Muzzleloader Help!

Obsessed35 · Nov 18, 2008

I have only been on one muzzleloader hunt. I have been archery hunting for the last 6 years. I am going on a muzzleloader elk hunt in New Mexico in a few weeks and was wondering if some info I got was correct. A guy at the gun counter in Cabelas told me you can shoot a magnum load, 150 grains, if you want to extend the range out to 200 yards. I have a Knight Bighorn that is a .50 caliber. I just wanted to get some opinions and find out how many grains most of you muzzleloader hunters are using. Thanks for any help.

SDBugler · Nov 18, 2008

You might want to ask this question on the muzzleloader forum. I would be curious to see the responses as I purchased this same rifle this summer and plan to use it on an elk hunt in the future.

Bambistew · Nov 18, 2008

Make sure you practice out to 200 yards if you're going to shoot that far. I assume you can use a scope?

IMO a 150gr is overkill and probably won't give you a whole lot more velocity than 120gr which is plenty. I shoot 90gr and a 460gr bullet and would feel more than comfortable out to 150 yards. However I shoot open sights and thats pretty much the limit I'm comforable shooting.

Good luck on your hunt.

nruehmeier · Nov 18, 2008

You better also check the regulations of where your going to hunt, some states won't let you use a scope on a muzzleloader. I don't know about NM, Good luck.

nrueh

alp75 · Nov 18, 2008

Some states do not allow you to use saboted bullets either. If your gun can shoot it, you should give Black Horn 209 a try. I have really good results with my thompson triumph using 120 grains bh 209 and barnes spitfire sabots/bullets.

out4elk · Nov 18, 2008

I don't think 150grs is going to give you much better performance either.

I shoot 100g of 777 and the 338 gr Powerbelt at elk. That load killed my LE utah bull last year with no hickups. My brother wounded his bull last year with that load but later found his bull, bad shot placement.

I shoot an Austin&Halleck ML and feel confident with elk out to 150yds anything from there to 200 the conditions and shot offered would have to be perfect for me to feel confident. I know where my rifle hits at 200 it just bull elk can be tough and I think some people underestimate their toughness (I did).

Hope this helps
?Here?s to the hero's that Git-R-Done!!?

upmuley · Nov 19, 2008

You need to go the range and experiment. Most Knights seem to like the Hornady Sabots about the best. Mine performs well with 120 gr of American Pioneer but each gun can be a little different. Take a couple of days and work on it. NM allows scopes and sabots so you should be able to get a real good group out to 150 yds. Good luck.

hjbuys · Nov 19, 2008

I'm in NM and hunt ML. 150 grains of loose powder is a bad idea. 150gr equiv of pellets is fine. I would echo the opinion of using 110-120 grains of BH209. It shoots clean, doesn't foul or corrode the barrel and you get superior down range velocity over 777. Scopes and sabots are legal in NM as long as it is not a primitive hunt. Make sure you practice out to 200. I was getting 6-8" drop at 200 with a 100yd zero with 120gr BH209 and Hornady SST-ML over a Harvester short black sabot.

gunslinger · Nov 19, 2008

I'm with out4elk on this one.

I shoot a Thompson Center, but I found the sweet spot to be between 100 - 120 grains Triple7. If you experiment a little you might even find a decrease in performance with 150 grains.

I was able to take a ML bull this year: at 130 yards I put one bullet clean through lung, heart, and out the other side with 100 grains Triple7 pellets. 100 grains is a deadly load!

Best of luck to you!

Bambistew · Nov 19, 2008

"superior down range velocity over 777"

I'm confused by this statement. Velocity down range is contingent on 2 things, the BC of the projectile and the muzzle velocity.

BH is supposed to give virtually identical velocity to 777 with a like weight charge, but burns clean.

Obsessed35 · Nov 19, 2008

Thanks for all the good advice. I will be out shooting a lot over the next 3 weeks to determine the load that works best and how far out I feel comfortable shooting. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post up when I get back!

SpikeHunter1972 · Nov 19, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Nov-19-08 AT 08:12PM (MST)[p]Every Muzz shoots different. You can find a great combo load then take that same load, put it in a different gun and get totally different results. My advice would be to study the regulations, find a powder (I prefer 777 grains not pellets) and shoot, shoot, shoot, and shoot. I would also start on a 50 yard range to dial in a new gun. I would start around 100 grains and work your way up to 115 to 120. I don't know about most of you but I would close my eyes and pucker my ass to pull the trigger with 150 grains and anything over 350 grains on a 50 cal. Had a buddy?s barrel split with a similar combo.