Muzzleloading: Adjusting For Accuracy

Contrary to what you read, seating a sexy sabot or bullet over three 50-grain pellets of Super Stuff powder will probably not produce minute-of-angle accuracy in a modern muzzleloader.

Accuracy doesn't just happen. In fact, the first couple of combinations you try probably won't produce accuracy that is even acceptable.

Every new muzzleloader has a proprietary projectile that it recommends. I always start there, and adjust the powder charge to find the most accurate combination.

If I'm shooting a CVA rifle, I'll start with a PowerBelt bullet such as a 250-grain to start in a .50-caliber gun. If it's a Thompson Center, I'll start with a Shockwave bullet. Knight's bullets are actually Barnes bullets. Traditions has its own bullet, and so on.

With in-lines I always start with a 100-grain charge, regardless of bullet. Adjustment from there comes in increments of 10- to 15 grains, which means using loose powder rather than pellets since compressed powder pellets or sticks are available only in 60-, 50- and 30-grains.

I have seen guns that prefer 150-grain charges, but most of mine are most accurate with 110- to 120 grains of powder, depending on the brand. With Triple-7, which burns hotter than most powders, 110 grains will typically work best.

Keep in mind that consistent compression of the powder is essential in achieving consistent accuracy. A looser packed charge will shoot to a different point of aim than a well-compressed charge, even with identical bullets.

Once I have 100-yard group of 5 inches or less, I might even go to 3- or 5-grain adjustments to fine-tune for ultimate accuracy.