Alternative Bullets...

[nchawkeye]

Looks like I'll be taking my annual week off next year during the NC muzzleloading season...Most of my ML hunting is done with my .54 flintlock but I already know one farm will be planted in soybeans so I'm also taking my Knight Disc...She is sighted in with the 250 Shockwaves but due to the shortages we've seen in the past 3 years I want to have a backup ready...I've got 5 boxes of Shockwaves but want an excuse to experiment...

In the past I've tried the MMP-24 sabots and the Hornady XTP .451 bullets in 250 and 300 grains...They didn't group as well as the Shockwaves...My gun does love the MZ 300grs but not the 250 so I settled on the Shockwaves because they fly flatter...My personal limit with a muzzleloader is 150 yards...With the Shockwaves I am 2 1/2 high at 100 yards and about 3 inches low at 150...Hunting over beans a 150 yard shot could easily present itself...

Couple of questions...Would it be worth it to try some .451 GoldDots or can I rule them out because the .451 Hornadys don't do well...

Also...I've picked up a box of the .429 Hornadys in 240gr and I'm trying to find the 300 grs as well...

It would be nice to find a loading with an alternate bullet that grouped well and hit close to where the 250 Shockwaves do so I can try each and not change the scope...

So...How many of you guys have multiple bullets that you can try and not change your scope settings???

If I find the right combination I'm hoping to find them in bulk and stock up on the .429 sabots as well...I've got plenty of the .451 MMP-24 sabots for .45s, just never tried the .429s...

And finally...Should I be trying the 200gr Shockwaves in .40 caliber??? I'd prefer bulk bullets but could be swayed...

[fusion]

I could be wrong but I thought the Hornady XTP in 250 & 300grain are .452 diameter??

[cayugad]

In 300 grain you can get the .430 diameter. I shoot them all the time in a green harvester crushed rib sabot. One of my favorite bullets actually. They are accurate, and expand in my test medium real well.

I can change to different bullets but have found that most require a "slight" scope adjustment if I wanted to hunt with that scope true on. Although in the 240 class it seems to be a lot less.

[TNHagies]

I don't know how close (POI wise) they will be to your 250s but my long range bullet is the .400 200g XTP out of a crush rib. They fly well and hold together great.

I'd try the Gold Dot though. Just because they're the same shape as the XTP doesn't mean they'll shoot the same.

[kb1]

for me the best groups i got with xtp's were the .430 300gr with crushribs in my triumph.they grouped very close to the 250gr. sst's.the 3oogr.xtp also shot well in the nef-sidekick.the 250 gr.barnes tmz outshot the sst's in the knight vision which
suprised me,the sst's are usually the most accurate in most of my shooting.

[sabotloader]

nchawkeye

The Gold Dots would be .452 and they are really good shooters for me from my inlines and regular sidehammers, but you really need to kick them in the rear. I believe the performance of the gold Dot might surprise you as it is a bonded bullet and it has the expansion controlled something like a Nosler.

So...How many of you guys have multiple bullets that you can try and not change your scope settings???

I do shoot multiple bullets from a single gun.. When shooting 250 or 300 there really is not much to change except out there at the 175-200 yard range. Bu twhen switching to 40/200 grain bullets i do normally reset the scope to accomodate them.

I would also indicate to you the 40/200 XTP is an awesome whitetail bullet - think you might really be surprised with its performance... At this moment I am trying to make a .41/210 Gold Dot work as well but it can be to tight in a lot of bores.

[falcon]

In 300 grain you can get the .430 diameter. I shoot them all the time in a green harvester crushed rib sabot. One of my favorite bullets actually. They are accurate, and expand in my test medium real well.

Funny that you should mention those 300 grain XTP bullets and crush rib sabots. Fired them at the range today. Report coming later today.

[lemoyne]

Originally Posted by nchawkeye

Looks like I'll be taking my annual week off next year during the NC muzzleloading season...Most of my ML hunting is done with my .54 flintlock but I already know one farm will be planted in soybeans so I'm also taking my Knight Disc...She is sighted in with the 250 Shockwaves but due to the shortages we've seen in the past 3 years I want to have a backup ready...I've got 5 boxes of Shockwaves but want an excuse to experiment...

In the past I've tried the MMP-24 sabots and the Hornady XTP .451 bullets in 250 and 300 grains...They didn't group as well as the Shockwaves...My gun does love the MZ 300grs but not the 250 so I settled on the Shockwaves because they fly flatter...My personal limit with a muzzleloader is 150 yards...With the Shockwaves I am 2 1/2 high at 100 yards and about 3 inches low at 150...Hunting over beans a 150 yard shot could easily present itself...

Couple of questions...Would it be worth it to try some .451 GoldDots or can I rule them out because the .451 Hornadys don't do well...

Also...I've picked up a box of the .429 Hornadys in 240gr and I'm trying to find the 300 grs as well...

It would be nice to find a loading with an alternate bullet that grouped well and hit close to where the 250 Shockwaves do so I can try each and not change the scope...

So...How many of you guys have multiple bullets that you can try and not change your scope settings???

If I find the right combination I'm hoping to find them in bulk and stock up on the .429 sabots as well...I've got plenty of the .451 MMP-24 sabots for .45s, just never tried the .429s...

And finally...Should I be trying the 200gr Shockwaves in .40 caliber??? I'd prefer bulk bullets but could be swayed...

Maybe a couple of answers here
http://www.hornady.com/store/45-Cal-.452-250-gr-SST-ML
This bullet is very close relation to the SW and has shot identical for me they group the same come in boxes of 50 and I just bought a couple hundred. They do not test the same. I did not test the jacket but on the ones I did test the lead is a bit harder so I push them hard and they still shoot good.

On the question of multiple loads shooting the same, I accomplish that with different sabot. The Short Black Harvester shoots best with SW and FTX 250 & 300 but the XTP and especially the Gold Dot in my gun require the 300+ or long Black sabot then they come real close to the same point of impact and group in a minute of angle, naturally I had to work with the powder load some to get that what my gun likes is 115 gr Blackhorn to do this. I really like heavier loads with the FTX but all life is a compromise.
Your gun may not like the same sabots or loads mine does but what you want to do has been done by other people besides me.
A suggestion the Gold Dot and SW were the easy ones for me all I had to do was find the sabot they shot best with and the load they both liked. Lee

[Big Z]

Try some cheap shots...you wouldn't be breaking the bank to give 'em a whirl, and they do the trick fine on game.

[Chasam60]

When I shoot targets,I use several different bullets.Since I am shooting for fun,I concentrate on group size and do not care if the group is high or low. My scope is zeroed for my hunting load and I do not change it-not ever.

Charlie