How can I improve accuracy of my inline?

[mikenbarb]

I own a Traditions Evolution in .50 caliber with a 26" fluted, ported, and recess crowned barrel for easy bullet starting and wondering what else can be done to improve the accuracy of it? Its already a tack driver but I want more. I know theirs a bunch of stuff you can do to a rifle but what about a muzzleloader?

[Underclocked]

If it is a tackdriver, just keep it clean.

[RP]

what more would you want out of a gun if its a tack driver ? I think I missed something maybe a easier way to clean and less smoke

[mooman76]

Must be shooting some pretty big tacks if you think you can improve on that.

[BABore]

Clean after each shot.

[freedom475]

Take it to the nearest pawn shop and us the money as a down payment on a real BP, Flintlock. Rifle or Fowler......:mrgreen::takinWiz:inlines
:drinks::drinks: I had to say it...LOL

[wiljen]

Shoot round balls in it for a week or two. That should make you appreciate the accuracy you were getting a whole lot more.

[jack19512]

what more would you want out of a gun if its a tack driver ?







+1
I guess I'm a little confused.

[mikenbarb]

I have tried RB's and loved it. Nice and fun to try to figure out where the next will hit.LOL
Im getting an average group of 2-3" @ 100yds with it but trying to get just a ragged hole and thats why im wondering what else can be done to them to improve groups. I consider that size group a tack driver but im comparing to my old one that shot all over the place and im sure others consider a tack driver a smaller group than what im getting and appologize if I exaggerated a bit.
Freedom, I got a flintlock for hunting in Pa. but it cant get the accuracy like my inline can.

[mooman76]

That's real good shootin for a "Traditions" model. I'm not knocking them but they aren't exactly top of the line by far. I own quite a few BP rifles myself and most are CVA or traditions. Most shoot pretty well too. The Traditons and CVA used to be made by te same companies and sold under their names. I don't know if that is still the case or not. I have CVA inline I bought a few years ago, got it cheap because all the "magnum BP rifles were coming out and they weren't selling as good so it was kind of obsolete. I never got it to shoot all that great either but I didn't put allot into it, mostly because I just didn't care for it too much.
Anyway the key to BP shooting (like any other gun) is consistany. You will probubly be hard pressed to get it to do better but it may be possible. You have to find the best powder for it, maybe swab after every shot, pack your powder as consistant as possible and so on. Might be able to help more if we knew more about your loads you were using!

[mikenbarb]

Im using a few different loads but the best is with 94gr. American Pioneer granular with Hornady Mag Express sabots with Speer .45cal 200gr. HP's. I have also had good accuracy with Maxi-Balls with Pyrodex select and can keep them in a 7" circle @100yds. The Traditions I have is an older Evolution model and think its the one made prior to their Long Range Hunter they sell now. The one I have is made in Spain and its actually a great gun and made well for a Traditions. I also have a T/C Diamond that shoots alot worse than this and I consider it a boat paddle because thats all its good for.LOL.
I just got a couple R.E.A.L. molds and im gonna experiment with those because casting dont cost me a tenth of what the sabots do.

[bobk]

Mike,
My Black Diamond will cut holes at 50 yards with a load of 80 grains-by-measure of H777 2F shaken down, and a 325 grain Buffalo Bullets sabot, Fed 209s. The same volume of 3F shoots harder, makes less smoke, but is not as accurate. I actually took the scope off, since I don't plan to shoot very far with this gun. The same load in my hammer gun, but with caps of course, works nearly as well. I know I'm giving up some velocity, but the ballistics should be really close to those of a .45-90. I don't think they'll bounce off the deer.
Bob K

[mikenbarb]

Bob, Im gonna try that load because mine wont shoot smaller than a 6" group @100yds with what I have tried so far. My goal is to get them to both shoot around 4" groups @150-175yds. and I know they can do it but gonna take some time to get the data right. Thanks for load suggestion and im gonna give it a try tommorow.

[bobk]

Mike,
The thing that does bother me is the stock. It looks a lot like a ramline, which I think are junk. I bought one of the Kimber-sporterized 96 Swedes some years ago. It always seemed like it wanted to really shoot, but was erratic. I finally replaced the ramline with a Bell&Carlson, and the problem went away.

You could try glass bedding it. There is a lot of space in that forend, so smear some bedding compound in the channel, and the fill up the space with soda straws laid in the channel, to take up most of the space. I'd take the time to pillar bed it, too. Those screws are pretty small.

Bob K

[mikenbarb]

Bob, Thats funny as heck because I got the same Kimber and its amazingly accurate. Its the Kimber M96 Husqvarna with the Swede action with the fluted nickle looking barrel in .308. I also had to do some work on the stock it came with but its a great gun but a little heavy. Im gonna mess around with the stock on the evolution and see what can be done to help it. Its a good shooter already but im obsessed with accuracy and used to my rifles with cutting one hole and want that from my muzzleloader but know its gonna be hard to get that accuracy from it. I was thinking of doing a cryo dip myself to see if it helps any and got nothing to loose.

Mike,
The thing that does bother me is the stock. It looks a lot like a ramline, which I think are junk. I bought one of the Kimber-sporterized 96 Swedes some years ago. It always seemed like it wanted to really shoot, but was erratic. I finally replaced the ramline with a Bell&Carlson, and the problem went away.

You could try glass bedding it. There is a lot of space in that forend, so smear some bedding compound in the channel, and the fill up the space with soda straws laid in the channel, to take up most of the space. I'd take the time to pillar bed it, too. Those screws are pretty small.

Bob K