[grntitan]

Depends on the distance the shot is taken. Shorter(120 yds or less) won't be a big difference. Outside of a 120yds it will affect it more. I would use the heavier bullets and re-sight in his gun. Should be very subtle adjustments. He can't find even a few minutes for some practice shots? My 2cents worth.

I'm sure the REAL ballistic experts will chime in by morning. My opinions were based on me not re-sighting my gun when changing bullet weights. Seems the longer the shot the more it matters.

 

[smokinbuck]

Eddie,
The only thing I shoot in my muzzleloaders are round ball, but have shot some hi powersilhoutte in the past. It would seem to me that the better ballistic coefficient of the boattail bullets might make up for the difference in bullet weight. 10 grains of bullet weight in a muzzleloader is almost insignificant based on the weight, by volume, of the powder charge. Unless your friend is weighing each charge he will have some variation, which will also affect the ballistics and POI.
Mark

 

[short shucker]

The problem that can happen here is the two bullets may not shoot anywhere close to the same. One could be right on the money and the other is an unknown factor. Much like having a new rifle and several boxes of ammo to find out what works. You may have three diffent makes with the same bullet weight and they all shoot differently.

Stick with what is known and leave the "what if" for another time. I don't like wounding animals because the bullet took a different flight path.

ss

 

[Savage99Stan]

If you don't have time to sight it in, you don't have the right to go out and wound something.

From the first post, I don't know if the new bullet is even the same make as the original. As stated above, two different bullets will rarely impact at the same point. That said, if it is the same manufacturer's, the same exact diameter and shape, I'd be surprised if it was far off from the original zero but would have to shoot it to be sure.

Probably the point of impact will be some amount higher or lower but again....you gotta shoot it to be sure. The game we hunt deserves no less than our placing the bullet accurately for a clean, quick kill.

 

[AveragEd]

I'm guessing we're talking about a 50-caliber inline. I've only ever shot 250-grain bullets with my Omega and have tried three different brands. All three shot to different POIs, enough in one case that switching without rezeroing my scope would concern me, and one was very inaccurate in my rifle. My son's Encore exhibited the same thing.

Given that, I join those who strongly suggest he make the time to send a couple of bullets downrange before he goes hunting.

Ed

 

[Hap MecTweaks]

Anyone hunting game animals must make it as humane as possible! He can adjust the POI even at night using his vehicles headlights for petes sake! No way should anyone take an unknown slug slinger into the fields unless they know where they are shooting!!

Hap

He may have to raise the POI a couple clicks with the same powder charge??

 

[g7777777]

you have to resight in- that might only require 1-3 shots

If he is happy where the first shot hits- its might be good enough for deer

But different bullets might mean very different points of impact

regards from Iowa

Gene

 

[AveragEd]

Although he may already know this, different sabots will make the same bullet shoot to different POIs. My son and played around with different mixes of components (bullets, sabots and propellants) and discovered that one change can make a huge difference in both accuracy and velocity - a lot more than you would expect, in several cases.

For what it's worth, my Omega and his Encore both shoot best with 250-grain Hornady SST/ML bullets in the Hornady sabot with the "tail" that holds the pellets on the sabot over three pellets of Triple-7. Three-shot 100-yard groups are consistently around 1-1/4 inches at just over 2,100fps. That bullet and sabot were also most accurate with three pellets of Pyrodex. That propellant increased the velocity about 100fps but also increased the groups sizes by 1/2 to 3/4-inch. Using charges of Blackhorn 209 powder improved the accuracy a hair but neither of us felt that the bother of loose powder was worth it when Triple-7 pellets work so well and are so much more convenient.

We didn't try any two-pellet loads, so that might change the outcome.

Ed