oldsmellhound

Hi everyone, this is my first post on the muzzleloading forum. I decided this season to dump my hopelessly inaccurate smoothbore shotgun for a ML. I bought a New Frontier Cascade Magnum, bolt action .45 caliber. I mounted a Bushnell 3 X 9 scope and headed out to the range.

After several shooting sessions, I am not getting the accuracy I had hoped/expected. I'm shooting 3 - 4 inch groups at 50 yards and 6 - 8 inch groups at 100. I'm shooting from a padded rest. Some of it might be shooter error, of course, but I'm generally a half-decent shot, at least with other rifles. I'm shooting 2 50 grain 777 pellets and 200 grain XTP's. I've tried cleaning the bore between each shot (as there is plastic residue left from the sabots) and this helps some, but not much. The error/variation in bullet impacts tends to be vertical as opposed to horizontal, which might suggest that the pellet charges are not all of equal weight, but it's hard for me to believe they could vary that much, especially at close range.

The gun's manual recommended using Powerbelts for better accuracy, but I thought that was just a marketing trick and bought the cheaper XTP's instead. I'm pretty concerned about the poor accuracy - I bought the ML because I hunt in an area with a lot of open grassland, where 100 -150 yard shots are pretty common. It's fine if the load has the energy and trajectory to shoot that far, but it doesn't help if you're shooting groups the size of a car tire at that distance.

Thanks in advance for any answers/advice.

cayugad

.45 calibers can be tempermental according to some posters. I personally have no experience with that caliber. Although if the rifle does not shoot the XTP well, then you have to try some other things. First thing I would do is get some loose Triple Se7en 2f and load 80 grains. See if the rifle behaves better with a smaller powder charge.

Alsoyou could try some other projectiles like Shockwaves, Powerbelts, Saber Tooth Conicals, even maxiball. There is just a trial and error with a lot of these rifles. I also agree with you, I would not be happy with a group that size.

lemoyne

Each gun has its own preferances,some like different powders some like different bullets some like different weights of bullet. We each have to do some experimenting,I ended up with a choice between Pyrodex RS and APP FF and the HPH 24 sabots and a choice between Shock Waves and XTP. I believe that the more different combinations you try the more choices you end up with but you have to find out what the gun likes. Lee

chaz3815

Well in my 209x45 Encore I shoot 200gr. Shockwave with 100gr.of loose 777.I also shoot 195gr.Power Belts withthe same load both give me under 1" groups at 50 & 100 yards . It also shoots the Barnes 195gr. MZ very well but still working on that laod . Hope that you can find the load that works best in your gun , all I can say you have to try several to find the best load .
chaz3815

Bake North

I have the 50cal Optima and Iam shooting 100gr T7 and 245gr powerbelts the gun shoots this combo great,I was going to try some other bullets but seeing our muzzy season opens next week I thought I better just leave it alone.I will try the Sabertooths after the season.

m.t.hands

is the bullet being seated at the same depth down the barrel everytime, i experiend a similar problem with pellets and some stiff loading sabots, like mentioned try som loose powder first and make sure your loading depth position is always the same

good luck will be interesting to hear the culprit

oldsmellhound

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to buy some loose powder & a couple different types of bullets this week. I'll try a few different combos and see if things get better. I'll post again when I have some different results.

Thanks again

Wheatley

I have a 45 cal as well and ended up with fffg 777 at 85 grains with the 200gr Shockwaves. This was the best load for my gun. Start your powder charges off low and work up in 5 grain increments. You will start to see when there is too much powder.

Triple Se7en

I seem to read the best 45-calaccuracy reports using the 270 gr. Powerbelt,195 gr. Barnes Expanders and 200 gr. T/C Shockwaves. Since the sister toyour failed 200 gr. XTP is the Shockwave, I don't recommend you try that one again. Try the Cabelas Dead Centers in 220 gr. or Extended Ranges in 235 grain.