Sight Story

Slowly over the past year I've been getting the primitive sights on rifle zeroed in. I've been using Graf's 2f powder. Monday I went out and got the windage where I wanted. The elevation was 7 inches or so low at 60 yards. When I got home and cleaned it up I filed .025 off the front sight. I think that's the 3rd time I've filed on it. Went back out Tuesday and for a change up I took GOEX 3f. Shooting again at 60 yards I was 6 inches high of the bull. Now I'm really talking to myself, I can't see anyway in the world that .025 off the sight is going to make that much difference. Humm, maybe I'll have to get on TOTW's site and order front sights. So today I went back out there with my Graf's 2f and shot. I was good for windage and about 2 inches low of the bull. Guess I'll file .015 off the front sight and stay with the Graf's.

Most of my muzzle loaders have fixed sights, and most of them are hand made. It can take a lot of filing to get one sighted in. I usually take the file with me to the range.

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FFg & FFFg has different burning rates; and different maker's BP of the same grade are also slightly different.

IDK what the caliber of your rifle is, but FYI, I get better performance with FFFg than I do with FFg. (YMMV)

I would suggest looking at who is the more reliable source of BP, then get a front sight that will zero the loads with the BP from that source.

FWIW, when I want to zero a rifle, ILO of a lot of cut/file/etc & before buying a new front sight, I make/use a cardboard or plastic dummy front sight, altering it's height until I arrive at the correct height, then measure the final/correct height & buy whatever new front sight meets the same measurement.

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error" X sight radius" / distance in inches = what to add remove from sight. This will get you very close.

If you barrel is shorter, a 1/4" can move things a lot. I also found out one day, after doing the same thing, I was just having a bad day, glare and such on the sight, and I should have left it alone.

I've sighted in a couple others over the years. I've used goex in all the other muzzle loaders, this is my first time with Grafs' powder. Both charges were 70gr by my measure. I like the price and charges Grafs offers so I think I'll use more of it. Fouling wasn't a lot different between the two, surprised me.

It may not be PC but most of my MLs have a rear sight adjustment. They still have the old style look but I can make adjustments for such cases.

I make my front sights, and leave them high. I work up loads first, then file a bit at a time at the bench. Better to start with a high sight than a low one. It's surprising what a few strokes of a file will do to those little pieces of metal. If you don't have your load worked up first, you are going into adjusting sights blind.

I have not yet had to file a sight on my T/c. Although I have thought about mounting a peep do to the rifle still having its original adjustable factory sights. A peep in the right hands can be near as accurate as a scope. If my rifle was a custom build I would expect the builder to {bullseye its open barrel sight's to 100 yards} before taken possession of. As far as sighting barrel sights. Rear sight is easy to adjust. Drift left to shoot left. Front sight is completely opposite in drift adjust. File lower so to shoot higher. Drift to the left so to shoot Right. You'll soon see "Its a tricky old school learning."

Next time I'll go about this in a different way, some good help here.

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Originally Posted by waksupi

I make my front sights, and leave them high. I work up loads first, then file a bit at a time at the bench. Better to start with a high sight than a low one. It's surprising what a few strokes of a file will do to those little pieces of metal. If you don't have your load worked up first, you are going into adjusting sights blind.

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When I shot matches I also did that. Another point is that in my 25 muzzle loader I shoot Grafs 3f. Chronographed it against GOEX and the difference was about 100 fps difference or so, The GOEX was hotter. But the Graf's was cleaner and that little 25 bore was sensitive. The Grafs load is 1645fps over the chronograph with the 23 grain ball.
Attachment 261454 Good little squirrel rifle.

Also for matches I very slowly and carefully sighted in the long rifles off hand. Worked for me. The full stocks often shot different rested. Just my little quirk.

DEP

Thanks Northmn

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Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

Slowly over the past year I've been getting the primitive sights on rifle zeroed in. I've been using Graf's 2f powder. Monday I went out and got the windage where I wanted. The elevation was 7 inches or so low at 60 yards. When I got home and cleaned it up I filed .025 off the front sight. I think that's the 3rd time I've filed on it. Went back out Tuesday and for a change up I took GOEX 3f. Shooting again at 60 yards I was 6 inches high of the bull. Now I'm really talking to myself, I can't see anyway in the world that .025 off the sight is going to make that much difference. Humm, maybe I'll have to get on TOTW's site and order front sights. So today I went back out there with my Graf's 2f and shot. I was good for windage and about 2 inches low of the bull. Guess I'll file .015 off the front sight and stay with the Graf's.

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Is Grafs powder Wano? and you switched to Goex ....... then as well you switched from FFg to FFFg either change would be enough to explain a six inch shift on target at my place.

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Originally Posted by indian joe

Is Grafs powder Wano? and you switched to Goex ....... then as well you switched from FFg to FFFg either change would be enough to explain a six inch shift on target at my place.

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Exactly what he said :drinks:

Heck it was close to 12 inches. I see Grafs is going to be selling Goex now.

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Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

Heck it was close to 12 inches. I see Grafs is going to be selling Goex now.

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"either change would be enough to explain a six inch shift on target at my place "
ya did both not either ........six plus six = twelve! looks like it works at your place too :mrgreen:

OR instead of filing away on yr sights ya could try tippin a lil more powder down the barrel ? ol betsy might like it ? (or not- wont take long to find out)