shooting short ranges - do you adjust you powder charge?

[GARD72977]

I shot a 25 yard postal match today with my 53cal Uberti today. I have been shooting 80gr of 3f. I loaded 50gr for the 25yd targets. My POI changed so I just adjusted my aim for it. Just what other people are doing. I can see the advantage of just shooting one load and knowing where the POI will be.

[oldracer]

Personally I keep the charge for my round ball rifles at 70 gr for 25 to 100 yards. I found I was happy knowing the impacts and just adjust AND I use a set volume charger I made that holds 70 gr so I do not have to fiddle with things as I will surely screw something up! Most of the shooters I watch seem to do the same thing although several do make load changes. They tend to make more excuses though............

[johnson1942]

i tried to reduce charges and it just didnt work for me. i keep them at the same charge now. some of my guns i just put new front sights on and resighted them in at 50 yards. others i just left at 100 yard sight in. once they are sighted in at a distance and charge, why go through the grief. i wish i had a gun like some describe and can do the reduction but none of mine seem to work that way.

[Maven]

GARD...., Many, indeed most of the ML shooters I know do as oldracer does. I, however, do not. I.e., I adjust my charges for the distance to the target. Some of the woods walks around here begin with a 3" x 5" index card (with an X drawn from corner to corner) at 15 yds. and end with a 125 yd. gong (empty oxygen tank). Using the same powder charge for each, and everything in between, doesn't work for me. Not saying I'm right, just saying it works for me.

[Whiterabbit]

I think I need to adjust from 50 to 100. Not for POI (though it does drop) but for group size. Maybe ill try that load at 50 and 25. But my rifle seems to shoot the same at 25 and 50. same POI and same group size.

Therefore, at the matches, I do not change a thing from 25 to 50.

[waksupi]

My guns have one favorite, most accurate load. I use them for everything, regardless of range.

[GARD72977]

My gun shows little to no difference in group size in 50yds with chargers from 50 to 90 gr. POI changes a lot but the group size does not.

[mooman76]

I kind of do the opposite. I usually shoot at shorter distances so when I shoot out to 100 yards, I boost the charge a little.

[Doc Highwall]

I haven't shot a muzzle loader in a while but I used to use 3f for light target loads and 2f for the full power loads. I found out you cannot kill a paper target and a light load made the powder go farther.

[bob208]

my .40 shoots flat enough with 40 gr. 3f I use it for 25,50 and 75 yd. for 100 I give it 5 gr. more. same thing for my .45, 45gr for the short targets and 50 gr. at 100.

[fouronesix]

Guess if I shot long range competition or something like that I'd mess with different charges or possibly just start with a long range ML rig with appropriate long range sights and treat it just like long range BPCR shooting. But, for traditional ML shooting I find the most accurate reasonable load for the gun and stick with it. After all, my traditional MLs are 100 yard or less guns. Most have traditional sights. Shoot enough and learn hold off if needed. Simple, relaxing and non-stress.

[Boerrancher]

My guns have one favorite, most accurate load. I use them for everything, regardless of range.

Same here. What my gun shoots the best with is what I shoot, wether I am shooting pencils at 30 ft or live game at 100 yards.

Joe

[DIRT Farmer]

Depends on the gun, my 50 flinter I load 35 grns of ffg for small game and 60 for deer. The 40 target gun, 40 to 60 grains of fffg, 25 to 100 yds. The trade gun likes ligher charges to shoot well.