45-70 At the Range With LEVERevolution 325 Grain FTX bullet

I took another trip to the range today to check out the 45-70 at 100, 150 and 200 yards with the LEVERevolution factory load. I have been consistently getting two shots under an inch at ranges out to 100 yards. I would have done 3 shot groups, however I am on my last box of that particular Hornady load. I previously zeroed the gun at 25 yards and then shot a two shot group at 75 yards which resulted in a 1/2 inch group 1 inch high.

Today I shot a two shot group at 100 yards and  got a 3/8 inch group approximately 1/2 inch to the left and 2.5 inches high.

I made a (2) click adjustment to the right with the (1/4 min Bushnell 1.5X5X32 scope with Rainguard and Firefly) and proceeded to fire two more shots at exactly 150 yards off the sand bags. That group opened up to 4 inches center to center and in the black.

I then moved the target to a measured 200 yards and fired two more shots. That group measured 3.25 inches center to center, and that group was  8" to 9" inches LOW at 200 yards. I was aiming at the top RIGHT bull and the two shot group ended up in the lower RIGHT target / I THINK?

Per a trajectory chart put out by Chuck Hawks, the 45-70 looks like this from factory specs:

100 yards   3 inches high
200 yards   -4.1 inches low
300 yards   -27.8 inches low

Below is a link to his article.

LINK to Leverevolution ammo trajectory:

I was 2.5 inches high at 100 and almost 9 inches low at 200? I will need to repeat that test when I get time.
My only other explanation is that either Hornady's published figures are optimistic OR I am more senile than my wife thinks I am and I shot at the lower target instead of the top right target. I was in a hurry, but I am quite certain I held on the TOP RIGHT target.

The only way to be sure is to go back out and repeat the 200 yards test with a cold, clean barrel and shoot a (3) shot group. I will follow this article up with an additional test at the 200 yard range. I would be delighted to find I screwed up which would make this gun a solid 200 yards performer with little or no holdover.  Right now I am calling this a 150 yard rifle. After confirming the 200 yards group, it might be a 200 yard rifle with proper hold over.

Where I deer hunt for the most part, shots are under the 150 yard mark, and most of them under the 100 mark. The gun shoots well under an inch at that range.

Dan

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government."

Patrick Henry