150-200 yard range?

[Little Fish]

Any of you guys shooting your guns at these ranges? I'm sighted in at 100 yards and feel my Knight Wolverine is very accurate at this range (more accurate than I am), but have talked to several folks in the field who consistently shoot at the longer ranges. I am curious what bullet and powder load you guys are shooting to push out your effective range. I'm currently shoot 410 grain great plains bullets with 90 grains of triple seven.

[Intruder]

Great question.  I'm in the same boat.  Behind a scoped rifle it seems like cake.  But holy crap, get behind open sites and boy anything over 100 looks like a looong way.

[Sagedawg]

 Not at deer or elk I dont. I have a Knight Bighorn , so my accuracy mirrors what you have found.  Ive tried a few long shots at yotes but the sucess rate isnt very high like 1 in 6 if I recall. A buddy has a set up where we can shoot to 300yds. After a few shots you can walk them into the gong that he has set up. Pretty fun really.  Peep sights make a huge difference IMO.


  Sage


  Sage

[MagKarl]

My club has gongs at approx. 200 yards.  I have rang the gong from a bench with my .54 shooting round balls and 100gr FF black powder, but I have to hold a few FEET high.  Open sights.  I will not shoot over 100 at an animal, and only then if I had a solid rest and ideal conditions.  I want to get close, that's just me.

[wastickslinger]

I wont shoot at deer over 200 with mine. And if I shoot 200 I have a rock solid rest and a good clear full broadside. I shoot a 295 grain Powerbelt with 120 grains of pellets.

[BLUEBULLS]

I shoot the exact same load as Wastickslinger and I too would take a 200yd shot if conditions were perfect.

[MagKarl]

You guys with the inlines, how far out are you zero'd, and how much are you having to hold over at 200 yards? 

[BLUEBULLS]

I'm zeroed at 100yds and hold 12" high at 200yds.

[CP]

I can’t speak to inlines but a 200-yard hunting shoot with a round ball is just out of the question.  Lyman's Black Powder Handbook gives a BC of .075 for a .535 in. ball.  Even if I could hit a deer at that range the ball would probably just bounce off.  I’ve sited in 2” high at 50 yards and I have a self-imposed limit of 75 yards.  200 yards would be about 36” of drop and probably 16” of drift with a light wind.

[stumprat]

I don't hunt clearcuts with mine. Most of my shots are within 70 yards max. If I wanted to shoot out to 150-200 I'd buy a rifle (right tool for the job).

[wastickslinger]

Id say my muzz is the right tool for the job at 150-200. Especially if I am hunting muzz season. Might get in trouble for using a rifle during muzz season.

I too am zeroed at 100 and hold 10-12" at 200. I dont use round ball so I cant compare my bullet penetration. But I know at 200 mine is still getting the job done I gurantee it.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

I know i can hit at 200, but i do not even take that shot... Why wonder.

I hunt to hunt, i want to get into 100 yard range where i know i will make a good shot...

[BLUEBULLS]

I also try to get as close as I can, that's what hunting is all a bout to me. I'm just saying that if I knew I couldn't get closer than 200yds and I didn't think I'd be able to get on the animal again I'd take the shot if conditions were right.

This is with an inline and 295gr powerbelt, It has plenty of energy for deer at 200yds. I probably wouldn't take the shot at an elk.

[shag]

I also try to get as close as I can, that's what hunting is all a bout to me. I'm just saying that if I knew I couldn't get closer than 200yds and I didn't think I'd be able to get on the animal again I'd take the shot if conditions were right.

This is with an inline and 295gr powerbelt, It has plenty of energy for deer at 200yds. I probably wouldn't take the shot at an elk.

How much powder in that load?

I'm 1-2/2 high at 100yds puts me at 14 inches low at 150.    150 is my max.   Should extent that range next year as I'm always 3 inches high at 100yds.   Tried a new bullet this year and first 3 shots went in a nice tight group an 1-1/2.   With what little time I had I left well enough alone.

[BLUEBULLS]

120 grains of Pyrodex pellets. 4 x 30gr

[rasbo]

if I cant get within 50 yrds, time for a rifle,thats just me.

[Little Fish]

Thanks for the responses guys. And to clarify.....this is a curiosity question. I'm not trying to start a debate on the merits of long distance muzzle loader shooting.

With that said. There are a lot of guys shooting out to 150-200 yards with muzzleloaders with accurate and deadly results. I think it depends alot on what type of gun you're shooting, how much time you've invested at the range and how much time you've spent working up an accurate bullet/powder combination.

In my opinion a modern inline muzzleloader is pretty darn close to being a rifle. Although I don't plan on doing it, I suspect if my gun were scoped it wouldn't be difficult to shoot accurately out to 200 yards.

[Intruder]

In my opinion a modern inline muzzleloader is pretty darn close to being a rifle. Although I don't plan on doing it, I suspect if my gun were scoped it wouldn't be difficult to shoot accurately out to 200 yards.

Scoped.... piece a cake, especially w/ the more modern bullets and sabots.

[rasbo]

In my opinion a modern inline muzzleloader is pretty darn close to being a rifle. Although I don't plan on doing it, I suspect if my gun were scoped it wouldn't be difficult to shoot accurately out to 200 yards.

Scoped.... piece a cake, especially w/ the more modern bullets and sabots.

I agree with a scope they can do it,and if the mountainmen had em they woulda used them

[wastickslinger]

who needs a scope..I shoot like Quigley :chuckle

I agree, adding a scope to your inline makes the debate about a 200 yard shot go away. But if you live in WA you ought to sharpen your open sights shooting cause the gun will do it. Adding a scope does not increase your range on the gun obviously. It only makes it easier for the shooter to make the shot. With that said, your question has been answered, a 200 yard shot is makeable and ethical with the right load. Practice practice practice. Everyone will have their opinion on how far to shoot, the only real way to find out is to go shoot your gun all summer and you will know. 

[p-ohana]

I've never shot an animal with my muzzy yet. I'm new to using a ML. I have a 2in group at 100yds. I hope I have the discipline not to shoot anything over 100yds until I know for sure where my point of aim is to make a clean kill. A hunter can only practice at that range to be proficient and comfortable at longer ranges. I need more range time before I'll take that shot.

[Little Fish]

When all my hunting seasons are over and the house projects are done I think I'll spend some quality time at the range and see how I do at 150 yards using my existing Williams peep site. Maybe try the great plains 385 grain bullet with the same or greater powder load??? Gotta have some fun during the off season. 

[CP]

I’d be interested in seeing the range results of anyone shooting at these distances. 

I still have a scope on my Knight; if I can work in some range time I’ll see what it can do at 200 yards.

[mrgoodwrench]

I shoot a TC BlackDiamond XR, 50Cal.  295g lead Powerbelts and 150g triple seven pellets.  Williams peep, a couple inches high at 100, about a foot low at 200 and the gong does not move at 200, its accurate though, and killed my roosevelt at 123 yards in the timber this year, of course the bullet didn't go through him like my 300 win mag does.

After that I won't shoot an elk past 150, its not worth tracking a wounded animal with no blood from an exit hole.

[CP]

Well I gave this a try this weekend.  I got the biggest target I could find and hung it out at 200 yards.  With a scoped Knight Bighorn sited in at 100 yards I got the following results at 200:

120 gr Pyrodex with Knight 310gr all lead bullet in the Knight orange sabot:
5” group – 30”  down 4” right wind drift.

120 gr Pyrodex with 300 gr. Sierra JSP in the Knight orange sabot:
4” group – 24” down 2” right wind drift.

That’s pretty good accuracy but a lot of drop to deal with.  Less wind drift than I expected.  There was a light breeze blowing left to right, hard to say how fast.

[Little Fish]

Interesting results. Thanks for posting CP.

[MagKarl]

That is some very respectable shooting CP.  I bet most guys hunting modern couldn't hold groups like that with their scoped bolt guns at 200. 

[fishunt247]

I've shot the 295 gr Knight bullets with 110 grs of Triple 7 out of my knight for 4 years, and killed 2 deer and one big bull with that load (before it was powerbelts and pyrodex). I don't think its the load or the gun, but ability and sights. I have the Truglo Tritium sights, and past 125 yards it covers nearly the entire front half of a buck. Too much guesswork. I've had the same experience with other fiberoptic sights. My opinion, 125 with a solid rest is okay for me. I passed a shot at a 3pt at 147 yrds this year and ended up not getting the buck (blew the stalk after he bedded). Oh well, that is muzzeloading.