Ballistic Reticle Scopes On Muzzleloaders?

I read an article a while back that helped reinforce a post I did on mounting scopes a while back. I have been in several hunting camps where in the process of getting acquainted and passing around each other's rifles to admire and look through the scopes etc. I have found that more than half of them on average are not properly aligned with the bore. In other words the scopes reticles are canted either left or right and not centered. It seems to make little difference whether the hunter did it himself or had the sporting goods store do it for him.

If your scope is in fact canted to the left or right of center, it will throw your shots off, especially when you get out beyond 100 yards. I believe this is even more critical when using a scope such as Nikon's Omega variable scope with the round circles representing the aiming point at various yardages. If the scope is not aligned perfectly with the bore, then those little circles will be throwing your saboted ML bullet several inches to the right or left of your point of aim at 200 yards.

In an article that was published in the December 2010 issue of Deer and Deer hunting magazine by Toby Bridges, he alludes to this phenomenon. He indicates a shooter of his acquaintance who was using one of Nikon's Omega ML scopes on the rifle for which it was named after (The TC Omega .50 cal ML). His scope was NOT properly aligned with the bore. He was shooting 110 grains of FFFg triple 777 powder behind a 250 grain Hornady SST saboted bullet. His rifle was sighted in to print point of aim at exactly 100 yards. At 200 yards using the appropriate circle on the scope his load was printing 4 inches to the right and 8 inches at 250 yards.

This is NO reflection on the scope itself, but rather on the scope's installation NOT being aligned properly with the bore. It points out two things:

• Check your scopes alignment with the bore before tightening down the screws (use a bubble type level or other device)
• Do some extensive shooting off the bench at the farthest range you intend on using the scope during hunting season to determine point of impact with various loads

Lastly keep in mind that practically all ballistic reticle scopes are designed to work properly ONLY on the scopes highest power. On a 3X9X40, you must have the scope cranked up to 9X or it will NOT perform as designed.

If you select the RIGHT ballistic circle, but have your scope set at a lower power than the 9X, your shots will likely GO HIGH at longer ranges. You will end up shooting over a bucks back and wonder what went wrong.

Muzzle loading is a lot of fun, in fact it is a BLAST / NO pun intended. You owe it to the game you pursue to put the time in at the range working with various powder charges, primers, and different styles and weights of saboted bullets before you go hunting. ONCE you settle on your chosen load, then try your ballistic reticle scope at 100, 150, 200, and maybe 250 yards BEFORE you attempt a shot at a big whitetail buck. IF you cannot consistently make the shot, then DON'T TAKE THAT SHOT IN THE FIELD............just don't do it.

Dan

When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.
- Thomas Jefferson