powder question practice time

[HoofsandWings]

How many pounds of powder do you go through when practicing for the fall hunting season?
I am trying to figure how much to buy this spring.

Thanks

[MagKarl]

There are 7000 grains in one pound.  Divide 7000 by the grain size charge you intend to shoot to see how many shots you'll get per pound.  Example, 100 grains per shot will get you 70 shots from one pound of powder.  Make sense? 

[Dansk]

1 pound should be plenty- I mean, unless you are at the range every weekend shooting 20+ rounds....

I only use enough to sight in each year and find my zero, but it's not much different than my modern... so MAYBE 7-10 shots max. per trip??  3-6 shots usually does it.  After 10 shots it's a beotch to reload and my shoulder starts talking to me anyway ....  still have my 1lb can of pyro from 10 years ago. 

[HoofsandWings]

There are 7000 grains in one pound.  Divide 7000 by the grain size charge you intend to shoot to see how many shots you'll get per pound.  Example, 100 grains per shot will get you 70 shots from one pound of powder.  Make sense? 

will 70 shots in the prone, sitting, standing positions in rain, wind, sunny, cloudy and calm conditions be sufficient?
That is only 20 shots a month during a 3 month stretch.

[MagKarl]

That's really a hard question to answer.  Depends what kind of rifle and load you are trying to dial in and when you draw the line and say "close enough".  I try to attend a monthly shoot in the off season when I can and started shooting in a summer league last year for more practice.     

[HoofsandWings]

I guess what I am trying to say is how much do you practice for the unusual shots?
You have been running up a mountain and are out of breath and have a 100 yard shot.
You are standing in the middle of fast moving stream and have to take a shot.
The elk/deer is walking through timber and you have to take a shot.
You are trembling from the cold and have to take a shot.
The list goes on. You are standing sitting crawling, maybe with 10,000 mosquitos interested in you.
That sort of stuff.

[bobcat]

I'd use a 22 rifle for that type of target practice. You'd get a lot more shooting in. But that's just me. I guess it all depends on how much spare time you have to devote to shooting the muzzleloader. Me, I just don't have the time.

[MagKarl]

Everyone is different.  I would use familiarity with your equipment and shot group size to determine how much practice you need before the season.  Keep practicing and/or reducing the range until you can hold an acceptable 5 shot group.  How well are you shooting right now? 

[Dansk]

I guess what I am trying to say is how much do you practice for the unusual shots?
You have been running up a mountain and are out of breath and have a 100 yard shot.
You are standing in the middle of fast moving stream and have to take a shot.
The elk/deer is walking through timber and you have to take a shot.
You are trembling from the cold and have to take a shot.
The list goes on. You are standing sitting crawling, maybe with 10,000 mosquitos interested in you.
That sort of stuff.

I think it's a mistake to actually plan on taking many of those shots.  I would call many of those shots unethical - you shouldn't take some of them at all.   You risk injuring yourself, wounding the animal, stray shots, etc.  Those shots have nothing to do with muzzleloading or how much powder to buy for the offseason.  Sorry for the soapbox speach, but sounds like you could be headed for an unsafe situation.  If you are a beginner, I would self regulate and only take clear broadside or quartering shots, with some sort of rest (tree, prone, whatever), on animals that are not moving.  The art and skill of hunting is obtaining great presentations of your quarry- it's not about being a great marksman in difficult situations.  You need to know your limits and stick with them.

Try this - Hit a 6" disk offhand, 10 shots in a row, at 50 yards with your ML.  It's ALOT harder than you think.  Now, add a moving target, wind, increased breath/heart rate, ...or in a creek??  You need to enlist and go through UCMC sniper/scout school for that  .   But seriously... don't take chances- if your not sure, don't take the shot.  No one is perfect- we've all taken shots we shouldn't have- and feel like crap when we do.  On the flip side, Its a great feeling after letting an animal walk when you had a questionable shot, but did the right thing.

[fishunt247]

 
That last paragraph is perfect. Muzzleloaders are not as precise of an instrument as a modern rifle. There are a lot of factors. Even shooting off a bench you can get an occasional unexplained flyer. They are touchy. I practice enough to know that I'm proficient out to 100 yards. In my opinion, that's as far of a shot as need be taken. Maybe 125, but that is stretching the tape. A lot of guys think they are going to switch from rifle to muzzleloader and take long shots or running shots, then get a rude awakening once they actually shoot the things in a hunting situation.

[sss5358]

How many pounds of powder do you go through when practicing for the fall hunting season?
I am trying to figure how much to buy this spring.

Thanks

A lot will depend on if you have developed your load yet. If the rifle is new then you probably have some work to do before you find the projectile and the charge your rifle will shoot conistantly accurate with. That will take some powder. Then of course you want to practice as well, after you get the load down pat. Since the charge and projectile I use is tried and true, I only shoot to get comfortable again with the rifle and check it's accuracy. Probably only 30 to 40 shots and sometimes less than that depending upon how much time I have.

Like someone said in this post, Black Powder rifles are not typically as finally honed as modern rifles. They do have occasional problems. But, if you find the projectile and the charge that works best for your rifle, it can be very accurate.  I shoot a TC Thunderhawk which is almost 15 years old.  But, it is so accurate with the load I use that I haven't found a rifle that is better, so I stick with it.

Good hunting!

Steve