Muzzle loader Accuracy issues all of the sudden?

[LJ Buck]

have a cva wolf muzzle loader with open sights. I have been very accurate with it the past 3 years. I pulled it out yesterday and it is shooting 12-18in high. I am using the same powder and bullets and can't figure it out. I have been using 110 back horn 209 and power belt 300s. The only difference is the elevation I am at now is around 3500-4000ft lower i used to shoot at 7K.
The only thing i forgot to do was shoot a couple caps after cleaning it each time. Any ideas?

I did drop the powder down to 90 but still pretty high.

 

[MuleyFever]

That is odd. I would suggest the obvious first like sights moved or you are lining up your sights different. If accuracy is consistent I would move the sights and go with it.

You mentioned "after cleaning it each time". Are you cleaning between shots? If so did you always do that? The BH209 burns clean enough that you should not clean between shots.

 

[Sam01]

What primers are you using?

 

[StrutNut]

First thing I would do is have someone else shoot the gun to see if it is operator error. With my, sometimes it is especially if its first time out. Some times different batches of powder can make a difference. You are still getting good groupings though its just shooting high? I doubt the altitude will have that much of a difference. I think its either your sites got knocked off or your are somehow shouldering the gun differently.

 

[Toyoland66]

I had issues with my accura with the rear sight walking forward under recoil which was making it shoot progressively higher. 12-18" is pretty significant to attribute to something like a batch of powder, I would wager that it's something mechanical.

 

[LJ Buck]

Federal 209 primers. I clean it every 7-10 shots. Sights are super glued in place.

 

[jim thorpe]

What primers are you using?

I changed primers 3 weeks prior to my hunt and it shot 10 inches high. Had to adjust the sights. Went from regular 209 ml primers to BH's recommended 209m CCI primers. Couldn't believe it made that much difference but it did.

 

[sabotloader]

Federal 209 primers. I clean it every 7-10 shots. Sights are super glued in place.

And in most instance I have found no real effect if your powder is up to par.

This is a target I shot across the Chrono, It is only a 50 yard target and total accuracy was not the goal - just the testing of different primers and the velocity effects they would have on the ignition of BH-209. I have also ran the same type of test with T7 and the results were about the same.

That is not to say that someone else might get different results.

 

[Sam01]

Similar to Jim Thorpe using ml 209 primers got poor results with Blackhorn. I just didn't think it would make as much of a difference as it did. Triple Seven with non-ml (regular) 209 primers were horrendous. Chased the zero all over. I learned to read instructions.