Drop Compensating scopes

[Wild Bill Bucks]

I am thinking about getting a drop compensating Nikkon scope, and putting it on a muzzleloader. I know, it's a little bit of over kill, but I was wondering if any of you guys have tried one before.
Shows to have several circles under the crosshairs, I wonder if the first circle would be good for 150 yards, and the second circle for 200 yards.
I am shooting a 250 grain Hornady, MMP sabot, at around 2100 FPS. Zeroed at 100 yards.
Anyone have any experience with this scope?

[Pahoo]

This type of scope has been around for some time now. I own a Redfield that has this feature. However, I personally do not see this apprication, for me as most of my shot are under 100yds. and have no problem with how my M/L's are set up and that includes my in-Line. "When" I do my homework and am consistant, my shots will be where I want it to be. I know some folks want a 1" group at 100yds. for deer hunting and that's fine. A 3" group meets or exceeds my expectations. I guess it's all about what floats your stick.



Be Safe !!!

[fastforty]

They are fun toys if you do a LOT of bench shooting, taking notes, etc. But, especially for a ML, just estimate your holdover.

I was sitting on my porch one afternoon with my .177 pellet rifle pumped up & noticed a dove sitting on the wire across the street, 60-70 yards away. Through the scope, I aimed "one bird height" over his head & let the pellet fly. I saw it pass "one bird height" UNDER his feet (he looked down to see what it was, LOL). So I pumped up again & aimed 2 "bird heights" over his head. I was shocked at how many feathers flew off of that bird, considering the distance involved.

[shortwave]

I put the Nikon BDC scope on an Encore and with the suggested load of a 250 grn. bullet over 150grns. of powder mine works as designed. I`ve spent countless hours bench shooting with the set-up in the last two years and probably drove some of the members here(Pahoo,for one) crazy with questions when I first purchased it. The terrain I hunt in usually offers at max a 150 yd. shot. The most use I get out of this setup is shooting during the summer. Depends on the terrain you hunt as to how much use you`ll get ouT of BDC. I`ve experimented with various loads but always seem to go back to recommended charge the BDC was designed for. It`s been a fun tool. Goodluck! Again, thanks Pahoo and the rest for your load help when I got mine.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Ok, I went ahead and bought a Nikkon, Buckmaster 6x18 BDC Scope, and mounted it on my Savage ML II. I loaded 42 grains of Vit 110 with a 250 grain Hornady bullet and MMP Black short HPH 12 sabots. CCI primers.

Sighted in dead zero at 100 yards. First circle below cross-hairs got me 2" groups at 150 yards,and the second circle under the cross-hairs got me 3 1/2" groups at 200 yards. Probably would get better groups, if I was a better shot.

I'm sure things would change with different loads, but for what I'm shooting, I couldn't ask for better. Most of my hunting is done with a 6 power setting, but it is nice to have the larger powers at the range.

[shortwave]

Wild Bill, not familiar with Vit 110 powder. How bout some info.

[simonkenton]

VihtaVouri N110 is a smokeless powder made in Finland.
Probably the most widely used powder for the Savage, and it is the powder I use. Very reliable ignition and lots of power.

[shortwave]

Thanks simonkenton. I`ve never shot it before. Can you shoot it out of most m/l`s(Thompson Encore). Is it hotter than 777. Used to shoot 777. Switched to Cleanshot. It does the job but I`m always experimenting.

[arcticap]

It's a powder that can only be loaded in guns designed to be used with smokeless powders like the Savage smokeless muzzle loader (which can also shoot any BP or BP substitute powder).

[simonkenton]

Some people shoot VV N110 and other modern smokeless powder in muzzleloaders other than the Savage.
I have specifically heard of five or six guys who shoot smokeless in the Encore.

DON'T DO IT.

TC and all other manufacturers warn against shooting smokeless in their muzzleloaders.
The Savage is the only muzzleloader designed to take smokeless.
The pressure produced by smokeless is two or three times more than produced by black powder, or Pyrodex, 777 etc.

There are some great advantages to shooting smokeless. More power than bp or subs. You don't have to clean the rifle very often. I shot an 8 pointer last year and still have not cleaned the rifle.
But, if you want to do it, you got to bite the bullet and buy the Savage.

shortwave: Have you tried Blackhorn 209? Supposed to be powerful and accurate, and very easy to clean. Perhaps, even non corrosive.
If I weren't shooting the Savage I would sure as hell buy a jug of Blackhorn.

[shortwave]

Thanks for info. I WON`T be using it in Encore! I`ve did some reading on Blackhorn. Been watching some of the gunstores around, haven`t seen it. One local store supposed to be ordering some. Been waiting. Stats look impressive just don`t want to (again) get started shooting something I have to order unless I have to. Again, thanks!

[arcticap]

The Savage is the only muzzleloader designed to take smokeless.

AFAIK there are at least a few other companies that make smokeless muzzleloaders.

One is http://www.smokelessmuzzleloading.com/ which makes smokeless ML conversions using H&R receivers since 1984.

Their website also states:

We also do custom work such as converting other type of rifles to smokeless muzzleloaders. Some of the customs we have done are Ruger number 1, Thompson Center Encore, and various other single shot shotguns.The price depends on the amount of work is required. We make barrel lengths from 18 inches to 34 inches.

Another is http://www.badbullmuzzleloaders.com/html/models.html which makes smokeless ML conversions using Remington 700 actions.

There are also several smokeless single shot ML pistol and revolver conversions made by http://westlakeengineering.com/ in the U.K..

[shortwave]

Thanks,Articap. You guys are hell-bent on getting me to spend some more money experimenting.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Shortwave,

I bought the Savage mainly because, I like to shoot at the range (a lot) and the cost of a shot from my Savage is as follows Bullet 24 cents, Primer .02 cents, Powder .11 cents, sabot .15 cents. This gives me a total of .52 cents per shot. Some guys I know are paying 3 times that much for a shot from their Encores.

I also take a lot of trips to the range on a spur of the moment, because I don't have to come home and clean my rifle after every trip. This makes me go to the range more, because I don't have to dread the clean up, afterwards.

I know the traditional guys don't care for the rifle much, but it just has to many advantages for me to leave it alone.

I stay with the recommended loads, but there are several guys here in my home range, that are playing with loads that are pushing close to 3000 FPS, with 200 grain bullets. I don't use them, but the rifle never ceases to amaze me.

[shortwave]

Thanks Wild Bill for Savage info. I like traditionals also, thats where I cut my teeth but I don`t rob myself of learning about all firearms. Thanks again!