I tried a new combo in my custom savage (Steven’s actually) muzzleloader.
28” .458 barrel
Brake
Arrowhead 209 plug
Sits in a XLR element chassis (I use this for my PRC and WSM actions as well)
Nightforce SHV
275 gr .402 bullets out a blush crush sabot
I thought for sure they weren’t going to group with how long they are with a sabot.
Started 95 gr by weight of bh209 and got a group at 100 yards so looked like they were stabilizing.
Then shot 105 gr by weight to get it sighted in. 3 shots 2512, 2515, 2513 FPS. Adjusted zero after first shot next two were touching and zeroed in at 102 yards. I planned to send some 115 gr but 2515 FPS is plenty so I decide to save the powder.
Published G1 BC is .494 at 2900 FPS so I decide to start at .46 and see how it goes. I shot 325 and 425 using my kestrel ballistic calculator for my dope and .46 BC was on. Photo of steel is 325 yards and the two larger impacts in the orange were the muzzleloader (friend shot a 223 AR15 as well which account for the array of impacts in the white). 425 had 2 shots dead on for elevation and one was 3” right and I pulled 1 pretty bad making group about 6”
At 725 yd, I was able to group just over an MOA but somewhere between 425 and 725 the BC is no longer valid. I am guessing something is happening when it crosses into subsonic but it did group on the other side of subsonic which was surprising
I tried the new Powerbelts elr for the paramount and they were not as consistent as these with the forgiving sabot. The ELRs have a lower BC and I was getting a lot less velocity for nearly the day weight.
28” .458 barrel
Brake
Arrowhead 209 plug
Sits in a XLR element chassis (I use this for my PRC and WSM actions as well)
Nightforce SHV
275 gr .402 bullets out a blush crush sabot
I thought for sure they weren’t going to group with how long they are with a sabot.
Started 95 gr by weight of bh209 and got a group at 100 yards so looked like they were stabilizing.
Then shot 105 gr by weight to get it sighted in. 3 shots 2512, 2515, 2513 FPS. Adjusted zero after first shot next two were touching and zeroed in at 102 yards. I planned to send some 115 gr but 2515 FPS is plenty so I decide to save the powder.
Published G1 BC is .494 at 2900 FPS so I decide to start at .46 and see how it goes. I shot 325 and 425 using my kestrel ballistic calculator for my dope and .46 BC was on. Photo of steel is 325 yards and the two larger impacts in the orange were the muzzleloader (friend shot a 223 AR15 as well which account for the array of impacts in the white). 425 had 2 shots dead on for elevation and one was 3” right and I pulled 1 pretty bad making group about 6”
At 725 yd, I was able to group just over an MOA but somewhere between 425 and 725 the BC is no longer valid. I am guessing something is happening when it crosses into subsonic but it did group on the other side of subsonic which was surprising
I tried the new Powerbelts elr for the paramount and they were not as consistent as these with the forgiving sabot. The ELRs have a lower BC and I was getting a lot less velocity for nearly the day weight.