Getting a little frustrated!

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
So far this year I've had three opportunites at deer, shot one with crossbow couldn't retrieve it, had a misfire with the muzzloader monday, and now this evening missed one. I rushed home and shot it and was shooting 4 inches low at 25 yards. It was dead on Saturday when I zeroed it. Sorry just needed to blown off some steam, I want some tenderloin biscuits dang it!
 
Mr.Gadget

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Just need to practice a bunch.
why sight in at 25 yards on BP?

But in the end we all miss at some point and need to regroup.
Back up, take time and test you gear, put it away and test another day.

see if it is the gear or you, and work it out.

BTW your miss today, how long was it loaded and clean or cold bore dirty?
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
I've always shot open sights on this gun for the last 10 years and killed deer no propblem, but for some reason I decided to put the scope on it that came with it from bass pro (p.o.s). I clean it religiously and it's always shot true with 100 grains of 777 pellets or pyrodex and 295 grain powerbelts. I zeroed the scope last Saturday and it was grouping an inch high at 50 yards. I shot it at 25 this afternoon because I wanted to see where it was shooting at similar distance to the deer I missed. The scope is definatley coming back off. The open sights have never failed me even in low light out to 75 to 80 yards.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Oh and I tore it down and cleaned it Monday after the misfire and I usually swab the barrel every 2 to 3 shots when target shooting.
 
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DRS

Old Mossy Horns
I can understand your frustration.

I have seen scopes that would not hold zero.

I do have a question though, if the rifle was only 4" low at 25 yards and the deer you missed was at 25 yards how did you miss the deer?

The lessons we learn along the way, that's what makes us better hunters and marksmen. Goodness knows I have learned plenty the hard way.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
DRS said:
I can understand your frustration.

I have seen scopes that would not hold zero.

I do have a question though, if the rifle was only 4" low at 25 yards and the deer you missed was at 25 yards how did you miss the deer?

The lessons we learn along the way, that's what makes us better hunters and marksmen. Goodness knows I have learned plenty the hard way.
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Only thing I can figure is that scope is all over the place and it's so terrible the recoil of the gun will affect it's zero. I should have known something was up when I sighted it in it first shot 6 inches high and left. I turned the adjustments accordingly to get it closer to zero and it shot in almost the identical spot. Took me about 6 more shots to finally get it right. The final 2 shots grouped perfectly. But I had the delayed fire monday, then I cleaned it really well yesterday, so there was a lot of movement that could have moved it. Anyways live and learn, and back to the old iron sights that have always been accurate.
 

Duke Blue

Banned
Perhaps the mounts are loose....you may want to look again for last deer...4" low at 25 yds on a 25yd shot is still generally a dead deer if you aimed for middle of chest
 

lbksmom

Banned
If you bought scope brand new bring it back for a Nikon, leupold, burris. If you bought used get rid of that scope. I had one that would zero then after 2 - 3 shots off again. Season is early yet, hang in there. I arrowed two doe the 1st week put in refrigerator to age. 8 days later went to cut' em up, refrigerator quit working, meat ruined. But Teus. afternoon muzzled a ten pointer in the neck, 17" inside spread @ 200 lbs. Also make sure your nipple is cleaned good, sometime I will take a safety pin in the hole. GOOD LUCK.
 

dearl

Four Pointer
I've had the same problem before with my BP rifle. Ended up being the scope. Changed it out with a better quality scope and have had no issues. Going from iron sights to a scoped rifle takes some getting used too, Most Black powder rifles are finicky anyway, I know I went through ALOT of different bullets, powder and primer combinations till I finally found what works in my rifle. 110 gr of triple 7 FFF (NOT DOUBLE F) pushing a 240 grain Hornady XTP, zeroed 1" high at 50 yds. she's deadly out to 150 yds. or so.

Also, when you do get the rifle sighted in and its grouping good for you, clean the rifle as if you were going to hunt with it, the next day take it out and shoot it again with a cold bore, this will be your true zero. Keep In mind you want your rifle group to be with a cold bore, not with a lot of rounds through it.

See if this helps, I have been able to zero most rifles this way with 5 shots or less. Set your target at 50 yds, shoot your rifle dead on at the bulls eye, if you hit the target keep the cross hairs dead on the bulls eye (use of a vise is best) turn you turrets and move the cross hairs to the bullet hole WITHOUT MOVING THE RIFLE. Next shot should put you dead on, then adjust where you want it, 1" high or whatever. You have to load and clean the same every time in order for it to work. This has worked on my scoped guns, saves a lot of shooting.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
I also thought 4 inches low should have been a dead deer, but I search for blood, hair, or anything that would signal a hit but found nothing. With the same loads I've killed 1 or 2 deer a year during BP season and they all dropped where they stood with devestating wounds. It's definately the scope, it's a cheap redhead brand that came with the gun from bps. I've already taken it off. With iron sights in 10 years I've never had to adjust anything. I still have no clue what made me want to put the scope back on, other that my vision has gotten weak the older I get and i thought it might give me advantage. My wife yells at me all the time to go the eye doctor, I guess now I have an excuse.
 

Smitty010203

Twelve Pointer
Atleast you have had opportunities. The last 2 years hunting for me have been absolutely terrible. Havent had a single opportunity this year in probably 15 hunts.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Smitty010203 said:
Atleast you have had opportunities. The last 2 years hunting for me have been absolutely terrible. Havent had a single opportunity this year in probably 15 hunts.
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Thats how my years usually go. This year for me has been an anomaly. On average I usually have success during black powder and around Thanksgiving and maybe see deer every 4 to 5 hunts. That's what has been so frustrating this year, have sat in a stand 7 or 8 times and seen deer every time and have taken shots at 3 different deer but haven't closed the deal yet. Once rifle season comes in I'm anticipating not seeing as many deer because there is so much hunting pressure around me, so the deer go nocturnal. Plus duck season comes in and deer hunting takes a back seat until the season splits.
 
Blackwater

Blackwater

Twelve Pointer
Duke Blue said:
Perhaps the mounts are loose....you may want to look again for last deer...4" low at 25 yds on a 25yd shot is still generally a dead deer if you aimed for middle of chest
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If the scope isn't holding zero it could have settled anywhere after that shot at the deer and been even further off when the shot was made. You might have some loose glass in that scope.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
nekkedducker said:
I also thought 4 inches low should have been a dead deer, but I search for blood, hair, or anything that would signal a hit but found nothing. With the same loads I've killed 1 or 2 deer a year during BP season and they all dropped where they stood with devestating wounds. It's definately the scope, it's a cheap redhead brand that came with the gun from bps. I've already taken it off. With iron sights in 10 years I've never had to adjust anything. I still have no clue what made me want to put the scope back on, other that my vision has gotten weak the older I get and i thought it might give me advantage. My wife yells at me all the time to go the eye doctor, I guess now I have an excuse.
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I'm not gonna pick on your bullet choice too much, but in my experience with Powerbelts, blood trails are damn near invisible.

I've seen half a dozen deer shot with Powerbelts that never exited. My uncle and cousins hunt with Powerbelts. If they aren't DRT, we start making circles quickly. We don't waste much time looking for blood that isn't there.

You may have killed that deer and all the bleeding was internal.

Just my .02.

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk
 
bowhuntingrook

bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
Mounts could be the issue, even if it was the best of scopes, put that on crappy mounts/rings and you have an expensive scope that moves.
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Thanks for the info fellas, I'd never heard that about the powerbelts. Is that at longer distances? Last few I shot were drt. I took the scope off this afternoon when I got back from the mountains with the family. Took two shots at 50 yards and it was dead on with both shots with iron sights.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
nekkedducker said:
Thanks for the info fellas, I'd never heard that about the powerbelts. Is that at longer distances? Last few I shot were drt. I took the scope off this afternoon when I got back from the mountains with the family. Took two shots at 50 yards and it was dead on with both shots with iron sights.
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Anywhere from 15 yards to 100 yard or so. Personally, and this is only my opinion, they are about as useless as tits on a boar hog.

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk
 
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Firedog

Firedog

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
pcbuckhunter said:
Anywhere from 15 yards to 100 yard or so. Personally, and this is only my opinion, they are about as useless as tits on a boat hog.

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk
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Funny how opinions go.. never shot anything but 295 power belts.. have yet to shoot at a deer with them that has taken a single step after I pushed the loud button.
 
pattersonj11

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
This is why I have been trying to get in a gun club so I can really shoot a lot to get better and test equipment. It's getting harder to shoot around home because houses are going up everywhere.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Firedog said:
Funny how opinions go.. never shot anything but 295 power belts.. have yet to shoot at a deer with them that has taken a single step after I pushed the loud button.
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Several of the ones they've shot have been DRT. The ones that don't fall right there, or at least in sight, are the flies in the ointment per se.

A deer shot broadside at 15 yards, about 2" behind the shoulder produced the following bothersome results
A. The bullet not exiting
B. No blood trail
C. Little penetration
D. That deer requiring a follow up shot

Not what I expect out of a muzzleloader bullet. Again only my opinion.

If the above scenario doesn't bother you, then by all means, use Powerbelts.

If it does bother you, I don't personally recommend using Powerbelts.



Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk
 
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Greg

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
Smitty010203 said:
Atleast you have had opportunities. The last 2 years hunting for me have been absolutely terrible. Havent had a single opportunity this year in probably 15 hunts.
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Beat me to it ... hunting's been crappy the last few years, but I've only been able to get out twice this year.

Anyway, I hope you figure it out.
 
cloningerba

cloningerba

Old Mossy Horns
Its a longggggg season! My advice is be thankful your seeing deer! The longer you hunt the greater your opportunities. Practice makes us better, id say perfect but i dont believe there is such thing as a perfect deer hunter. Goodluck the rest of the season. Like i say, id rather get lucky then be good any day!
 

nekkedducker

Ten Pointer
Got the monkey off my back tonight. Shot a small buck about 6:15 about 30 yards. The powerbelts did their job, he ran about 40 yards with plenty of blood. Looks like my streak with the muzzleloader continues, and with iron sights.
 
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