Hunting: Thomas McIntyre Long Shots Shooter's choice: black Barnes sabots, green Remington sabots, Buffalo Bullet lead conicals. It would be best if muzzleloading hunters, even those carrying the latest in-line, scope-mounted rifles, never took shots beyond 100 yards. But let's get real about this. Wild animals don't always show up as close as we want them to, and sometimes we have no choice but to take longer shots. It's better, then, to know how to make long-range shots (by muzzleloading standards), rather than not to know and try a bad shot anyway. Many of today's in-lines can shoot effectively out to 200 yards. That's not a recommendation, merely a fact. The trick is making every shot at such ranges effective. Reliable long-range accuracy depends on absolutely consistent loads. Yet from shot to shot the most finely measured powder charges may vary in weight; bullets are not always seated with exactly the same amount of pressure; and ignition may not be as clean each time. Loading: The key is to do it exactly the same way, every time. To achieve consistent long-range accuracy, a muzzleloading hunter must make his loading routine precise, performing every step the same way every time. At the range or in the field, he should never think about reloading. There is no such thing: Every shot is the first--the only--shot, whether long-range or short. At the Bench: Swab the bore between every shot. When loading for the field, begin with a thoroughly cleaned rifle. Run a ramrod with a cleaning jag and dry patch down an empty bore, repeating with fresh patches until all traces of oil are removed. Leave the ramrod and final patch in the bore, resting on the breech plug. Pointing the rifle in a safe direction, snap two or three caps on the nipple. Remove the patch; heavy blacking on it will tell you if you're getting good fire. For ultimate accuracy, weigh--don't measure--charges, since non-blackpowder propellants may weigh less by volume; a weighed 100 grains of Pyrodex, for example, representing a larger (perhaps too large) volume than 100 grains of FFg. (Pyrodex also comes in pellets pre-measured to 50-grain blackpowder equivalents). Use a starter designed for saboted bullets to prevent deforming. To seat your bullet the same each time, mark the seating depth on your ramrod. When capping your rifle, be sure to push the cap firmly onto the nipple. At the bench, shoot for 100-yard, even 150-yard, targets. Sight-in two to three inches high at 100. If you're not producing at least three-inch groups, don't even think of shooting anything beyond 100 yards. In the Field: Patience is all. Wait for an animal to move into broken country where it can be stalked. Wait for it to come closer if you can't stalk it. Wait for the wind to die. Wait for a broadside shot and aim for the heart-lung area. Don't aim for bone. Keep your crosshairs on the animal--if you think you need to hold over, he's too far away. Long-range shooting should never be the norm in muzzleloading (or any) hunting, but it's certainly possible. Curiously, the more a muzzleloading hunter knows about what goes into making a long-range shot, the less likely he is to feel he has no choice but to try one. Accuracy, Control And Speed The Right Bullet Lead conicals work well in in-lines, but for genuine long-range accuracy, metal-jacketed or solid-copper expanding bullets with plastic sabots work best. Rest Assured Long-range shooting with a muzzleloader requires good gun control, such as the steady rest of a Harris or B-Square bipod or old-fashioned crossed sticks. Under-wood (704/634-9009) has modernized crossed sticks into a collapsible aluminum design with models for sitting ($40) or standing ($75), each with a carrying case. Excessive Speed? As muzzleloaders approach centerfire performance, questions about special seasons and recordbooks are bound to be raised. Hunters may face the prospect of having to leave their shiny new models home. ⌐ 1997 The Hearst Corporation. All rights reserved.