My shoulder is killing me!

[Franksauto]

Hey guys. I havent been around here in quite some time but it's almost that time again. Our shotgun season starts a week from today. As usuall I am hunting straight through with my inline muzzle loader. I hoping to hunt with my Hawkin this year but would like to get one under my belt for the season before trying the traditional thing.
Anyway went shooting today and had a blast. I fired around 20 rounds using round balls and switching to my hunting load which is a 385gr Hornady Great Plains. What a shoulder breaker when pushed by a 90gr charge of Pyrodex RS.
Is 90gr the preferred amount of poweder or should I bump it down a little, maybe 80gr? The 385 bullet and 90gr powder is accurate as can be. I getting a 3" group at 50yds, off a rest ofcourse.
What do you think.
Thanks
Frank

 

[Semisane]

I suspect you could not only tighten those groups up with 70 or 75 grains of RS, but have a more pleasant shooting load that will kill any deer/elk/moose with authority out to 100 yards. How far do you normally shoot in a hunting situation?

 

[cayuga]

Like Semisane said, knock the charge down a little to say 80 grains or even 70 grains and see how accuracy is. That and a big conical is still plenty of power to kill a deer. I shoot 70 grains of powder and a big conical and would shoot out to 150 yards if I had to...

 

[Franksauto]

I dont plan on shooting more than 70 yards, probably within 50. I could actually see the powder burning out the barrel. I will try 80 and 70 next time I go to the range.

 

[jbuck9]

My son shoots the 385 with his Hawkins with 80Gr of 3f and shoots cloverleafs, but he has real good eyes yet, not like the oldman.

 

[mrlnfshr1]

Set up my brother with a CVA Mountain Rifle (later version) and the 385gr GP over 70 grains 3f. Killed a nice doe in our early muzzleloader season at 60yds. Complete pass through and dropped in her tracks. Good luck.

 

[mrlnfshr1]

Yes, you will feel more recoil with the conicals than round balls. Try shooting the rifle off your bicep instead of your shoulder. The curved buttplate is meant to be shot that way and is supprisingly comfortable to shoot once you get the hang of it.

 

[excess650]

I would hunt with whatever load grouped best on target, within reason. In a 50cal, I would think 70gr to be on the low end of charge, and 120gr to be the high end, depending upon propellant used. Swiss ffg is at least as energetic as Goex fffg, and find that 100gr of either of these works well for me with a maxiball or Hornady Great Plains. I had developed a 120gr Elephant ffg load with now unavailable 410gr Buffalo Bullets, but needed to clean between shots.

Your rifle will tell you what it likes. Load it that way as shots in big game hunting situations aren't terribly frequent.

 

[shooter44n45]

I shoot 80-85 grains with the GP 385 but this year I was only able to find the 410 grain. I will still load the 80-85 grains of RS though.

 

[redbug9]

I use 80 gr of 777 and the 385 gr Hornady GP conical in my Renegade. With a tang mounted peep sight I can shoot 1.5" or less groups at 50 yards for as long as my shoulder holds out.

The best groups have been with 80 gr of 777 and 450 gr flat nose conical that I got from Prescision Rifle.

If you are at the range trying less powder, you might as well try a little more powder and/or a bigger slug. You never know what your gun will like.

 

[mossie]

Goex 2f would be a bit softer as well. It's the curved butt plate that bites you with the Hawken style stocks.