Making of a Smokeless Muzzle Loader
- Thread starter Shooter1971
- Start date
I just ordered some 310.dynamos to try. I also have xtps but never had real good accuracy. My .375 shoots ttsx bullets really well. Where are you buying your Barnes 45's?
I've had very good luck with XTP's (the non mag version) the thinner jacket obturates easier and adds to better accuracy. I made a die to reform the bullets to a spire pt. I find you have to push them and I also use a veggie wad under the bullet. Definitely cheaper than the premium bullets from Pittman or ASG
I've had very good luck with XTP's (the non mag version) the thinner jacket obturates easier and adds to better accuracy. I made a die to reform the bullets to a spire pt. I find you have to push them and I also use a veggie wad under the bullet. Definitely cheaper than the premium bullets from Pittman or ASG
That is very cool! Have you noticed a practical different in bullet drop between 200-300yards and do they still give the classic hornady performance? Also more information about the die please.
I’m usually a heavy for caliber kinda guy but like yourself I have found hotter loads work better, I find a full house 300gr load a bit much for recoil and I have a personal hate for muzzle breaks. Last year I tried a .452 200gr xtp. To my surprise at somewhere in the neighborhood of 2700fps it still gave me almost 3’ of penetration on a very heavy body mature buck. Broke the last rib on the passenger side and ended up just under the hide infront of his shoulder on the drivers side, went 20 yards on three wheels and did a nose plant. Lungs were soup. I’m adjusting to lite and fast.
This year the .45 is getting getting the nod with 225ftx to try something new and they shoot much like your 300s do.
Because I can’t get away from heavy for caliber bullets I’m either going to try 200gr xtp or stray to a 195gr Barnes in my new .40 this year. Another day of shooting and hopefully I have my mind made up on how I’m going to go but either way I don’t think will be a mistake.
SomebodyTookMyName
CGN Regular
- Location
- Central Saskatchewan
Ooh boy I'm loving this thread!
I run the 310gr Dynamos and here's my experience- the obdurate super easily and they shoot remarkably well out of my rig at pretty consistent 1/2 MOA over 60gr H4198 with a double-layered homemade felt wad. 2460 FPS at muzzle from a 28" barrel.
BUT the jury is still out on their terminal performance. Last year I shot one deer at 45 yards, through both shoulders/lungs. He dropped on the spot and didn't move, but internally there was very little trauma- 1/2" entry and just a pinhole of an exit, no external blood. The lungs had a sizeable hole but were fairly intact otherwise.
Last night my brother shot another buck at 166 yards, hit lower and broke the ball of the on-side shoulder but otherwise it was the same thing- dropped on the spot and didn't twitch, sizeable hole through the lungs/heart, but again 1/2" entry, pinhole exit, no external blood at all.
I'm concerned what it'd do if you didn't hit any bone. The bullets seem really tough. Hopefully I'll have 2-3 more deer to test on yet this year though
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I run the 310gr Dynamos and here's my experience- the obdurate super easily and they shoot remarkably well out of my rig at pretty consistent 1/2 MOA over 60gr H4198 with a double-layered homemade felt wad. 2460 FPS at muzzle from a 28" barrel.
BUT the jury is still out on their terminal performance. Last year I shot one deer at 45 yards, through both shoulders/lungs. He dropped on the spot and didn't move, but internally there was very little trauma- 1/2" entry and just a pinhole of an exit, no external blood. The lungs had a sizeable hole but were fairly intact otherwise.
Last night my brother shot another buck at 166 yards, hit lower and broke the ball of the on-side shoulder but otherwise it was the same thing- dropped on the spot and didn't twitch, sizeable hole through the lungs/heart, but again 1/2" entry, pinhole exit, no external blood at all.
I'm concerned what it'd do if you didn't hit any bone. The bullets seem really tough. Hopefully I'll have 2-3 more deer to test on yet this year though
SomebodyTookMyName
CGN Regular
- Location
- Central Saskatchewan
lol yes, I'm well aware of all of the above, but that's precisely what I want. My plan is actually to run the 325gr XLD's from Arrowhead out of a 30" Brux tube. I've got a 4.5-27X56 Razor waiting for the build, and I'm hoping to put some rounds on steel at 1000 yards just to say I did it.
Sadly the Vari-Flames aren't what they've cracked up to be, I know, but they'll do for now. I'll definitely use the ASG system for the high-pressure rig, but as it stands, my current build works well enough for mid range hunting and it's a manageable weight so I'll keep it for the time being.
Interesting prtoject! I wondered why you used 0.452" bullets in a 0.458" bore and it occurred to me that since they're sabotless, you need to be able to push them down the bore. I suppose the flat bases will obturate to expand the bullet base and fill the rifling and you'll use a fast rifle powder (like 4198) to help that obturation along?
That’s exactly what we are doing. Special sizing dies are required to fit the bullet to the exact size of the barrel. Can be a fickle thing to sort out and you learn quickly who makes a straight barrel and who dosent. When it all comes together though you’ve got a muzzle loader that will put your best varmint rifle to shame IME.
Another I built. This was from an unprofiled blank. Savages are by far the easiest to build on but I love the stocks and triggers that are so cheap and plentiful for the rem 700 sa. Using a brewer collar makes the 700 a bit easier to do.
Yes...a swinglock die
I’m not the guy you asked, but I just recently took out a fat doe with a barnes MUzzy bullet, the 250 grain 50 cal ttsx. Performance was awe inspiring. Took out shoulder, liquified lungs, complete pass through and dropped dead on the spot. I wouldn’t hesitate!
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
Can we get some range results?
