Anyone know anything about muzzleloading?

Shooter Mike

New member
I'm traveling across the country with the family (started in Hawaii, where I was last stationed, and on my way to Virginia), and we stopped in Henderson, Nevada for a few days. Their Sportsman Warehouse is going out of business and since I have always had an interest in muzzleloading, I picked up a Knight Extreme Muzzleloader in Realtree Cammo, at what I thought was a good price - it was marked down to $179.

Anyone here point me to a good resource of information on where I can learn to shoot this? I'd like to find something that will walk me through all the steps of muzzleloading this particular gun.
 
Good Morning Mike

I started shooting muzzel loaders in 1971 and that is all my wife and I hunt with.

I'm not sure where to send you for information except there are alot of good books out there a coupe I have always used for reference are:

Lyman's Black Powder Handbook and The Complete Black Poder Handbook by Sam Fadala.

I can give you some basics.

I expect you bought the .50 cal. the next two most important thing you need is bullets and powder.

I make my own bullets and like black powder, but that isn't the direction to send the modern day muzzle loader hunter.

Jim Shockey's Gold FFG would be a good choice for you, some like pellets but there isn't enought varibles to adjust your powder to make your rifle shoot as accurate as you want.

You need a good powder measure.

Some examples FFG w/370 grain bullet out of a 32" barrel:

75 grs. = 1370 FPS, 1540 ft/lbs muzzel energy, and 749ft/lbs @ 100 yds.
80 grs. = 1402 FPS, 1613 ft/lbs muzzel energy, and 790ft/lbs @ 100 yds.
85 grs. = 1435 FPS, 1689 ft/lbs muzzel energy, and 814ft/lbs @ 100 yds.
75 grs. = 1467 FPS, 1766 ft/lbs muzzel energy, and 837ft/lbs @ 100 yds.

You need good bullets, Power belt 348 grain copper w/ arrow tip would be a good choice.

Make sure you have cleaned and checked your rifle.

Start with the light load.

Measure 50 grs powder into your powder measure, than pour it down the barrel, never dump powder from the can into your rifle, if something happens it's like holding a stick of dynimite.

Place your bullet in the basrrel and push it down with the ramrod, I like to throw my ramriod down the barrel a couple times untill it bounces, that way you know the bullet is seated the same everytime.

Wear safty glasses and ear protection, (I'm now 75% deaf slow learner) set a target out about 35 yds, take a solid rest and squeeze the trigger, if you are on the paper take 3 shots.

Adjust your sights, and continue to shoot 3 round groups untill your satisfied.

A couple other things you may need is a cleaning tip, cleaning patches and a patch puller(two small wires on a tip that can retreive a cleaning patch. After 6 shots or so you should run a patch down your barrel.

The most important thing is as soon as you get home break your rifle down and clean it very well. I still like to set the barrel in a bucket of hot water, run the ramrod or a cvleaning rod with a patch up and down in it to flush the barrel.

I got to get going, I'm getting a late start to a turkey hunt.

Enjoy
Debray
 
Excellent post Debray. I'm printing that one out to keep as a reference.

I also have a Knight inline muzzleloader. Very accurate and fun to shoot.
 
Mike

I did some black powder shooting yesterday and was trying to work up a good hunting load for my CVA 209 mag. 45 cal.

The best load I came up with at 75 yards was 80 gr. FFG and 195 gr. powerbelt hollow points.

Link Removed

I have attached a picture with the last 4 rounds at 75 yards, it works great on coyote and deer.
 
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