elkantlers
Well-known member
Thats is frowned upon during muzzleloader season. Lol
Help my inner Jeremiah Johnson... just got a new muzzleloader
- Thread starter Ben Long
- Start date
Bullshot
Well-known member
I would do as David does with RB and limit it to the distance you can absolutely hit broadside double lung. Energy is pretty low after that, trajectory gets bad, and margin of error gets slim. You should be hunting with the intent to get inside 100, maybe even well inside. A conical gives a little more confidence on an angled hit, or heavy bone, and might buy you a little extra range (those 25-50 yards if you confidently can do it) but trajectory is not your friend and you need to know your specific load.
As for loads, nothing wrong with many suggestions so far.
RB with 100 grains +/- 777FF
No Excuses Conical (on lower end of the weight spectrum due to twist, stability in your rifle) with 80 +/- 777FF. Personally, I’d prefer the conical on elk.
Clean after every shooting session with near scalding hot water and dawn dish soap. Don’t forget to remove and clean the nipple and use pipe cleaners in the flash channel. Lube barrel when dry to store. Best to remove lube or shoot a fouler for 1st shot accuracy /consistency.
elkduds
Well-known member
My .02. from Lyman hawken-style .54 Deerstalker.
Ghost ring sight w flourescent front post. Systematically test each selected bullet for accuracy with graduated loads from 60-80 gr for PRB, 90-110 gr for conicals. Those are volumes of powder, some guys like to weigh their charges, I never tried it. I used Goex FFg for years, tried 777 and never went back to FF. Less fouling, more consistent. My rifle preferred Maxiballs and Maxihunters, I felt comfortable to 100 yds w that load for deer and elk. Conicals penetrate better than PRB. A hotshot nipple and CCI magnum caps gave consistent ignition. Fired gun to unload every 2-3 days while hunting, more if weather was wet.
My Lyman needed a fouling shot to get consistent, even w 777. Start of range session, I fired just a cap on nipple with barrel pointed right by a plant, if gas from cap blew the leaves I proceeded w loading. I fired a PRB to foul, always @ 100 yds once I had sights set. After fouling shot I swabbed w a patch with rubbing alcohol after every 3rd round, that gave consistent loading and accuracy.
A final pro tip. Remove ramrod before firing.
Ghost ring sight w flourescent front post. Systematically test each selected bullet for accuracy with graduated loads from 60-80 gr for PRB, 90-110 gr for conicals. Those are volumes of powder, some guys like to weigh their charges, I never tried it. I used Goex FFg for years, tried 777 and never went back to FF. Less fouling, more consistent. My rifle preferred Maxiballs and Maxihunters, I felt comfortable to 100 yds w that load for deer and elk. Conicals penetrate better than PRB. A hotshot nipple and CCI magnum caps gave consistent ignition. Fired gun to unload every 2-3 days while hunting, more if weather was wet.
My Lyman needed a fouling shot to get consistent, even w 777. Start of range session, I fired just a cap on nipple with barrel pointed right by a plant, if gas from cap blew the leaves I proceeded w loading. I fired a PRB to foul, always @ 100 yds once I had sights set. After fouling shot I swabbed w a patch with rubbing alcohol after every 3rd round, that gave consistent loading and accuracy.
A final pro tip. Remove ramrod before firing.
Bullshot
Well-known member
I concur…. Through experience….
Bullshot
Well-known member
Although few things make you feel so alive as coming close to blowing your face off (or almost getting eaten by a bear for that matter), I still can’t recommend either be experienced first hand. Call me selfish!
I will share the more technical takeaway that shooting a full power 1500+ grain (or whatever it was) dual projectile out of a caplock is both bad for your shoulder, and good for ease of loading thereafter, since caliber of your bore may be slightly enlarged.
. Also a good catalyst for retiring that barrel. Only real lasting regret is not finding the ramrod.Regarding the bear… I’d rather not talk about it anymore, and lets just forget the whole thing.
Ohhh... haha! I was thinking the comment was to remove the ram rod from its designated storage location before shooting and i was trying to figure out what the heck might happen as I've never had an issue... haha!
My bad. I often read from a very literal position - flew right over my head. Haha!
My bad. I often read from a very literal position - flew right over my head. Haha!
