Sabots in Knight Revolution II

[TE]

I was sighting in my scope yesterday on my new Knight Revolution II and have been trying a new load. I tried the Hornady 45 cal. (.452) 300 gr HP/XTP bullets with a black 4 petal MMP sabot with 100 grs. Goex Black Powder. At 45 yds I had a 3 shot group measuring 1.25" about 3-4" high. I figured this would be about dead on at 100 yds. The problem was after the 2nd shot I could hardly get the load down the last 2-3". I had swabbed the barrel after the fouling shot but I tried to match hunting conditions as best as I could. I've been hunting with a muzzleloader for about 25 years now so this type of shooting is not new to me. In my old Hawken I shot 385 gr Buffalo Bullets and Powerbelts in my Knight Wolverine. Do I need to try a different type MMP sabot or go back to Powerbelts? I've shot many deer with the 50 cal 295 gr HP Copper-Clad Powerbelts but never got a good pass-thru. In all the information I could find said this is a good bullet-sabot for this Green Mountain barrel. What do you guys think? Thanks.

[sabotloader]

TE

All I can relate to you is that I do swab after each shot most of the time, I can normally get about 4 shots off without running the swab if I needed to but after that it gets really tuff... I shoot T7 which I THINK burns a little cleaner than GOEX.

You did not say which MMP it was - It could be either the HPH-12 or the HPH-24 - I guess I am assuming it is a 24 the thinner of the two - there is two other thinner options... a MMP HPH-3p-EZ load and the Harvester 'crush rib'

I do swab the barrel - a windex patch -(not clean but to remove the bulk of the fouling) after each shot as that would be the condition of my barrel while hunting or even shooting at the range.

Hope you come up with some answers that will work for you.

[cayugad]

I also learned that if you want easy loading, then swab after each shot.

A good shooting conical in my Knights are the 300 grain Saber Tooth conicals. They might punch through for you as well. When I shoot my Knights I shoot a Harvester Crushed Rib sabot.

[TE]

sabotloader, I am using the HPH-12 sabots. I went to MMP's website and checked out the HPH-24 and the 3 petal EZ load. I will try them as well as the Harvester 'Crushed Rib'. From what I read the EZ load or the Harvester 'Crushed Rib' might be my best bet. Thanks.
cayugad, I will try the 300gr Saber Tooth conicals also. Thanks.
I will post my results later. TE.

[TE]

sabotloader and cayugad, as promised I said I would get back after I did some more shooting.
I tried the Harvester Crushed Rib sabots with my Hornady 45 cal. 300gr hp/xtp bullets and they did load much easier. I also tried the Hornady FPB 50cal 350gr bullets. After 2 shots I still had a hard time seating the load for my 3rd shot. I cleaned the barrel with several patches of Thompson/Center T17 and dry patches. I had a new container of Pyrodex RS and started over with a 100gr charge. I would shoot 3 shots and then swab the barrel clean again. My best 3 shot group was with Pyrodex and the Crushed Rib sabots with the Hornady bullets. The Hornady FPBs shot OK but were hard to get started into the barrel. I did try some Powerbelt 295gr Aerotips but was not impressed with the group. I did drop down to a 80gr charge with the Powerbelts. My hunting load will be 100gr Pyrodex RS with the Crushed Rib sabots and the Hornady hp/xtp bullets. Thanks for the help! Terry.