Typically with centerfire rifles you might shoot groups at 100yards to work up a load. Shooting a muzzleloader with open sights, what is the best range to shoot to accurately work up a load?
Not really sure if this is the
BEST way to sight an open sight rifle in but this is what I do.
I also have to include a couple first steps... 1. I use a Williams FP Peep sight with 1/4 min clicks mush like a scope. 2. I change out the front sight for a Williams ramp, fiber optic front sight, and a Fire Sight hood. With this combination it gives me the illusion that I am looking through a 1X scope.
Next thing to notice is that I change the red fiber optic out for a green bead, for myself it gives me better contrast on the target (paper of animal)
Ok the last thing I should share... I use a Point Blank Range (PBR) computation to sight the rifle in. At 100 yards I want the bullet to impact right at 3" high. (remember I am a hunter not a target shooter) Using the PBR of 3" @ 100 and then knowing the muzzle velocity of the projectile I print a Ballistic Sheet that gives me a good estimate of the bullet is doing at various ranges.
If you look at this sheet you can see what the bullet is likely to do through various ranges. With the PBR I can shoot many different distances with out changing the sight..
Ok now the sighting in process.
I bore sight the rifle at home before attempting to sight it in.
Then to the range and set the paper target up at 25 yards. At this point my real goal is to get the windage very close to 0 and the elevation in the area indicated on the the ballistic sheet
Then move the target to 50 yards and shoot to verify windage and approximate elevation are close.
Kind of a sample target
Then to 75 yards. At 75 I concentrate on matching the ballistic sheet for the elevation at 75 yards and center the windage.
Finally I move the target to 100 yards and shoot a confirmation target.
Then the fun begins - you will need to shoot the same 75 or 100 yard range 2 - 3 times and make sure you can repeat the performances you want
And for fun I set up Clay Pigeons at 100 yards shoot them to really test my skills. I am a long way from g=being a great shooter with open sights. And the pigeon is darn small at 100 yards with open sights.
Hope all of this helps some...