Muzzleloader question

[Wreckless]

My Knight MK-85 shoots conicals VERY well....Better than I can . My question is: Is a load of 100 grains (Volume) of ffg 777 and a 460 gr Great Plains bullet to much for that gun. It shoots the 410gr / 100gr 777 GREAT, but is the pressure of the 460 going top be to much?

I know this is a NASTY load but I'm Elk hunting with it.

Thanks in advance.

Dennis

Also, Does anyone use fffg 777 in their rifle?

[Radke]

I also have a MK-85, 50 cal. I shoot 120 grains behind bullets in the 400 - 435 gr. range. The gun sems to handle it fine, except I don't get the accuracy I would like. I don't know if the problem is my expectations, or the gun itself. I have a bit of difficulty keeping my rounds within an 8 inch circle consistantly ( over 5 shots ) at a hundred yards. I've tried the ox-yoke buttons, and a variety of different bullet designs.

[Bounty Hunter]

I recently had a similar question about my Thompson Center Renegade. I wanted to load it up for elk without reaching the maximum safe charge. The extra heavy bullets will increase the pressure in the barrel so I was worried. I got a lot of advice (thanks Lured), but I didn't have the manual for the gun (and therefore didn't have the manufacter's recommendations). I had to call Thompson and speak to someone in the technical/customer service department. They set me straight. Turns out that in my .54 I could shoot 90-120 grains, but they recommended 100 grains of Pirodex Select(not pellets) (or FFg) with the 430 grain bullets.

You should call Knight to get the final word. They should have a phone number on their website.

From their website:
***************************************
Thank you for your interest in Knight Rifles. For additional information, please complete the form below.

To contact us directly:

Modern Muzzleloading, Inc.

21852 Highway J46 Road

Centerville, IA 52544

Phone: 641-856-2626

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[Wreckless]

WOW :shocked:

Did I open a can o' worms or what!!!

I'm going to use that disclaimer in my wood shop classes!!!

Seriously, thanks for the feed back. I've tried Knight (email), talked to the guys at a great gun shop in Forest Grove and read my manual (NOT in that order ).

From my research, I am "pushing" the edge but OK...I wouldn't go over 100 grains of 777...I'll just have to get closer to the critters!

Thanks, I'll check back in later tonight......Back to work!

[Radke]

In reality, you may not need as much fire power as what you described in your opening note. I have managed to take one elk with my MK-85. I was using 120 gr. of pyrodex behind a 310 grain slug (within a sabot). I shot the critter at about 40 yards. I went through a sholder blade going in, a rib on the far side, and the slug was resting between the meat and hide on the far side. I don't know what more slug weight would have done.

[Wreckless]

Radke,

You are right about 300 gr bullets out of a sabot, My friend shot a Blacktail that made the muzzleloader record books, straight on at about 40 yds. The bullet broke a corner of the sternum and traveled clear through the deer and came to a stop in the hide right below his........vent. AMAZING terminal performance in my book.

I would shoot sabots if they were still legal.

Thanks everyone for the tips. The gun shoots a "fair" group (2 1/2") at 35yds off of a "coat on the pick-up hood rest" with the big lead conicals so...... here we GO!! :grin: Chasin' Elk in the coast range with a "smoke pole"!

Again.... thanks for the help...this site is great, I try to share what little I know and appreciate others knowledge.

[Mtn Man]

Muzzleloaders are finicky when it comes to a load, when you increase powder you won't necessarily increase velocity or energy. At a certain point you cannot burn all of the powder in the length of the barrel. More often than not you will start to lose accuracy when you increase powder.

You need to play with your load and develope it for each particular gun. No two guns will shoot the same load accuatly, they may be close, but not the same.

I use 85g of fffg in my T/C and my dad uses 90g of ffg in his Lyman. They are both 50 cal, but they are different guns. Mine doesn't like the slower burning ffg.

It is not necessarily about making it go faster, you won't get any longer range. What you may get is noticibly poorer accuacy.

MM

[Wreckless]

Thanks MM, I have a load that shoots "well" 90gr. ffg 777 with a 410gr. Greatplains bullet. I'll shoot that until I get some time to "play with other loads.