Omega,
I sure wish you lived in Iowa, I'd be more than willing to wager a decent amount to see you shoot 1/2" groups with a muzzleloader at 100 yds. I'd be more than happy to loose just to see it done. Not to mention all the matches you could win around the country shooting 1/2" groups. You could really clean up, at least down here.

A 500 gr .50 caliber bullet will have a ballistic coeffiecient well below 0.4. Not anything like a rival to moder centerfire bullets.

It is hard to beat the BC of a 550 gr .45 Sharps long range bullet, which I have personally measured to average at .454 BC over 100 yds.

Brent

Brent,you won't have to wager,I only shoot to impress myself,but 1/2 in groups are done with muzzleloaders.will inclose a pic of one group with a encore 50 cal,have more with different muzzleloaders.And I am sure there are sidelocks that can do the same or better.