Muzzle loader conversion

[Terry]

Has anyone made a muzzle loader by using a common bolt action rifle with an empty straight wall case and a primer for ignition?

 

[sambo7]

Has anyone made a muzzle loader by using a common bolt action rifle with an empty straight wall case and a primer for ignition?

remington ultimate uses a cut off 308 case thats straight wall

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Most of the custom smokeless mz's are like that or similar, yes. No brass involved but some chambers are cut just like a rifle chamber with a bottleneck case reamer of some configuration that you like.

 

[spitfire_er]

There's a guy out there that makes a similar product and there's remingtons version. You still need a plug in there to be considered a ML, and the case is only for ignition. I just machined up a smokeless ML the other day with a hankins ignition system which have worked great for me on several builds.

 

[WSnyder]

Forget the Remington type ignition system. Use the Arrowhead or Hankins breech plugs and modules. You can get modules from both that will work with std or magnum bolt faces.

 

[El Matador]

Using a 45-70 chamber or similar would certainly work. The problem would be trying to use it for hunting, where most states would not consider it a legal muzzleloader. Like others have said the Hankins or Arrowhead ignition systems are the way to go right now. Jeff Hankins has some great products and his prices are better than Luke's at Arrowhead. However, Luke runs a cleaner business in my opinion. My Hankins stuff has often arrived dirty and the instructions are quite pitiful. Luke's stuff is always clean but you'll pay a few bucks more. Both guys have good products, and sometimes you gotta order from the guy who has it in stock.

When using the Hankins or Arrowhead ignition system it can be a little fiddly to get the "modules" inserted into the action properly. There are now a few companies making actions designed for these modules. Mesa Precision, Mack Bros, and Defiance are the ones I know of. You can also "fly cut" the bolt on a standard action to allow for easier insertion of the modules.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Using a 45-70 chamber or similar would certainly work. The problem would be trying to use it for hunting, where most states would not consider it a legal muzzleloader. Like others have said the Hankins or Arrowhead ignition systems are the way to go right now. Jeff Hankins has some great products and his prices are better than Luke's at Arrowhead. However, Luke runs a cleaner business in my opinion. My Hankins stuff has often arrived dirty and the instructions are quite pitiful. Luke's stuff is always clean but you'll pay a few bucks more. Both guys have good products, and sometimes you gotta order from the guy who has it in stock.

When using the Hankins or Arrowhead ignition system it can be a little fiddly to get the "modules" inserted into the action properly. There are now a few companies making actions designed for these modules. Mesa Precision, Mack Bros, and Defiance are the ones I know of. You can also "fly cut" the bolt on a standard action to allow for easier insertion of the modules.

Got an example of a fly cut on a bolt?

 

[El Matador]

Got an example of a fly cut on a bolt?

I haven't done it personally. Here's a pic of the bolt face on the Mesa Precision action, which gives you an idea of what the goal is for fly cutting a standard bolt. I believe the usual procedure is to remove the existing extractor/ejector and then mill out the bolt face to accommodate the next size larger modules (if you have a 308 bolt face you'd open it up to accept magnum modules).

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I haven't done it personally. Here's a pic of the bolt face on the Mesa Precision action, which gives you an idea of what the goal is for fly cutting a standard bolt. I believe the usual procedure is to remove the existing extractor/ejector and then mill out the bolt face to accommodate the next size larger modules (if you have a 308 bolt face you'd open it up to accept magnum modules).
View attachment 1394226

I see what you mean now. Wonder why if you had a 308bf you couldnt just make it a shellholder type boltface like that and use 308 modules?

 

[El Matador]

I'm sure you could, Dusty. You would need to add some material to capture the rim of the module though. Kind of like when you install a Sako extractor on a Remington bolt you have to bore out the original extractor groove and solder in a ring to fill it back in. By going to the larger module you only need to mill away the excess material.