100yrds - 345 MAX-HP

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100 yards, Traditions St.Louis Hawken 50cal, 1:48 twist. 80gr Gearhart-Owen 3fg, Lubed Felt Wad, 345gr MAX-HP conicals. This rifle wants a dirty bore! I tried swabbing between shots and groups open up to 6" which isn't very good in my book.
Will have to change out the front sight as well. This is with my patched round ball sight which is dead on at 50 yards. Quite a bit different with those conicals! A lot of load work still in the works.
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Try using the powerbelts and wipe between shots. My CVA shot average groups with prb's and .50 cal ballets so I tried PowerBelts and they were grouping much better (70 yds. open sights) 1 to 2" groups. Haven't tried 100 yds yet! Also when I was shooting the ball-ets, lubed wads didn't seem to improve accuracy, they shot the same with or without, 3 to 3 1/2" @ 70 paces. Minute of Deer,LOL!
 
Big no on powerbelts. My bullwts performance is far superior. Plus i tried them 4 years ago and this rifle didnt like them. About to post an updated pic.
 
I lowered the charge to 70gr 3fg GO, and skipped out on the wad. First shot, cold clean bore was the same result. Dirty bore, they dropped down but groups awesome. Then I loaded up 70gr 1 1/2" fg olde eynesford and took 3 more shots. First shot on a clean bore was consistent as the other. Next 2 dropped right down into the bullseye, but not as tight as with the gearhart owen.

I chorno'd the 70gr 3fg GO load when I got back to the house and average was 1,403. I still have plenty of things to try differently, one being to cast them with a harder lead alloy and I think that will be the next thing I will be doing.

Going out in the shop now to swap on my conical front sight.
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100 yards, Traditions St.Louis Hawken 50cal, 1:48 twist. 80gr Gearhart-Owen 3fg, Lubed Felt Wad, 345gr MAX-HP conicals. This rifle wants a dirty bore! I tried swabbing between shots and groups open up to 6" which isn't very good in my book.
Will have to change out the front sight as well. This is with my patched round ball sight which is dead on at 50 yards. Quite a bit different with those conicals! A lot of load work still in the works.
110018417_10157876013937875_6386716086018370930_o.jpg

110159841_10157876013847875_3747695043767332020_o.jpg

109561608_10157876013897875_1228460111125898960_o.jpg
Informative range report FG. I'm sure its fun and rewarding to see what other loads might make it a multiple shooter. It's always great to know you have a prb load all-dialed-in for a particular smoker.
What's wrong with your front sight...can't see it?
----------------------------------------------------------
p.s. That beautiful tac work on that smoker always gets my attentionđź‘Ť
 
Marty, The current sight I have, is dialed in for 80gr 1 1/2fg olde eynsford black powder. With conical bullets, I swap my sight out for another thats been filed down to get them within 1 to 2 " of the bullseye, depending on what conical I am shooting. I use both german silver blade sights, along with my current steel blade front sight. I really like the steel because they don't bend so easily during and oopsie moment in the woods.
 
Marty, The current sight I have, is dialed in for 80gr 1 1/2fg olde eynsford black powder. With conical bullets, I swap my sight out for another thats been filed down to get them within 1 to 2 " of the bullseye, depending on what conical I am shooting. I use both german silver blade sights, along with my current steel blade front sight. I really like the steel because they don't bend so easily during and oopsie moment in the woods.
Is it an easy step to swap out?
 
Yes, just use a brass punch, knock out the old, install the new one the same way the old came out. Then you have to fiddle around with the left/right adjustment out on the range. It's nothing to bad though.
 
345 MAX is ready! 70gr 3fg gearhart owen at 100 yards. Move on to the Plainsman bullets and work up and load before I file any of the front sight down. Very pleased!

Marty, this sight is only aprox .035" lower than the original sight I was using today. Notice how huge of a difference it made, bringing my point of impact up.
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First 2 shots were #1 & 2. Very little difference in drop from a clean to dirty bore this time around. Im thinkining my eye focuses better on this target.

Have to adjust to the right and once I decide on my bullet and load, then I will file down the sight some more.
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Yes, just use a brass punch, knock out the old, install the new one the same way the old came out. Then you have to fiddle around with the left/right adjustment out on the range. It's nothing to bad though.
Do you use an anti seize on the sights? Change them often probably not needed. I had picked up a TC no warning barreled hawken that the front sight was off center and windage needed to be full right and was still not dead center at 50 yards. Getting it off was a difficult job as it was rusted in place. Got it off and decided to refinish the bluing. Now on reassembly should I use an anti seize compound?
 
Do you use an anti seize on the sights? Change them often probably not needed. I had picked up a TC no warning barreled hawken that the front sight was off center and windage needed to be full right and was still not dead center at 50 yards. Getting it off was a difficult job as it was rusted in place. Got it off and decided to refinish the bluing. Now on reassembly should I use an anti seize compound?
This is what made adjustment impossible, and removal almost as impossible without destroying the sight or scaring the barrel.
 

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LOL I've run into that before. Usually spraying it with some penetrating oil and a little heat helps them come out. But no, My sight bases are brass or copper and they don't rust into place like that.
 
LOL I've run into that before. Usually spraying it with some penetrating oil and a little heat helps them come out. But no, My sight bases are brass or copper and they don't rust into place like that.
Thanks, was definitely on there a long time. The rifle as a whole showed it was a utility and never taken care of. Grabbed it cheap as a restoration project. I used a vice and under pressure hit it with a drift punch and popped it free. Soaked in liquid wrench.
 

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