muzzleloader deer load does this sound right?

[seansean1444]

hey guys first year using a muzzleloader its a stainless synthetic cva wolf .50 cal. right now im using 90 grains of pyrodex and a 270grain bullet. right now its sighted in at 100 yards and a couple inches high at 50. is this load powerful enough for deer I hear allot of guys using up to 150 grains. also does anybody know approx. drop for 200 yards? thanks

 

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

I don't shoot a inline myself. But your 90 gr. charge is more than sufficient to harvest a deer with. As far as 150 gr charges go. I suppose some rifles require a loading like that for best over all accuracy. If you can get by using less powder and still get good accuracy that's a real benefit. (less felt recoil is always good) 200 yards and your rifle? That's something you would have do and see on your own as far as I know.
Good luck with your first B/P hunt. Come back and tell us how you made out. We all would like to know.

 

[big al hunter]

I have killed elk with 295 gr bullet and 100 grains of pyrodex. I would not hesitate to use your load on elk. It will perform well on deer.

My best guess for 200 yrds would be low enough to wound or miss. Shoot your load at 200 to find out just how low it will be.

 

[seansean1444]

yes until I get familiar with my rifle im going to keep shots to 100 yards or just over that this season probably 125 max.

 

[shortwave]

Agree with Sure Shot on all counts.

Especially this:

200 yards and your rifle? That's something you would have do and see on your own as far as I know.

With your load zeroed at 100yds., you could have a drop in trajectory of -18" to -20" at 200yds. But again, you'll just have to shoot it and see.

FWIW. A general rule of thumb is to not shoot at any further distance on a live target then you can hit consistently on an 8-10" paper target.

 

[TimSr]

I've always used old school, but with my son getting an inline CVA Optima a couple years ago, I learned a lot about new stuff. I might suggest that for hunting purposes you go the premeasured pellets for your inline for hunting. They cost more than the loose powder, but certainly make relading much easier. You just drop in 2 of the 50gr pellets and seat your bullet. While you can get Pyrodex pellets, I would also suggest switching to triple 7, also made by Hogdon. Pyrodex (which I use in my traditional rifle) is very corrosive, almost as bad as black powder, while the Triple 7 is as inert as smokeless. Not sure which bullet you are usiing but my son prefers the 245gr Powerbelt which are sold off the shelf at retail places like Walmart. The 295 shoots well in his gun also with the 245 shooting a little flatter at long distance since he put a scope on it. In .50 cal, you'll find that a 240-300gr bullet over 90-100gr charge is a textbook standard for deer. Most modern inlines can 150gr (check your manual) but most (not all) begin to suffer accurracy after 120gr.

 

[Panfisher]

Your Muzzle loader load will kill any deer critter in the woods. I shoot a Knight and 2 5o grain pyrodex pellets, more than enough to propell the Hornady SST Sabot bullet completly through a deer. I once tried the 3 pellets of 5o grains for the 150 max load, I will not do so again, long story short, low bench, didn't notice the rifle had slipped down my shoulder and the first thing that made solid contact was the scope against my eyebrow. After mopping up the blood enough to see, I never even checked to see if the bullet hit the 200 yard target, just loaded up and left having lost all interest in how it shot at 200.. I think 100 grains is plenty for anything, although I don't take long shots I have killed deer at 125 or so with it.

 

[cdmckane]

I'm using 100 gr of loose T7 under a 300gr Hornady XTP in a black MMP sabot. I've got it shooting 6" high at 150 yds and 6" low at 200. I won't hesitate at all to take a good 200 yd shot on a stationary deer if I have a good rest.

 

[Jack O'Conner]

My CVA is nearly identical to yours; it's the Optima model.

I get BEST performance and accurasy with this load:
- 110 grains of 777 (FFG)
- 270 grain Speer Deep Curl bullet (44 caliber)
- Harvester sabot cup
- Remington 209 primer

This load produces a 1.5 inch group at 75 yards. I've not tested it at farther distances because where we hunt, 75 yards is a long shot. This Speer bullet always blasts all the way through the chest organs and leaves a heavy blood trail. I've never had to trail a deer farther than approx 35 yards.

Good hunting to you.
Jack

 

[steveNChunter]

I used to use Pyrodex, then a couple years ago I started trying different stuff. My experimenting led me to this conclusion: Pyrodex is the dirtiest BP substitute there is. I now load 100 grains of Blackhorn 209, Federal 209A magnum primers, and 250 gr Barnes Spit-fire TMZ's.

Here's some results of my new load. The picture of the deer is an ENTRY hole at 60 yards. The bullet is from the same shot

I've got three deer this year with this load, two were perfect broadside shots where the bullet passed completely through and the deer never took another step. The shot pictured above, the deer (140 lb. doe) was quartered toward me, the bullet entered directly on the shoulder(breaking the bone in half), through the heart, and came to a stop between the next-to-last rib and the hide on the other side. The deer "ran dead" without a heart for about 20 yards.

 

[Pahoo]

Good enough !!!

I don't shoot a inline myself. But your 90 gr. charge is more than sufficient to harvest a deer with.

I do shoot In-Lines and agree with this statement. When I see posts like this, I always look to see what part of the country is showing. Currently I mostly hunt Midwestern woods and to date, I have never exceeded 95grns. although I am shooting 240grns. w/Sabots. Most of my shots are in the 60yd. range. ...

Be Safe !!!

 

[kraigwy]

I bought an inline (TC Omega) last winter thinking I might want to use it for hunting. Found out it was fairly accurate, using three of those white pellets and 250 gr Sabots.

Since I bought it I've been watching hunting shows on the Outdoor channel where people were shooting critters it seemed like MLs were like bow, meaning you shot then followed the blood trail to the critter.

I realize no rifle will guarantee DRT, but seems MLs were less likely then, say my 270. Plus there is the smoke. You cant see what happens right after the shot like normal rifles.

I have a bear hunt lined up come spring and was thinking I would use the TC. I wanted to see for my self what they would do on critters so I got a doe tag to try it out.

Last night I took it out in the back pasture and found a nice doe, ranged it at 146 yards, and it was DRT. Shot it through the heart and it dropped it its tracks.

I was quite impressed. I didn't break shoulder bones, except a couple ribs, totally destroyed the heart. You couldn't expect any better results. Didn't recover the bullet, it passed on through into never never land.

I have no doubt it will work on my bear hunt.

As an added benefit, I bought a cheap Lee bullet mold for MLs, Sized it to .501 found it doesn't have the range of the jacketed ML bullets, but at 50 yards it seems every bit as accurate. Also found 44 & 45 sabots work good using my 44 & 45 pistol bullets so I'm not limited to those high priced ML bullets.

I think I'm hooked on muzzle loaders...................now if I can learn to shoot my cross bow, and recurved, I'll be a well rounded hunter.

 

[shortwave]

I think I'm hooked on muzzle loaders...................now if I can learn to shoot my cross bow, and recurved, I'll be a well rounded hunter.

Hoooraaaay!

Another m/l fan.

Always love to hear m/l success stories.

Congrats on your success kraigway.

FWIW: Working up the right load for each individual smokepole is half the fun. Have always found that once I have found the rifles 'sweet spot', the rifle has been more accurate then I.

Have not bear hunted with a m/l loader but would think a fella would want to use a 'bonded' bullet for that purpose. As well as carry a proper sidearm.

OP, Please excuse the thread veer, but quickly... for those that have bear hunted with m/l'ers, what loads(bullet style and charge)would you recommend out of a 50 cal. inline? Would seem one would not want to use a HP style bullet.

 

[steveNChunter]

OP, Please excuse the thread veer, but quickly... for those that have bear hunted with m/l'ers, what loads(bullet style and charge)would you recommend out of a 50 cal. inline? Would seem one would not want to use a HP style bullet.

I suggest any of the Barnes saboted bullets (particularly the Spit-fire TMZ) without hesitation.

See post #10

I have not shot a bear with them but I guarantee the solid copper bullet would penetrate and stay together judging by the path it took through my deer

 

[shortwave]

Yea steve, it looks the TMZ busted that shoulder up fairly well.