johnny2

Alright now..Took a trip down to Pennsylvania to get my license
and muzzle loader stamp....At Wal mart----They have very little
out in the line for muzzleloaders....My powder will be Goex 2F...

I picked up one pack of Hornady Sabots 240 grain XTP/MAG
50 cal....

Now I need a starting point for the charge and was wondering
where to start..My plan is to try to get it sighted at 100 for now..

Please feel free to chime in here with you thoughts and wisdom..
Thanks....Johnny

Semisane

So far as I know johnny, you and I are the only Mustang owners in the entire world. So, I'll give you all of the help I can.

Unfortunately, I haven't shot mine with GOEX much - only a few loads very recently. For my total experience with it seemy post "GOEX In The Mustang" at http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2849380&mpage=1&key=GOEX%2cMusta ng&#2849380 and "More GOEX In The Mustang" at http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2878971&mpage=1&key=GOEX%2cMusta ng&#2878971

Most of my shooting has been with T7 and Pyrodex. As I've said before, my Mustang will shoot just about anything "hunting load" accurate (i.e. three inch 100 yard groups) but it's no one hole rifle, at least not with any load I've tried - and I've tried a lot.

My personal hunting load is 80 grains weight of T7 FFG(about 100 grainsvolume)under a 300 grain Speer Gold Dot in a Harvester short black sabot. I getaround 1750 fps with this load. The target below is representative of the kind of groups it will shoot if I do my part.Note that each shot on this target was from a fully cleaned barrel that was wiped with a very lightly oiled patch after the bullet was loaded. I use this load because I can leave the gun loaded as long as I want with no worry.



Since you have some Hornady 240 XTPs, I checked my records for that bullet. I shot some of those in March `07and got some of the worst groups my gun has ever shot. I got 5" 100 yard groups with 100 grains of Pyrodex Selectat 1600 fps, and 3 3/4" groups with 85 grains T7 FFG (didn't record velocity). Of course, every gun is different and yours may shoot them just fine. But Ifind longer bullets work better in my gun and those 240s are pretty short.

I have had pretty good results with the 250 grain Gold Dot in crush rib sabots over 90 grains T7 FFG. Got an average velocity of 1738 fps and 1 1/8" 50 yard groups. The group opens up to 3" at 100 yards, but that's still plenty good enough for deer.

When I first got the gun I was shooting 245 grain Barnes Spitfires and they shot real well. Something like 2 1/2" 100 yard groups. Being all copper they are long for their weight.I just won't pay the price for them anymore.

I've done some very limited shooting with slip fit conicals if you're inclined to go that way. The.503 460 grain Bull Shopsshowed promise.See "Sabotloader Is A Cruel, Cruel Man" at http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2692410&mpage=1&key=bull%2cshop& amp;#2692410

I'm looking forward to reports of your shooting results.

johnny2

Semi----So does that make us special or just so-so?????

Guess I will just have to do some testing and find out what works..
I have until the middle of October to get things in order....I appreciate
your valued ideas..Do you pull the breech plug and clean while shooting
or wait until your finished?
Goex is what I use in my cartridge rifles,so I have plenty of it on hand..

I may have some triple 7 an Pyro-but not sure...Thanks again....I will post results.

Semisane

I use teflon tape on my breechplug - no grease at all. I never pull the plug until I'm finished shooting and have gone through 40 or 50 shots in one session and hadno difficulty taking out the plug. Put enough tape on the threads so that the plug is a little stiff getting in. It makes a good seal.

When I'm doing my "clean barrel" load development, I use three or four patches(both sides) dampenedwith Butch's Bore Shine or Windex w/vinegar. The first patch is pretty wet, each following patch a little dryer. Then both sides of one clean dry patch. Then an alcohol patch. After that, the bore is in a fully clean state. Actually, the third damp patch usually shows very little to nofouling. But I only go through all of that for the final"clean barrel" sight in, andafter I've found the load I want to shoot. When I'm testing loads I use both sides of one damp patch and both sides of one dry patch between shots.

I still have someT7 on hand, plus some Pyrodex and JSG. Probably five pounds in all. When that's all used up I plan to stick with GOEX FFFg for all of my guns. So I'll be working some more with GOEX and the Mustang in future shooting sessions.

One thing I advise. Make a shooting plan before you go to the range, and be systemetic. Plan something like five three-shot or five-shot groups with the same bullet and sabot and different powder charges.Next time out, do the same with a different bullet, or a different powder, or with the best powder charge from your last session with different sabots. And keep your targets with the load and distance noted on them, ora good note book. Believe me, you will NOTremember what combinations you've shot or how they did otherwise.

I wasted a lot of time and powder early on with haphazard range sessions. Shooting two or three bullets of one kind, then two or three of another with a different powder charge,and then something else entirely different. Itwas kind of fun, but I really didn't learn a lot about any of the loads..