Muzzleloader Difficulties

I am having difficulty sighting in my 50 caliber in line muzzleloader. I have a Nikon BDC scope that reccomends a 250 grain bullet with three pellets. The scope should work right with this set up. I bought some 245 grain sabbots after searching unsuccessfully for 250 grain sabbots. I set my target at 100 yards, using a ledsled, I cannot group anything. I'm allover the target 6-8 inches apart, with no pattern. I clean the barrel after every shot Anybody got any ideas?

I shoot a TC Omega with this set up at 250 yds I'm in a 2 inch group you might wanna look at Hornady high speed lw drag bullets Academy has them for 12.99 for 20 best flying bullet I have seen yet.

Do you need to use the BDC, or will most of your shots be within 150 yds. I have had the same experience over the years and have learned that you need to experience with different bullets and charges. If you are set on using pellets make sure they were stored in a climate controlled area (house) not shop, moisture in LA will get into everything. I started using powder again and fine tuned mine to shoot very well w/120 grs. and a 295 gr. bullet. I suggest backing off to 100grs and trying the bullet again. If it still does not group, try a diff. bullet. I am now using the economy line from. "precision bullets" these are by far the best bullet for the price and are VERY affordable. Google precision muzzleloader bulets and take a look, they also give shooting tips like spit swabbing after each shot to leave the good fouling in the barrel, hop this helps. d-speck......

Cleaning the barrel after each shot could be the problem. A little fouling helps make a barrel shoot consistently. I don't understand why, but it works. I shoot real black powder instead of Pyrodex, so I get a LOT more fouling. And only clean the barrel when I can barely push the bullet into the barrel.

Also, I learned that my rifle won't shoot every bullet consistently. The barrel of the T/C sidelock is more set up for round balls, but it will push a .45 sabot in a very tight pattern.

So don't over-clean the barrel and try other bullets. Good luck.

I shoot hornady sabbots out of my t/c. I ran out of them one day and the store by the house didnt carry hornady so i went with a remington that was the same grain. They shot all over the paper and the hornady was driving tacks. Im not promoting one or the other but you mite need to try another brand it may do you some good

Your setup is a good one. Who mounted the scope? As that could be alot of the problem. Instead of using 3 pellets to sight your gun in, Start with 1 pellet @ 50 yards until you get a pretty close group. Then go to 2 pellets and check your pattern, When your happy then go to 3 pellets. After your happy @ 50 yards don't touch the scope & then see where you are @ 100 yard shots with 3 pellets. ALso make sure your scope is mounted tight & level. You only need to clean your gun after every third shot. Hope this helps Gary

First of all all guns shoot differently and the search for the perfect load can be hard.
What I have found is that the cleaner the powder burns the less accurate it can be. I am talking about sub miniute groups at 100yrds.
I have found in my gun which is a TC oncore w nikon BDC retuicle. It shoots the 245 gr power belts ballistic tips with 150grns pryrodex best.
I have also learned that the harder the bullet and sabot is to load the less accurate it wil be in any make gun.
I have my found this load to be very accurate out past 250yds at the range, and have several kills on deer and hogs at ranges from 10yds to 260yds.
This will p-o off some people but I find this combination be far superior than the 45/70s which a lot of people rage about.
My hats off to you for sticking with the muzzeloader over the breach load catridge.
I made a kill on Friday at 238yds on a 140lb sow. I am so confident that I only hunt with this gun even during riffle season.
Also check you scope mount and rings to see if there is any movement. Muzzel loadrs have a much differenr recoil than a conventional riffle. I use perminiate Lock tite on mine.
Hope this helps keep on runingunin!

Just a thought, but my 50 cal Knight in-line wouldn't shoot consistently straight till I tried 2 50s and a 30 with the lightest Powerbelts I could find. You might want to try a few different loads and bullets.

Try using two powder tablets instead, it will slow down the bullet and give you more accuracy.

Had the same problem yesterday with my dads rifle at the range. Check the scope mounts and rings to make sure nothing is loose. If you are not grouping any shots then something is most likely loose and everytime you take a shot the scope is moving from where it was on your last shot.

I bought a 45 caliber cva optima elite muzzleloader and when I shot it, it looked like I was shooting buckshot! I changed to heavier bullets and two powders. That's what my gun dealer suggested! It worked wonders! I have stretched it out to 150 yards with accuracy. I also shot a doe at 125 and she didn't move! Try this it might help you!

My dad has a Thompson 50 cal. encore and he is shooting 150 grains of pyrodex pellets and the shockwave 250 gr. bullets. We have checked the scope mounts, everything is really tight, but the grouping of bullets is terrible. Any suggestions on what should he do next? Different bullets, less powder, clean the gun after every shot or every other shot? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

scope rings or mount should be your prob