80 grains and always have....Do I need to try changing load..70gr? 90gr?
Any constructive feedback is welcome...need a game plan for tomorrow....
Thanks!
Mz