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Favorite muzzleloader loads??

Bowhunt

Bowhunt

New Member
I am shooting a knight disc with a leuopold scope, 100 grains of powder, and 240 grain hornady XTP's. What is everyone elses favorite loads. I can get decent accuracy out of the gun, but would like to hear some other people's opinions. Also do you guys use fixed scope mounts or a detatchable mount?
 
WOW - you shoot the exact same setup that I do. I agree that load for that gun is pretty deadly. Especially when you place a Leupold 3-9x40 on it.

On a different gun I had a see through scope mount. I thought I would like it, but it just held the scope up too high for comfort. I did like the way the powder burn kept off it though, but it was a percussion musket with a different design. Never had tried detachables, but I don't see why anybody would want them. Seems like something waiting to go wrong when it counts. My opinion.
 
I'll enlighten you a little with my experience.

When I started muzzleloading I used almost exactly the same recipes you guys just mentioned. After successfully harvesting 4, chasing a very large mortally wounded buck for close to 1/2 mile with very little blood trail, and losing 2 animals completely due to lack of blood trail, I decided I needed a change. My croneys were experiencing similar results. Game going great distances leaving little evidence to follow.

4 years ago I switched to Precision Rifle bullets You can go there from here www.prbullet.com . I now shoot the 330gr HP extreme ahead of 120 grains of pyrodex. I've shot 5 deer since switching from 30-118 yds. The furthest animal went 40yds from shot to recovery. The exit wound from the HP extreme is 1.5" in diameter. I get about a 3" group at 100yds.

So for those of you who haven't harvested a deer with your muzzleloader and are thinking of using the Hornady 240's or have experienced similar results to what I've mentioned, you might also think of switching.

Remember these are just my experiences.

I see I've made 300 posts here. I wonder what kind of fool I've made out of myself???!!
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Pupster
 
I've shot 5 deer with my Knight 50 cal. I shoot 150 grains with 240 grain bullets. Only 1 of the 5 has gone more than 50 yards, and it was only about 150. Three of these dropped in their tracks, although I'll confess I neck shot 2 of them. In short, I have a great deal of confidence in the 150/240 setup.
 
CamoKid and I got Knight rifles last year, and we shoot 100 grains of 777 powder with a 240 grain XTP bullet. They group well for me, and CamoKid and I each took a doe in late season with this setup. His ran over the ridge almost 100 yards, and mine went down on the spot. Both were lung shots.
Also, we both are using Cabela's 2-7X Pine Ridge blackpowder scopes. Good optics, and they are only $70.
 
I looked at the PR website, that guy knows his stuff!! The site has some of the most extensive bullet testing I have ever seen or heard of for muzzleloaders. I am going to call them and see what bullet they suggest.Thanks
 
I personally like a big lusty lump of lead.
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My favorite load for my Kodiak double 50 is 120 grains of the real stuff(black powder in 3fff) and a Hornady Great Plains bullet in 460 grains. There's just something about clobbering a deer with one of these. If I'm using a fast twist gun (over 1 in 32) I like a saboted 300 grain xtp pushed by 120 grains of pyrodex.
 
Bowhunt,
Cecil has really come a long way with his bullets, You won't be dissapointed with the results. You are right he does some of the most extensive testing around.
Shovelbuck, With the 330 and 120gr pyrodex sounds like you get good results also. It works great in my 1 in 28" twist, which I beleive most, if not all Knights have.
NWbuck, It's funny you mentioned a neck shot. My buddy shot a nice buck last year at 20yds with the 330HP extreme in the neck and knocked his rack right off his head. So I guess there is a down side.
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If you have problems like lack of blood trail, or deer going over 100yds when hit in the boiler room, you might want to try them. It really gave me a LOT more confidence!

Pupster
 
I hate to mess with something that works no matter how tempting. In my Knight I use 100 grains of Pyrodex and 250 grain Barnes MZ expanders.

In my CVA "REAL" muzzleloader I use 90 grains of BP and a patched round ball.

Both setups work fine. If there is any flaw, it is behind the trigger.
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ive tried the 240 hornadys too, and they are definitely tack drivers, but with all the people i know, they seem to lack on making a descent bloodtrail, dont get me wrong a hole through the lungs is a hole through the lungs, but i switched to the barnes expanders, they shoot the same and i have found that they leave excellent bloodtrails. i learned a trick last year, that you dont even have the bloodtrail them, besiedes shooting them in the neck shoot them high in the shoulders they will drop in there tracks everytime, shatters the shoulder blades and breaks the spine at the same time and goes through the lungs. good luck guys its coming!!!
 
I've had great luck shooting 50 cal. 295 gr. CVA Powerbelt jacketed hollowpoints with 100 gr. of Pyrodex pellets. Tight groups on the range and dropped a big doe in her tracks at 35 yds. with a shoulder shot during late muzzle season last year. And these bullets are full caliber since there's no sabot.



Threebeards
 
I shoot a .50 cal Knight Wolverine with 90 grains Pyrodex and Hornady 240 grain topped with a Redfield 1.5-5 variable scope. This combination has worked with awesome results, having knocked down several bucks in thier tracks. Have only had one tracking job....but it only lasted about 60 yards or so. I am thinking on switching to the 209 conversion kit and using 777 this year.
 
I'm fairly new to muzzleloader hunting, so you can take this for what it's worth. I shoot a .50 cal Knight with open sights loaded with 90 grains of Pyrodex pistol powder and a 240gr XTP Hornady sabot. I've shot 2 does with this set-up. The first one was 85 yards away and the second was 95 yards away. Neither one left much of a blood trail, but neither one ran more than 45 yards after taking it through both lungs. I was able to watch both of them go down.
 
I also use Hornaday but have found that the XTP MAG 240 grain bullets shoot better than the 240 grain XTP they handle the heavier loads more consistant they also are a .45 cal bullet instead of a .44 caliber - I can shoot 3" groups at 100yds with 130 grains of triple 7 through my .50 cal disc extreme
 
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