Long Range MuzzleLoader recommendations

Awesome buck! Congratulations! By the size of the exit hole I'm thinking you better have a great back stop behind everything you pull the trigger on!

 

Timeout, that is actually the entry hole. The buck i killed two years ago had the same kind of hole going in and no exit. the Pittman bullets I shoot have very thin jackets in order to swage them down to a size that will just ride the rifling and not fall off the powder charge. so yeah they kinda just blow up on impact or within a few inches. Also shooting reduced loads doesn't seem to work because it takes a fairly heavy charge to produce enough obturation into the grooves for these rifles to shoot well. The guys that shoot these SMLs at the Kentucky challenge shoot these rifles out to 500 yds or more and shoot very small groups. I do my load development with a lead sled with two 25lb bags of shot and it isn't bad. When shooting at deer i don't notice the recoil much. I also shoot traditional ML rifles and have competed with a flinter and hunted with a flint lock but when you have an opportunity to kill a good deer and need to make a kill shot at longer ranges the smokeless option is my choice.

 

Years ago I had a few buddies help with a savage 12 conversion. Used a 1-20 Brux 45 barrel at 30”. Shot the Parker 327MH at 2750-2800. Used the swing lock smooth die. In testing and checking drops it was consistently 1/2 moa out to 800 yards with 5 shots each. Very impressed at the capabilities of these non smokers. I did notice though that reliable drops beyond 600 yards were all depending on temperatures. 20 degrees and up 800 no problems. Below 20 I lost stability at around 670 yards. Going full form die on the next one. Energy is non issue with the better bullets. I’ve hit deer at 300+ with black powder and saboted Bullets and just didn’t have the energy for quick clean kills. Always needed a follow up after tracking.

 

You guys can check out the cutting edge of the SML world at Hanksmessageboards.com

there is a lot to learn even for us guys that have been in the game for a long time.
These guns are not for everyone, I would go as far as to say only for the few. One needs to be adept with reloading practices and be familiar with powders and bullets, most guys that visit this site fit the bill, your avg joe need not apply.

As has been said, accuracy and range of these guns is amazing, they have way much power for Mr. whitetail but to get the optimum trajectory that's how we have to roll.

The new .40 bullets Mr. Pittman has introduced rival a good many CF bullets for BC.
He has a new 325 in the .40 that has a real world BC of .585.
Don't believe every published BC out there for custom muzzleloader bullets with the exception of Pittman's, he publishes real world BC, no pie in the sky stuff.

 

Lew Loyd of BigDaddies Outdoors of Bridgeport Alabama, is a very fine rifle builder, NOT CHEAP but good, His smokeless muzzle loader are capable of 3" groups at 700 yrds. I don't remember what the range was but 3-4 years ago he killed an Elk over 400 yards 1 shot 1 kill, and it was witnessed by several people. If you are serious about long range muzzle loader hunting look him up and give him a call. Bob

 

Check out Tim Smith. I have first hand experience with his work.
http://smithscustomguns.com/

BW

 

I build smokeless muzzys everyday. Give me a shout if you have any questions or want to get a quote on something. 319-821-0712

 

Look at what International long range BP muzzle loading competitors use. I believe Pedersoli makes a Gibb's replica rifle in 45cal.

perry42 l

 

Long Range ? Heavens the joy of muzzle loaders are the fact of stalking close and putting a patched round ball into the vitals and taking home game, like the mountain men did. Take a good .50 or .54 caliber and have fun.

 

Lots of good info in all the post. Hollis (hweber above) he makes a great gun. He has done all the gun work for one of the most well known long range muzzle loader builders/sellers for several years.
I had mine shooting steel at 1000 a few weeks back.