First time out with the 1858 -- and need some help

[Purebred Redneck]

Well, I managed to shoot about 60 rounds yesterday. The 777 powder was very clean and I never did have to swab out the barrel.

This winter after deer season, I may request the services of twomoons because the trigger pull is around 12 pounds. I was shooting off a rest and the gun was shaking like crazy with me trying to pull the trigger. Despite this, I was able to shoot 4" groups at 25 yards with the right powder charge.

However, I have a small problem.
4 inches low
4 inches left

Point of impact remains the same with 25, 30, and 35 grains of powder (although the groups are smallest with 25. but the same location).

Elevation I'm really not concerned about. Windage - I would like to try to cut that in half at least. I'm shooting wonderwads and 451 hornadys. I was on the way home and realized that I didn't try without the wonderwads.

What have you guys done in the past (or what might work) to get the point of impact closer to the point of aim without monkeying with the sights yet?

Some ideas
451's with wad
454 with wad
454 without wad

I may try pyrodex P but I don't know if that will change anything as much as the other ideas.

What do you guys think (besides you should of got the one with adjustable sights)

I'm going to get out sat or sun and try it again.

[bounce]

Try diffrant powder if you can, don't think anything will improve by not useing wonder wads. Don't do a dam thing to the gun till you have T/M/s do your trigger Then if it needs sighted he will do that as best he can too I'm a beting? Ask him but if you send it to him I bet you will get it back fast!! in time for deer.

[Jack]

Red, low and left is also what you get if you're doing something called 'pushing'- anticipating the recoil and tightening up your hand without thinking about it. Happens often with heavy triggers.
Before you mess with any loads, load 5 or less of a cylinder, then spin it so you don't know which chamber is empty. Fire the cylinder. When you get 'click' on the empty chamber, watch the sights.
If they end up low and left, that could be your prob.

[klsm54]

I agree with Jack. That heavy pull could be giving you trouble. I'd get twomoons to do a trigger job before I tried to adjust where the gun is hitting.

[Purebred Redneck]

I don't know if this clarifies it anymore or if the groups are a result to what jack is saying --- but when I took a "bead and a half" on the front sight and aimed at the side of the target, it dropped it right in there. But that's not to say that I'm not still pushing the groups with the trigger. I know the trigger is so bad that usually one or two rounds from each cylinder would go either very high or very low depending on which way the sights were shaking at the time the hammer fell. Taking that super full bead and Kentuky windage are not precise aiming (especially when the gun is shaking)

Either way, I'm going to get another box of balls and experiment some more before doing anything.

I'll probably stick with the 777 for the moment.

I know this won't hurt anything; but as far as shooting FF pyrodex (as opposed to FFF), will there be major velocity or ignition concerns. Obvouisly you'll have to put more of it in the cylinder.

[twomoons]

Red
The Low shots are easy, file the front sight down a little and the groups will go up. As to windage, when you have a load settled and are getting your best groups( with a good trigger look to 2-21/2") Then and only then the windage can be fixed. You can either sweat out the front sight and replace it with an off center on, you can dovetail the bbl and put in a drift adj. sight or you can turn the barrel and bring the groups to center. But first, get the trigger fixed and shoot groups. You will find that as you get use to the gun your groups will change some.

[bounce]

Red You do not need to put more powder in with 3 f LOL. The differant f sizes are for diferant uses mainly size of bore or type of gun as it can change pressure & volosity a bit. 3 F will be a little hoter load in you pistiol than 2F at least more pressure. Use the one you like and shoot the best. both will do the same killing. the rule is the biger the bore the less FFFF's .45 & 50 can be a toss up? over .50 more likely 2F a.75 should be 1F & 4F is for flash pan on a flinter

[Purebred Redneck]

Perhaps the best thing to do is take the gun to Cabelas, tell them it shoots a foot and half left, return it, and buy the one with the adjustable sights.

But I was wanting the more historically accurate version.

[Purebred Redneck]

1. How does the front sight attach to the barrel???

2. How would a person turn the barrel???

[bounce]

Red is this were the duck tape begins,and addvice is eggnored?

[Purebred Redneck]

Only if a 454 doesn't hit bullseyes

Grin

[klsm54]

bounce said:

Red is this were the duck tape begins,and addvice is eggnored?

I'd say that you're right on track, Bounce... ;D It's gonna make for interesting posts... ;D ;D

[Purebred Redneck]

Wow, these things are very time consuming to clean

I will say that some of the trigger pull has dropped - probably a combination of cleaning all the powder gunk out as well cocking it about 200 times last night. Still way too heavy and lots of creep right before the hammer falls.

I'm going to try to get out this weekend if I can find time between the rain and wind we're suppost to get.

[Purebred Redneck]

Well I'm going out to try this again with a different load.

The trigger pull is MUCH better now
Yesterday I cocked the gun over 1000 times and slowly the pull kept going down and going down until now it measures 3 3/4 pounds at the tip of the trigger.

I'm hoping I didn't wear it out and I'm hoping it doesn't go too much lower.

We'll have to see how it shoots.

[Purebred Redneck]

I tried the 454's and they shot the exact same place. I shot without the wonderwads and it hit all over the place (high, right, low, left).
I shot 30 grains of pyrodex FFG and got tighter groups and it moved it up 1" and right 1".
But it's still shooting 3" low and left with the pyrodex.