200 yard Muzzleloader shot...

[gee_unit360]

Interesting perspectives... I have a peep on my bighorn but I’ve never tried a 200 yard shot, guess it’s time to give it a go..

[Hart]

I've got peep sights on mine (fiber optic front), but I don't think there is anyway I would be confident shooting out that far. I don't think I could see the target. Even when I was using the thin Lee Shaver inserts I don't think I could do it.

For 100ish yards is generally my max. If everything is absolutely perfect maybe 125

[elkboy]

The furthest I have ever taken a deer is 120 yards- and that is pretty far out there for open sights, for me at least!  I use a six-o'clock hold with the top of the red front fiber optic on my Knight Mountaineer, and a Williams peep sight.  At 100 yards, a deer's chest is a pretty small target.  Someone with really good eyesight, and perhaps a different front sight (like a globe sight), might be able to shoot out further with a muzzy. 

I practice out to about 150 yards, which really helps on the ranges at which I normally take deer (20-80 yards). 

[Damnimissed]

This year I installed a Williams globe. Shooting a 290gr Barnes TE-Z with 74gr (by weight) BH209 and a Fed 209A primer from my CVA optima, I am consistently printing 1” groups at 100. POI is 1” high at 100 and 8” low at 200. I am totally comfortable at taking a 200 yd shot with a good rest, something I could never say before switching to the globe. I haven’t considered shooting any further because I’m not sure the Barnes will opens up reliably.

[RobinHoodlum]

I worked pretty hard on trying to dial in the 200 yard shot a few years ago when my buddy and I drew quality buck tags in a unit with lots of open country. I had taken 3 deer at ranges up to 170 yards previously. I had patterned the load I was shooting and confirmed the ballistics drop from the manufacturers load tables. However, I didn't understand how much the wind would/does affect the trajectory of a relatively heavy, slow moving projectile with so-so ballistics. 10" or more of windage is easily possible and a lot of this occurs beyond 100 yards. Bottom line is I wasn't comfortable with that range. I am comfortable with up to 150 yards provided I have put the range time in prior to the season.

[crabcreekhunter]

Really comes down to what your eyes can see.  Was my first year packing a muzzy and went with a western precision front globe and rear peep.  Really wasn't looking to shoot this far but worked out my drops to 300.  Green were 200, red 250 and blue was 300.  Wind definitely started to move things around quite a bit.  By far not a great shot with a muzzy but with practice I figure 200 is doable with good rest and conditions.

[dilleytech]

This year I installed a Williams globe. Shooting a 290gr Barnes TE-Z with 74gr (by weight) BH209 and a Fed 209A primer from my CVA optima, I am consistently printing 1” groups at 100. POI is 1” high at 100 and 8” low at 200. I am totally comfortable at taking a 200 yd shot with a good rest, something I could never say before switching to the globe. I haven’t considered shooting any further because I’m not sure the Barnes will opens up reliably.

This is the route I want to go when I can find them in stock. I lined up on a bull that was 210 but it didn’t feel right with my fiber optics. But Luckily it stepped away and later was given a much closer shot.

[dvolmer]

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.

That's wisdom right there fellas!!!

[Sabotloader]

Another consideration to think about is - what is the remaining energy of the bullet and load you choose to use @ 200 yards.

[TINESUP]

Eye sight certainly plays a factor. 200 yards is pushing it but doable from a prone or dead solid rest. I use a peep and sight my muzzy in so that it hits 3 and 1/2 inches above the top of the front post at 100 yards. If I was shooting a pop can at a hundred I would set it on top of the front post and would center punch it. Using 290 gr Barnes and 110gr of 777 puts me dead on at 160yds using the top of the post. At 200 hundred it is dropping 9 inches, so high in the meat and dead buck. If you have to aim over them, they are to far.

[Dirty Mike]

My longest shot on a deer is 200 took one this yr took one at 171 i practice alot out to 200 can keep shots in a 4" circle all 3 of my muzzys have peep sites I have eyesore still but if I shoot just plain open sites its pretty hard for me and wouldn't shoot over 100 with them peep is the way to go for sure.

[Pete112288]

For deer I would limit myself to probably 150 given my practice and everything. And the conditions would have to be making me feel really good with it. Mainly because of target size. I shoot 90grains 777 under a 330 grain harvester hardcast. Sighted in for a 6 o'clock hold at 100 yards. Of a bench I can make all shots touch at 100 yards as long as I do my part.
My longest hunting shots have been 155 and 135. Both on elk. The first was a 3X1 with bad hoof rot and a dwindling body. Smallest bodied elk I ever shot. I was sitting with a solid pair of shooting sticks at 155 yards, held on the hairline of his back with the bottom of the fiber optic front sight (so with my 6 o'clock hold method the aim point was well over his back. Got lungs and the top edge of the heart. The 135 yard shot was a big bodied 5x5 off hand. Same holdover, and center punched the heart. Both shots where complete pass throughs.
Again, deer size target, and conditions affecting it.... Everything would have to line up right for me to feel comfortable. Good thing most my deer shots are 30 yards or less on average, haha.

[The Big Game Hunter]

This year I installed a Williams globe. Shooting a 290gr Barnes TE-Z with 74gr (by weight) BH209 and a Fed 209A primer from my CVA optima, I am consistently printing 1” groups at 100. POI is 1” high at 100 and 8” low at 200. I am totally comfortable at taking a 200 yd shot with a good rest, something I could never say before switching to the globe. I haven’t considered shooting any further because I’m not sure the Barnes will opens up reliably.

That front sight globe is definitely the way to go to maximize your effective range with iron sights.

[jjhunter]

Background is important at that range.  At least for me.  I’ve killed a few critters out beyond 200 with my muzzy and I was extremely confident in those shots.  My Idaho buck was 157 yards this past year and i shot him off my knee.   If you grew up with an open sight .22, you’ll look down the barrel of an open sighted muzzy for the first time and smile.   It all comes back.  I don’t shoot a peep as my target acquisition (speed) is diminished and low light ability is also affected negatively.

[Skyvalhunter]

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Every year theres elk running around with arrows sticking out of their rears from guys that thought they could shoot out to 100 yds. If you have confidence and ability its a different story. But then some don't feel guilty about a wounded animal either.