Browning 1886 Carbine Shooting High

[Liberty4545]

Hello Everyone,

I am a new member to the Forum and would appreciate any advice. I am loading Hornady 350 grain RN bullets, per data from the Hornady manual, 9th Edition, with 43 grains of 4198. My Caldwell chronograph records a five shot average of 1,870 FPS at 10 feet. Anyway, this load from my unaltered carbine, shoots 10 inches high at 100 yards and 8 inches high at 175 yards, printing a three inch group.  Also load some Oregon trail 405 grain lead bullets with 35 grains, 3031 , but these print 5 inches low at 100 yards- so must flip up  the carbine sight for them to be accurate. Hope to use the Hornady load for Elk hunting this Fall here in Colorado. Do I need a  higher front sight to bring down my group? Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I had a higher frontsight put on mine. Lever action rifles seem sensitive to load levels. Typically hotter loads shoot lower.

I suggest finding a good "service load" that is effective and accurate for your purposes, then do what you have to do to have it spot on. If for hunting, I expect you will be shooting at various ranges up to about 200 yards. For that, a spot-on sighting in range might be about 150 yards, then learn your holds. Your mileage may vary, as the saying goes.

[Liberty4545]

Thanks very much, Sir Charles. The 150 yard sight in seems like a sound suggestion. Maybe I should tone down my loads and see if that affects my accuracy. It may also be easier on my shoulder! Might do this before paying a gunsmith to put on a higher front sight

[PJ Hardtack]

Find a smokeless load that is the ballistic equivalent of a BP load. I've taken two moose with such a load and the moose obligingly dropped dead.

The mistake most people make with a 45-70 is to regard it as a sub-.458 Win Mag, especially with a carbine.

[Liberty4545]

Thank you, PJ.  I am open to suggestions. Do you know of some BP equivalent loads using 4198 for the 405 grain lead or 350 grain jacketed bullets?   I went to the mountains shooting the Browning SRC yesterday using my current loads and they kick like an angry mule. . . 

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

The "BP equivalent" loads PJ refers to would be in the area of 1200-1250 fps. I have a bunch of 4895, and a roughly 60% load comes close and it doesn't beat you up. (4895 is good in somewhat reduced loads but other powders can also work. I have heard that Reloader 7 is popular with levergun shooters, particularly in .30-30.) As a thought, look for Trapdoor safe loads.

Let your fingers do your walking over the loading manuals & powder company websites.

[Liberty4545]

Thanks, Sir Charles, that gives me a better idea what to look for. Maybe the slower loads will fix my Rocky Mountain High problem and be more fun to shoot! I will go back to the traditional 405 lead bullet and let you know if that and slower speed does the trick. Thanks much.