Anyone getting ready for muzzleloader season?

Gil Martin

Every year after I get my hunting license, I start working with my flintlocks. I am usually the only one at the range shooting a smokepoles. All the best...
Gil

Pumpkinslinger

I haven't started getting ready yet but I did see that NC has doubled our muzzle loading season, to two weeks in November.

slimjim

I've been thinking if getting a muzzle loader for this season or next. I wish there were some smokeless powder loads you could use in the modern muzzle loaders.

Gil, you should share with use your range experience and targets.

Pumpkinslinger

Slim, I've been using Hodgdon 777 in my Encore ML and am pretty pleased. It cleans up with plain water. And I've shot some 1.5" groups at 100 yards with it.

shrpshtrjoe

I use triple 7 as well Very Happy

Crackshot

We never stop shooting the ol smoke poles around here! They are way to much fun!
Only Black powder here! Goex or Elephant.

slimjim

Pumpkinslinger and sharpshtrjoe, do you use 777 in loose powder or pellets? Do the pellets only come in 50gr sizes?

chambered221

Slim, Savage makes a muzzle loader that's compatible with smokeless powder !!! (Google smokeless muzzleloader )

I use loose 777.....you'll get more velocity over the pellet.

shrpshtrjoe

slimjim wrote:

Pumpkinslinger and sharpshtrjoe, do you use 777 in loose powder or pellets? Do the pellets only come in 50gr sizes?

I use loose powder but I believe they come in 50 grain and 30 grain pellets. As Chambered mentioned Savage makes a muzzle loader that uses smokeless powder

Pumpkinslinger

I use the loose powder but a buddy uses the pellets with similar accuracy. I like to be able to tweak the load in less than 30 or 50 grain increments.

slimjim

chambered221 wrote:

Google smokeless muzzleloader

Very interesting. I have a lot more to learn before I make a decision to purchase.

Suzanne

You should look over that SavageHERE In one article he says;

The loads that proved to be amazing to me used the three listed bullets above with Hodgdon's Lil' Gun powder. This powder, which has already become one of my favorite pistol powders (see Jeff's article at Hodgdon Lil' Gun Powder), turned in good velocities with each bullet tested, and the spreads and deviations were some of the best I've ever seen. I was able to reach speeds approaching that of a .375 H&H Magnum with equal bullet weights. For example, the loads with the Hornady 250 and 300 grain bullets using Lil Gun averaged 2552 and 2432 fps, respectively. The Cast Performance 335 grain averaged 2370 fps with Lil Gun. This relates to around 4300 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. As a comparison, this muzzleloader has more retained energy at 300 yards with these loads than the mighty .454 Casull has at the muzzle out of a handgun! This kind of performance from a fifty caliber muzzleloader is amazing. Most other inlines won't do half of that. I also need to interject here that neither Hodgdon nor Savage recommends this powder in this gun. The loads were safe and very consistent in this rifle. I believe that Lil Gun is the best powder to use in this rifle, and beats the performance of the other powders significantly, but I will not list the charge weights here. You will have to determine what is best in your particular gun, but I am sticking with Lil Gun in this Savage.

The significant fact about this load, with either of the bullets, aside from the awesome power, is the trajectory. With a 200 yard zero, you can hold dead-on out to 250 yards without the bullet varying from line-of-sight more than three and one-half inches. This gun is, in capable hands, a 250 yard or better muzzleloader. It will place the bullet on the mark, with power to spare for most any game. With the Cast Performance bullet, this gun has ample power for any animal on this continent.

I think I want one
Suz

slimjim

Thanks Suzanne, it does take muzzle loading to a new level. I'd be happy to use smokeless and get just equivalent muzzle loader performance.

44marty

I think I want one
Suz

Be careful, Suz. We'd all hate to have you blow yourself up.

Crackshot

Smokeless Muzzle loader? wtf

I'll stick to my SMOKE produceing versions! More nostalgia and fun! Very Happy