Muzzleloader Question
 

Hello,
So my question is, when seating your bullet, how does seating pressure affect bullet velocity?

I recently bought a TC pro hunter 50 cal and I mounted a nikon muzzleloader scope 3x9. I'm shooting 120 grains of blackhorn 209 (measured by volume) shooting 250 grain hornady sst and at 100 yards I was shooting a 3" group. But, my group was consistently 1 inch low. I adjust the scope a couple times and still hit low.

I ran out of time so I couldn't play any longer but on my way home I was thinking maybe my seating pressure was inconsistent, getting lighter as I was shooting.

If I were to increase my seating pressure and was more consistent, would that potentially bring my group up to where I want it? And i plan on starting measure my power by weight to be more consistent as well.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

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Consistency is the key but the rule of thumb is less seating pressure less velocity .
Cat

Muzzleloader
 

As Cat mentioned consistency is the key. You might try placing a piece of tape on your ramrod to mark your seating depth and as long as your powder load doesn't change and you seat to the same mark each time your consistency will improve.
Be careful if you decide to measure by weight. Your load is by volume and will be very different and possibly dangerous if you use the same 120 grns by weight.
Volume works well you just need to be consistent in the process from load to load.

Good Luck,
Phil

Okay, thank you! That's good to know about the powder.

I kind of figured more pressure would make more velocity, but I just wanted to confirm. I will have play around and see what best.

Thanks again

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You can put the butt on a kitchen scale, drop the ramp rod down the pipe and punch until you reach 14lbs. Remember what that feels like and try to push the same amount each time. Why 14 lbs? A little bird told me.

Some smart guy should build a ramrod with a pressure gauge. :)

Why? When a calibrated guess has been working for hundreds of years. You can be pretty consistent with experience.
Just like an experienced arm can torque a Chev six banger head, and be near perfect.

I tend to seat my bullets as tight as I can, simply because whatever that pressure is (I don't actually know) it is easy to hit consistently and my groups are better as a result. Trying to get the recommended "slight crunch" has never worked as well for me. As tight as you can go will always be about the same.

It's on the ball of your hand....leaves a ring....the mark indicates proper pressure!


Oh and mark your ram rod to ensure seating depth.....double check this every time you take the gun out....can store half loaded....don't want to dump another load on etc.....seen too many poop shows from experienced shooters to rookies.

Several have been made but were too expensive to catch on. Kadooty was one maker. I shoot Pyrodex pellets and compress to 25 pounds of pressure and mark my rod with a knife blade.

That Kadooty thing is kind of a reverse slide hammer. I was thinking of using a collar around the ramrod with a set screw. You could set whatever pressure you wanted with a scale and then lock the collar in place. I’m shooting a smokeless ml.

There were a couple of Kadooty or pressure sensing systems. i had one that had a spring in it with a pressure gauge readout. Once i had the pressure marked on the rod I was very consistent. Your idea will work but have the disadvantage of not allowing the rod the be stored in the gun.

Did you swab and dry the barrel between shots? Could it be build-up? When I site-in or practice shooting my ML. I will use a consistent routine to swab and dry between shots. Seems to work for me and as mentioned doing things consistently is the key.

Use some aluminum tape on the hing pin. The pin moves a little and causes the POI to change. I had this issue on my TC Pro Hunter. Also mark the hinge and action so that if you pull the barrel off, you then re assemble it back to the same spot. I just used a auto punch and made a mark on both. After this, you should have a great group.

You also need a fouling shot after cleaning your barrel well or you will not hit the target where you think. These TC’s like to be a bit dirty. On mine I just use a dry patch that I wet with my tongue to clean then a dry patch.

You should be able to shoot a 1” group at 100 yards and at least a 2” at 200 yards.

I also shoot the 250 grain Shockwave with 150 grains (three pellets) of Hodgdon triple 7

Killed a bunch with this. 1- Moose, 2 - Elk, 5 - Deer, 1 - coyote, and a grouse.

Still amazes me the hole left in an animal with the shockwave bullets.

My gun also shoots the Federal Premium Trophy copper 270 grain copper bullet