# 200 yard guns/loads



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm looking into a setup that can reliably make 200 yard shots and was looking for advice. I've been lucky so far and have had all my muzzleloader shots be under 100 yards or so but I would like to be prepared for a longer shot if the need arose. I have seen quite a few of you here claim to be just a few inches under POI at 200 yards so I figured I'd see what you guys shoot.

What are some good gun/powder/projectile combinations to reach out to 200 yards? Does anybody use the 250 grain hornady XTP to reach out this far? If the gun I get shoots that bullet well I'd like to use it because I've heard good things about the the hornady and I can shoot it cheaper by buying a 100 round pack of XTP's in the reloading components section and buying a bulk pack of plastic sabots. 
So what are all you 200 yard guys shooting?


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I have a Traditions Pursuit Pro II, T/C Omega, and Knight Long Range Hunter. I also used to have a T/C Encore, Knight KP1, and a CVA Buckhorn. The _only_ muzzleloader that I can truly get an accurate 200 yards out of is the Knight Long Range Hunter. Their new Mountaineer is basically the same rifle but without the Monte Carlo stock.

I get 200 yards with a Hornady SST, which seems to me a more accurate bullet at distance than the XTP. I've had good luck with several Barnes bullets. I can also shoot 200 with T/C Shockwaves, but I did not love the performance of the Shockwave on the last deer I shot (no expansion at all).

On a side note- The Hornady Great Plains conical is the bees' knees for knocking big game down. It's not made for 200, though.

http://www.knightrifles.com/mountaineer-muzzleloaders/
http://www.knightrifles.com/long-range-hunter-muzzleloaders/

Take the time to read this article and really digest the information:
http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/components/muzzleloader/muzzleloader-accuracy/


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## timberbuck (May 19, 2010)

Out of my old gun ( austin&halleck .50) I used either the barnes mz or tmz in 250 grain with 150 grains of the original pyrodex pellets (around 2200 fps) and was 3 inches high at 100 yards and 3 inches low at 200 with groups hovering around three inches for three shots.

My new gun I dropped to the slower charge of two triple 7 magnum pellets(just over 2000 fps) and am shooting the 250 grain hornady sst. This gun/load is around 3.5 inches high at 100 and 4 inches low at 200. Shot a 2 inch three shot group with it the other day at 200 yards.

I would go with a more aerodynamic bullet than the xtp to keep your trajectory to 200 yards as flat as possible. Also, get your velocity as high as you can while still having acceptable accuracy.


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

I've taken 6 deer with my Thompson Center Omega. All but 1 have been at or under 100 yards. 

The other however was ranged at 209... I had not really ever practiced this long range shot because at least for me, it's difficult to see a target at 200 yards with the amazing objective of the old 1 power scope. My gun was sighted in for the longer shot because you just never know!

In 2008, I took a nice 28 inch 4X5 at the 209 mark using the above mentioned gun. At the time I was shooting the Cabelas brand sabot which was made by Hornady. A 300 grain sabot with 3 Pyrodex pellets measuring 130 grains. This seemed to work out for me. I have since switched to the Hornady SST Low Drag 250 grain sabots and have loved the results. I am confident they would take care of business at a 200 yard distance.

That said, I use a monopod on all my shots. I think it helps with the keeping the gun steady. Especially on the longer shots. I would suggest a monopod or bi-pod on the longer shots if you dont already.

Good luck!


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

I actually killed my buck last year with a 250gr XTP and 100 gr. of 777 and he was right at 200 according to our range finder. I just sighted the gun it to be 3.5 inches high at 100 which put me only 8 inches low at 200. Put the horizontal line of my crosshairs along his back and pulled the trigger. It did help that he was skylined on a small ridge or I may not have been able to get a good shot. As Ive always said, its not a matter of if the gun will shoot that far, its a matter of can you hit what you are shooting at accurately at that distance. 
I'm currently working on a load that uses .40 cal 200gr bullets and a heavier sabot in my .50 to reach greater velocities. I will let you know what it does do once I get out with my chrono. I'm guessing right around 2000fps which will put me only 4 inches low at 200 if I go 3 inches high at 100.


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## fastcamo (Aug 27, 2012)

Just came back today from the range, Traditions Pursuit XLT , 110 grains Blackhorn 209/ CCI209M/ 338 Powerbelt platinum. 4" high at 100 and 4" low at 200. My three shot groups were touching so I'll leave that alone till spring hits, I wanted to shoot Barnes, but it has been a fight pushing them down the barrel with every model of theirs.


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## manysteps (Sep 28, 2009)

Get a suppository gun, or shoot at less than 150 yards and be an ethical hunter. Muzzleloaders don't have the ballistics to shoot ETHICALLY at further than 150 yards. (no, I won't get into any long arguments about it, do your own research, I've only been shooting them for 20 something years)


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

You must be shooting a round ball because my load, which is not a max load, is pushing a 250gr projectile down range that still has roughly 1350fps and 1000 ft lbs of energy at 250 yards. More then enough energy to get a complete pass through on a deer or reach the vitals and then some on an elk if SHOT PLACEMENT is correct. 

As I said in a earlier post, its not a matter of if the gun will shoot that far ETHICALLY, its a matter of if you can hit what you are shooting at accurately at that distance with open sites or a 1x scope.

Not sure what research your doing but I can provide you with charts if you would like to back mine up. If that's not enough I can take you the range with my chrono and we can do the math together.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

There is always the argument of what is ethical, but I practice out to 300 yards with my Muzzy and out to 100 yards with my bow. Not for the first shot but being able to make the shots at long ranges in practice makes the short range shot seem so much easier and the other reason is if the animal jumps the string or something not seen deflects the arrow or bullet or just a plain bad shot due to a flinch or the animal happens to jump or move just as you pull the tigger and is still hit but runs some distance and stops, being able to make a long follow up shot on a wounded animal I personally do not feel is unethical.

For example, if I shoot an animal with my muzzy at say, 75 yards and it runs out to 200 yards and stops but doesn't drop, I want to know, from my practice, that I can place another round in the kill zone. Or if I hit a animal at 20 yards with my bow and it runs out to 50 or 60 yards and stops but doesn't drop, I want to know that I can place a second arrow into the kill zone at that distance. I will always try to get as close as possible with my first shot but I do want to be able to make a follow up shot if needed.


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## fastcamo (Aug 27, 2012)

manysteps said:


> (no, I won't get into any long arguments about it, do your own research, I've only been shooting them for 20 something years)


you do realize in that 20 years, that some serious advancements have been made?


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

manysteps said:


> Get a suppository gun, or shoot at less than 150 yards and be an ethical hunter. Muzzleloaders don't have the ballistics to shoot ETHICALLY at further than 150 yards. (no, I won't get into any long arguments about it, do your own research, I've only been shooting them for 20 something years)


I've seen a deer shot right at 200 yards that ran about 30 yards and piled up. You must shoot a blunderbuss or something if you don't think a blackpowder gun can deliver a clean kill shot at 200 yards.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

He said its an issue of ethics, not capability.

Heck go google General John Sedgwick and the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. The guy was picked off by a confederate sniper shooting a muzzleloader... at 1000 yards. The capability certainly exists, but I think we all agree people shouldn't be shooting at deer 1000 yards away with even a modern smokepole.


-DallanC


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I like this read and strongly agree with Mr. O'Conners long range shot rules in the 4th paragraph. Regardless of how things have changed in favor of longer range shots what with better powders, better bullets etc. The rules still apply.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/long_range_mu ... unting.htm


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I killed a spike bull ONE SHOT at 268 yds. A 4x4 Mule Deer at 310 yds. My load was the 300 gr. XTP .44 cal. backed with 100 gr. of Pyrodex P loose powder. The rifle was a CVA .50 cal. made in 1998. CVA recalled this gun. I vheese someone blew themselves up ? I had a gunsmith install elevated rear sight, and a custom front blade to match the rear ramp sight. I could hit milk jugs all day long at 300 yds. I wish I still had that rifle!! I still use the same load this day out of my Encore pro hunter. I did change from pyrodex, to 777 fff. I have yet shot at an animal over 100 yds. I don't think I would attempt a " long shot " now, without the ramp sight.


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