Post by mateo on Mar 28, 2023 9:32:33 GMT -5
So, my dad has a 50 caliber Knight Disc Extreme, its a (disc original). It used to use the orange plastic disc's, but we put a 209 bare primer conversion kit in it. He's shooting black horn 209 and the cheddite primers. He/we have used anywhere from 63 grains up to 77 grains by weight, shooting a 300 grain Hornaday SST low drag sabot. It seems/seemed to like anywhere from 63 to 68 grains the best, but didn't test a whole lot with the larger charges. The problem we are having is inconsistency. Everything is good as far as the base, scope rings, and scope. Nothing has moved. Some days the 1st (2) shots will be wonky, then I can put (2) 3 shot groups at MOA or better at 100 yds. Other days with the same temps and doing the process the same way, it's erratic. The one day, on a total clean gun, it shot (3) shots in a row at about 5/8" MOA at 100 yds using 68 grains. The next time doing everything the same, that same load the 1st 3 shots were probably a 2" group at 100 yds. Then we backed down to 63 grains. Shot once on a total clean gun, then followed that up with a (3) shot group at 1 1/4" at 100 yds, not too bad. Then the next 4 shots were erratic, (probably a 4" group), then the next 3 shots were all touching 5/8" or so. We didn't clean in between any of the shots, (that's why he is using blackhorn as to try and skip the swabbing process). I guess my questions are as follows:
-What grain bullet do you think would best suite this particular gun with a 1:28 twist rate? 250 grain, 260 grain, 270 grain, 290 grain, or 300 grain? He'll never shoot anything past 150 yards, but would like the ability and be able to practice effectively at 200 yards. He's not opposed to using a 250 grain bullet, we want to get him into what is going to be the most accurate. He also doesn't care which brand, (although he and myself have had great success with performance on deer with the Hornaday SST's) I'm sure the Scorpion PT Gold 260 grain, the Parker BE 275 grain, and the Barnes 290 grain will all perform well on deer. I've seen what the Barnes can do 1st hand, and they perform great.
-Depending on which grain bullet you'd advise from my 1st question, what powder charge would you recommend? A gentleman from Knight who I've emailed recommends 65 grains by weight with a 300 grain bullet. He/we'd prefer to stay at 63 grains by weight or higher.
-Do these guns, or any muzzle loader, seem to perform or shoot better clean or fouled when using blackhorn 209? I have a smokeless muzzle loader that I pretty much don't clean and it performs best this way. Just not sure how to treat this gun while utilizing black horn. I have an older knight muzzle loader that is the plunger style with the #11 caps that shoots the 1st 2 shots very accurately at same point of impact using 100 grains of pyrodex pellets, but the gun must be completely cleaned after 2 shots, and sometimes that gun just won't fire, (that's why I switched to smokeless!)
Thanks for any input or help