Sighting in a muzzleloader

[mikerotch7]

What is the best way or appropriate method to sight in a muzzleloader or any scope for that matter? Here's my best guess:

1) Bore sight and shoot from 25 yards.
2) Aim the crosshairs at the bullseye and adjust them to where the first shot hit.
3) Use iteration until shots/groups are acceptable and try at 100 yards.
4) Should this take about 3-4 shots total?

 

[Liv4Rut]

I usually don't bore sight them but I pretty much follow the same procedure as you. I get it close at 25 yards then move back to 100 yards. I typically sight mine in for about 3 inches high at 100 yards. Remember at 25 yards it takes roughly 16 clicks to move an inch. At 100 yards it is roughly 4 clicks per inch.

I don't think you will get it done in 3 or 4 shots. Even if you did, I would shoot a ton more than that. At 100 yards I typically shoot a minimum of 2 shots before I make a change sometimes 3.

 

[Shovelbuck]

Tip from a couple years ago.

http://iowawhitetail.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29361

 

[Fishbonker]

3) Use iteration until shots/groups are acceptable and try at 100 yards.

Just curious, by "iteration" are you using the term to infer doing the same thing over and over until you get a satisfactory result or the mathematical iteration equation (3n+1) (2/n) to eventually find your set point, which with this formula would be “1”?
<O</O
<O</O
Again, just wondering if you have a mathmatical formula using iteration to cut down on the number of shots it takes to zero and if you did I prolly wouldn’t understand it but it might cut down on cost.

 

[Cooter]

I take apart and clean between every shot for best consistency.

Cooter

Sent from my phone on IW

 

[NWBuck]

Pull the breech plug and look through the barrel. If you can put it in a vice, that helps. Adjust the crosshairs to the spot you see when looking straight down the barrel and you'll be on paper. Of course, you'll need to then do more shooting and adjusting to fine tune the sighting. Good luck.

NWBuck

 

[oldgene]

As Cooter mentioned I swab between shots to more closely duplicate the shot. If you have problems shooting a good group then its time to play with bullets or powder, not at the same time. If you get it done in 3 or 4 shots you are lucky.

 

[mikerotch7]

Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[gundog870]

Just curious, by "iteration" are you using the term to infer doing the same thing over and over until you get a satisfactory result or the mathematical iteration equation (3n+1) (2/n) to eventually find your set point, which with this formula would be “1”?
<O</O
<O</O
Again, just wondering if you have a mathmatical formula using iteration to cut down on the number of shots it takes to zero and if you did I prolly wouldn’t understand it but it might cut down on cost.

Absolutely love it!!

:way::way::way:

 

[moosehunter]

As Cooter mentioned I swab between shots to more closely duplicate the shot. If you have problems shooting a good group then its time to play with bullets or powder, not at the same time. If you get it done in 3 or 4 shots you are lucky.

Pretty important IMO

 

[AZHunter]

I can't speake to MLs, but I have a great deal of experience sighting in my centerfire rifles. It all depends on what ranges you will be shooting at, but a minimum of a 3-shot group at 100 yards is ideal. A 3-shot group will tell you how its grouping and be more consistent than a 2-shot group. I know folks who shoot 5- and 10-shot groups, but that's overkill to me, IMO (5-shot groups make sense when testing loads, though). I boresight all of my rifles to be on paper at 100 yards and then dial them in from there. Everything that everyone above has told you is all pretty dead on. The only thing I don't do is clean my bore in b/w shots, because that wouldn't be realistic in my hunting scenarios. I fire a 3-shot group, adjust the scope, clean the bore, let the barrel cool and then do it again until its hitting where I want. From my limited knowledge of MLs, swabbing in between shots wiht them makes sense.