Bigtimer

Thanks wabi, I'm going to give it a go again tomorrow. The heat is a killer. Tyler shot pretty good @ 50yds using open sights. I found a CVA wolf on clearance at Wal-mart last year and only paid $79.99 for it.

Bigtimer

I never dreamed that my optima pro was capable of a group this tight[:-] Two bullets from a three shot group were TOUCHING each other and the 3rd hole was only 1/2 inch from those. I really want to thank everyone for their help, especially sabotloader and wabi. I have a photo but can't figure out how to post it.

sabotloader

Bigtimer

Here are your targets as you sent them to me... I think you found what you might be looking for. With the 100 grains of T7 you are pushing them out the barrel somewhere between 1850/1900 feet per second with 2000 ft. lbs. of energy - they will do the job - I can testify to that one. Get your shot placement in their and you will have one dead animal...

Congrats - mike

Semisane

Well Bigtimer,I guess you ought to be thinking about getting rid of that cheap ol' Optima. One of those holes isn't even touching the others.

frontier gander

Damn thats some excellent shooting! It makes you feel great when you find the perfect load. I bet you feel like a million bucks lol. Excellent job.

wabi

Now that's what groups should look like! I'd try another group or two with that load and if they stay like that I'd call that my hunting load.

Bigtimer

Thanks guys, the next group was a little wider but still less than 2 inches. I let my gun cool while Tyler shot his and when I tried again my group really started to open up. I'm certain that it was a combination of me, my back, and the heat. So I decided to try another day. I'm almost afraid to adjust my scope.

On the way home from the range, I stopped for gas and saw a guy that used to work for me and we got to talking. He said that he bought a muzzleloader 6-8 years ago but didn't like it because it had a side hammer. I think he said that it was a Hawkins. I asked if he would be interested in selling it and he said that he'd take $50.00 for it, so I'm probably going to buy it tomorrow. I've never shot one so that'll be my next project. Y'all have got me hooked on ANOTHER hobby.

sabotloader

Bigtimer

Gees! that could be the steal of the century.... jump all over that thing - hope he has taken care of it....

Another factor, I'll bet you were anticipating the "boom" just before the "boom" happened....

cayugad

Good shooting there... that will be a fine hunting load. As for that Hawkins, I agree.. buy it before the person wakes up and realizes what a mistake he made...

Bigtimer

Well, the guy that was going to sell me his muzzleloader changed his mind and GAVE it to me. It's not a hawkens, it's a plainsman. The rifle looks like new. It has a few scratches around the nipple and the little screw just below it has some marks from a screwdriver on it. I tried to pay him but he insisted that he just wanted to git rid of it. The only thing that I dont like is the finish on the stock but I don't know what can be done about it. Get this, he also gave me an ammunition box that he said, had some junk in it.
Here's what I found:
4 boxes of round balls
a big box of maxi balls
2 lbs of goex powder
no.11 caps
brass powder measurer
brass capper
bullet puller
patch puller nipple wrench
patches and a bunch more "junk"

My LUCKY DAY!!