Hi y'all. I've been reading the forum for a while, but I just registered so I could post. I've hunted whitetails here in Arkansas for many years and have taken a few with muzzleloaders. You fellows have shown me how ignorant I am about muzzleloaders--thanks for your knowledge. I've always just hunted close range, and used about anything I could that I could shoot well at around 50 yards. It worked pretty fair, but I want to reach out a little farther.
I just received my new scoped NEF Heritage (sidekick) 50 cal. from cabelas. I need some advice on getting her ready for deer season. I want to be able to shoot out to around 100 to maybe 150. I'm going to try American Pioneer powder FFF, and I have some Harvester crushed rib sabots. I also have some 245 gr ball-ets to break it in with. I'm trying to decide on a 45 calpistol round to shoot, Sierra, Hornady, etc. I would like to go light, but accuracy and a clean killare the most important things to me. I don't want to shoota deerand it run off wounded. That's why I always hunted close range before. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Well somethings you need to look at,another powder possibly prodex which along with black seems to work in almost everything, I find FFF versions to touchie, Scrub your new gun very well to get the preservitive out of it before you fire your first shot,then do the cotten ball test and try your ballets to break your barrel in. For an excellant long range bullet try some 50/40- 200ge ShockWaves. Lee
I Have a SS Sidekick, I shoot T-7 FF, 85-100 grains, 300 gn XTP (45 cal) with a MMP short black sabot, Gun will shoot 1 1/2 goups or less depending on me. Killed a doe at 122 yds, knocked it right down lots of blood.
Good luck and shoot lots, then you will know what works best.
Up to 120 grs of loose 777 under either a 250 grShockwave or 250gr Barnes TMZ for hunting. Hornady XTPs also work well and are fairlycheap. Just try some of each with differen't amounts of powder and see which one your gun likes best. You can't really go wrong with any of these for deer.
The rifle should shoot about anything you stuff down the bore within reason. The twist rate makes it perfect for sabots and powerbelts over 300g. The 250g shockwaves seem to be shooting good and far in most of our modern muzzleloaders. Heck they shoot real well in my Scout as well.
I have a NEF Huntsman 50 cal and the 2 loads it likes best are 2 50 gr American Pioneer sticks, and a 300 gr, 45 cal sabot Hornady XTP or 2 50 gr American Pioneer sticks and a 250 gr Hornady sst. I did shoot 777 but the results I have had with the APP are awesome. I shoot it in this and in my Encore.
90 or 100 grains of 777 or 2F
400 grain 44 cal Hornady XTP with a sabot
Leupold 4X scope
It will shoot 100 yards all day long.
I wouldn't worry about the 150 grain loads.
New NEF Heritage rifle (sidekick)
