Black Mountain Magnum's second trip

cayugad · 07-14-2008, 01:19 PM

I wanted to test a few more loads out of the rifle and to shoot some suggestions from the group (thanks for the ideas). I also wanted to shoot at a closer target so I moved the target to only 35 yards. The biting insects are ferocious to day. Deer flys, sand flys, and horseflys are out and hungry. Even the strong bug juice hardly held them at bay.

Group A was 90 grains of Triple Se7en 2f - a red Knight (MMP) .458 sabot - .458 diameter Remington 405 grain copper jacketed flat points - CCI musket caps. I swabbed every other shot. The two high hits were the off swab shots. So it looks like, had I swabbed it would have been a very impressive group.

Group B was 90 grains of Triple Se7en 2f - 300 grain Shockwaves with supplied sabots. And again, I swabbed ever other shot. I shot six times with the shockwaves and it looks like two seperate groups, although the swabbed and unswabbed kind of mixed this time.

Group C was 70 grains of Triple Se7en 2f - 370 grain maxiball - homemade castor oil lube and no wads. Also I did not swab the barrel. They still loaded good for the most part. Although when I finally did swab, there was a hard crud ring in the bottom of the barrel.

Group D was the same thing as Group C (new piece of tape added over the C target tape)only I added a wad. Notice how with a wad they actually groups lower. I liked the tightness of the group for sure.

If the bugs ever let up, maybe I can move further into the woods... but so far this Black Mountain Magnum seems to shoot almost anything I want to shove down the barrel, very well. Most my shots are 25-35 yards from my tree stands. I would be willing to hunt with this rifle today from that stand...

Semisane · 07-14-2008, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Most my shots are 25-35 yards from my tree stands. I would be willing to hunt with this rifle today from that stand...

Well, I guess so. All ya` gotta do is get a deer to cooperate and you'll be making meat. Good shooting. I've had the same experience with wads shooting a little lower, and grouping better.

bronko22000 · 07-15-2008, 06:34 AM

Dave - looks like you got another keeper there. Those are some pretty impressive groups even at only 35 yds. Just curious though. What is the vel/eng for that 70 gr load with the 370 gr bullet? Do you know?

cayugad · 07-15-2008, 06:53 AM

1327 fps velocity and 1447 energy if I were shooting black powder or Pyrodex. Being I was shooting Triple Se7en that is approximately 10% stronger, I think you might be somewhere around 1418 fps velocity and 1652 energy (this is the numbers for a 80 grain load of Pyrodex or Black powder.). This is according to the T/C Book that came with the rifle.. There is a section in it where they discusss all sorts of different loads.

This is the load my friend hunts deer and bear with out of his New Englander. He claimed he shot a deer at over 70 yards and the maxiball blew through the deer. It ran about thirty yards and fell over with a blood trail, as he put it... a blind man could have tracked.

bronko22000 · 07-15-2008, 07:53 AM

Wow - I never thought it would develop that much speed and energy. I was concerned that it may have been too light of a load for hunting. But if the figures are right it should be plenty adequate for deer.
I may try the T7 in my Hawken and Renegadewith the 320 REALs and see how they shoot.