200 yard Muzzleloader shot...

[gee_unit360]

Is that considered a fairly makeable shot? The ballistics on my Barnes 290 grain T-EZ bullet with 100 grains of powder predict a 17 inch drop at 200 yards.

[92xj]

Go shoot at a target to see if it's a makeable shot.  No one's opinion of a shot being makeable is going to influence your own shot.  But yes, a muzzleloader will sling lead with a deadly force at 200 yards.  My farthest is greater than 200.

[MADMAX]

Heck of a shot with iron sights

[CP]

I tried this a time or two -

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,27714.msg320396.html#msg320396

looks like my post it too old for the target pic to display, but trust me, it was good.

At the range, off a solid rest, sure why not.  In the field, at an animal, no.  Not for me anyway.

[Dark2Dark]

My gun groups pretty well at 200, but I’m pushing a 250 gr Barnes with 150 or 200 gr or powder.

What you can see with open sights will be a limiting factor at that range.

[highside74]

I watched a guy kill a Mule deer at 175 yards prone off a backpack with a muzzleloader equipped with a peep sight.

[muleyslayer]

With a flat shooting 45. Caliber muzzy, peep sights, and practice a 200 yard is very doable.

[Smokepole]

It depends on conditions.  If the animal is well lit and standing broadside, it helps.  If you have a good solid rest it helps.  If you compensate for crosswinds and the shot angle, even better.  You need to know your trajectory.  Sometimes a deer looks huge at that distance, and sometimes not.

Peep sights are a must at long range.  My longest shot on a buck was 212 yards.  I aimed for the top of his spine, and compensated 12" to the right for a gusty crosswind.  Shot dropped right into the lungs.  I shoot 250 grain XTP's with 100 grains of Pyrodex pellets.  Most of my shots have been less than 100 yards. 

[adamR]

 

My spike elk from two years ago was broadside at 202 yards with the sun lighting him up perfectly.  With no wind, a great rest, lying prone, the 300 grain shockwave dropped him where he stood.

[Dark2Dark]

It depends on conditions.  If the animal is well lit and standing broadside, it helps.  If you have a good solid rest it helps.  If you compensate for crosswinds and the shot angle, even better.  You need to know your trajectory.  Sometimes a deer looks huge at that distance, and sometimes not.

Peep sights are a must at long range.  My longest shot on a buck was 212 yards.  I aimed for the top of his spine, and compensated 12" to the right for a gusty crosswind.  Shot dropped right into the lungs.  I shoot 250 grain XTP's with 100 grains of Pyrodex pellets.  Most of my shots have been less than 100 yards.

How hard was the wind blowing that you figured for 12” of wind drift on a 250 gr bullet at 200 yards?!

[CP]

It doesn't take much wind to drift a muzzy shot 12" at 200y.

[Smokepole]

At the time, I thought the wind was gusting 10-15 knots.  It was gusts.  I figured if I adjusted 12" I would hit the lung or the shoulder somewhere.  The gun was sighted to 100 yards, and I held right on the spine.  A little luck was a factor, too!  Here's the thread:

https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,231984.0.html

[Dark2Dark]

It doesn't take much wind to drift a muzzy shot 12" at 200y.

That’s wild. I haven’t used that app. What does “target speed” mean?

[CP]

It doesn't take much wind to drift a muzzy shot 12" at 200y.

That’s wild. I haven’t used that app. What does “target speed” mean?

I don't know, but it doesn't change the output.  Useful tool:

https://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

[Dan-o]

IMO,  most modern muzzleloadera are capable of the shot, but:

* Most aren't equipped with good sights for shooting that far.  If a guy was serious about shooting 200 yards he'd probably get a peep with a very small/fine front dot.
* VERY FEW people that I have seen are proficient to even consider a 200 yard shot with a muzzleloader.  Most guys can't keep an ethical pattern at 100 yards off a bench. 

I have hunted muzzleloader for about 40 years.  I used to shoot weekly and have many thousands of rounds down range.

I could hit tennis balls at 100 routinely at my best.
I would not have ever considered a 200 yard shot.
That's just me.

Not trying to preach, but wanted to add a perspective.