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Bullet/load questions...

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Bullet/load questions...

Old 09-26-2002, 08:08 PM
  #1  
Nontypical Buck
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Default Bullet/load questions...

Hello everyone,

I am trying to decide on a load for my Knight DISC .50, but I have a couple of questions regarding bullet selection.

First I should say that I'm going to be hunting Whitetails at <100 yards. I'd also like to keep the powder charge at 100 grains if possible (Pyrodex pellets), but if necessary I'd go to 150 if the extra velocity would siginificantly improve the terminal performance of the bullet. I've also narrowed down my choices of bullets to either .50cal Powerbelt conical bullets or Precision Rifle sabots in the 300+ grain weight range.

My questions are as follows:

1.) Which brand of bullets tend to give the best accuracy and expansion in a Knight disc?

2.) what is the difference in terminal performance between the hollow point and polymer tipped bullets at velocities typical of 100grain pyrodex charges?

3.) Regarding Powerbelts, is there any significant difference in terminal performance between the lead and jacketed bullets of similar weight?

4.) Are the Cabelas Dead Center and X-Tended Range bullets made by PR, and if so, do they correspond to the PR Dead Center and QT bullets respectively?

I appreciate your suggestions,

Mike



Gun control means putting the second bullet through the same hole as the first- Ted Nugent
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Old 09-27-2002, 07:39 AM
  #2  
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Default RE: Bullet/load questions...

1. I have heard that the Knight rifles tend to favor some kind of sabot over the Power Belts, but ALL RIFLES, muzzleloading and breechloading, are INDIVIDUALS, so you have to do at least some testing of different bullets and powder charges with YOUR OWN RIFLE!!! THIS CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASIZED!! 2. The hollowpoint type tend to expand a little more, AND START EXPANDING SOONER, after hitting the target. 3. The "jacketed" Power Belts are NOT JACKETED AT ALL, merely copper-plated pure lead. They lead your bore less, but behave pretty much the same as the plain unplated ones when they hit something. 4. Don't know anything about these Cabela's bullets!! If you plan to shoot elk, moose, or big bears with your Power Belts, use the heaviest ones you can accurately shoot from your barrel!!

Keep yore powder dry!!
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Old 09-27-2002, 07:44 AM
  #3  
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Default RE: Bullet/load questions...

driftrider, I suggest you read the "If you Elk Hunt read this!!!" post below!!

Keep yore powder dry!!
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Old 09-27-2002, 08:38 AM
  #4  
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Default RE: Bullet/load questions...

The Cabela's Extended range & Dead Center bullets are indeed made for them by Precision Rifle. They are excellent choices for your Knight. I have had excellent results (Knight USAK) with the 350gr Xtended Range bullets and I just started to work with the Dead Centers.......and I expect good things from them as well.

If you want to see exactly how the Xtendeds work on game, check this site out from my hog hunt this year - it has a good post-mortem picture of how it works on game:

http://community.webshots.com/album/39293886KUEdol



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Old 09-27-2002, 10:04 AM
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Default RE: Bullet/load questions...

Eldeguello,

I really do appreciate your advice, but there is really no reason to SHOUT! I forgot to mention that this is not my first muzzleloader (I've owned both a T/C Hawken and I this Knight will retire my Traditions Buckhunter). I ask these questions because I have little experience with sabots since the only bullet I found to shoot with my expected level of accuracy in the Traditions was a Hornady Great Plains 460gr conical. The T/C mostly shot round ball. I know for a fact that the Great Plains conicals WILL train wreck a whitetail at short to moderate ranges, but the Knight manual specifically warns against conicals and I want to select a projectile that matches the performance of the Knight.

Mark,

I looked at your before and after pics of the XTended range bullet, and have to say that they expand much better than I expected. Do you have any problems loading the pure lead bullets without deforming them. I experimented with the PR Keith nose .45 sabots with my Traditions some time ago, and found them to be so hard to load, even with a clean bore, that the nose of the bullet was always deformed by the time the bullet was seated destroying accuracy.

Thanks again,

Mike


Gun control means putting the second bullet through the same hole as the first- Ted Nugent
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Old 09-27-2002, 11:51 PM
  #6  
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Default RE: Bullet/load questions...

I'm going to throw my wrench in here. Personally I use 240 Gr hornady saboted bullets with 100GR pellets. My groups are 1" at 100. I have taken 4 big game animals,3-deer and 1-Black Bear, in my 50 Cal. 700MLS.

I have 2 buddies who shoot knight disc 50Cal, started big and ended up at the same bullet with better groups.

So if your tinkering why not try them.

Oh I have heard it all, I need the knock down power, better accuracy, etc. But yet have never fired a 240Gr bullet. I have and I ain't switching unless Moose are on the menu.

I tired several combo's and ended up here.

Like said all guns are individuals, what works in one may do nothing in another.

Good luck!!!

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Old 09-28-2002, 07:11 AM
  #7  
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Default RE: Bullet/load questions...

driftrider, I'm sorry about shouting! When you get old and deaf, you tend to think everyone else is too! So you hafta shout so they can hear you!!

Keep yore powder dry!!
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Old 09-28-2002, 03:37 PM
  #8  
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Default RE: Bullet/load questions...

No offense taken...

Skeeter,

The only reason I'm reluctant to use jacketed bullets is because of an experience my Dad had three years ago with the very same Hornady XTP 240gr sabots w/90grains of FFg BP. He took a broadside shot at a medium sized six-pointer at about 50 yards. He said that after the smoke cleared the buck was still standing there like nothing happened for a couple seconds, before it bounded up over hill and out of sight. He tracked it, by his estimate, half a mile before finding him. Turns out the shot wasn't perfectly placed (in one side at an angle only grasing between two ribs and punching one lung) and went clean through without expanding. Both holes were just big enough to fit a pinky finger into. The bullet didn't eapand, so there was little shock and peripheral tissue damage. The next year he switched back to big Hornady HP conicals whith which such a shot would have been almost instantly fatal.

Now, that being said, I'm not dead set against using a jacketed pistol bullet (I still have about 25 300 grain PTX sabots that I plan to try, if only to plink with), but I want one that will perform as well or better than the big conicals I know work.

I appreciate your advice, thank you.

Mike


Gun control means putting the second bullet through the same hole as the first- Ted Nugent
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