cayugad

I've been testing Black Mag 3 the last couple days. I was at the 50 yard line shooting Black Mag 3 in a flintlock. Well it works with a black powder 4f prime, but there is delay. It worked better when I duplexed it with 10 grains of Goex. But I think I will stick with the Goex when it comes to my rock locks.




Then I decided to see how it behaved in my White Ultra Mag .504.
I did not alcohol swab the barrel since it was protected with Sheath from Birchwood Casey Products. Instead I push a clean patch to the bottom of the breech and popped one RWS cap. Pulled the patch and it was all burnt up so I figured I was good to go.

I loaded 70 grains of Black Mag 3 - no wads - no corn meal- and a 460 grain BullShop Conical. The weight of my range rod loaded the conical all but the last two inches. With the conical firmly in place...

At the center bull target (lower left corner) off one sand bag as a rest, I shot a four shot group. The first shot hit right there with all the others. There was lots of smoke, and the steel trap really sang out when it got smacked. I have no idea in the world what the speed of that would be with 70 grains.

No swabbing what so ever, I shot at the upper right corner of the target (upper left in the picture). I was a little excited with that group and left it at a four shot group.

I then aimed at the lower right corner of the target (an picture) and shot a four shot group again. Then we had to show off and I threw one. Why, who knows. I think it was the muzzleloader Gods playing a joke on me.

I shot a total today of forty conicals (should make Bull Shop happy as I will be ordering soon) and never swabbed, had a misfire, or a hang fire. This Black Mag 3 worked pretty good in the White I have to admit.

Clean up of the barrel was easy. I took the rifle apart, poured two cups of hot dishwater through the barrel and it was all done. I scrubbed the breech, the breech plug, and the hammer all in under five minutes. Back at the bench I wiped the scope down, ran solvent patches through everything and found there was no need for that. And had the rifle back together and on the shelf in just over 18 minutes. Not too bad.

I might actually get to like this powder for the White. Especially with the first shot hitting with all the others. That would mean I could leave the rifle loaded all season until needed and expect no rust, and excellent accuracy... trouble is I have no more Black Mag 3 to play with until I can get my hands on some more...three days of shooting on a pound will about do them in.

Just wanted you all to know... As for the flintlock it was a lot more fun & faster ignition, shooting the 100 grain of Goex 2f and a .530 patched roundball then with the black mag....

lemoyne

MLKeith,I had the same problem with my Omega and I noticed it had a few light burrs so I lapped it with diamond polishing compound now even 777 is useable it does leave a crud ring but nothing like before. I dont know if polishing will help yours but it made a world of differance in mine it loads much easier to. Lee

Hunter John

Cayugad - That BM3 sure did work wonders in your White, but I'm in your camp. To pay double or triple for something, it darn well better perform twice or three times as good as the alternative...or I'm using the alternative.

Let's face it, unless you're into competitive ML shooting, the difference between a 1 inch group vs a 1 1/2 group at 50 yards is really insignificant. Especially when the goal is to double lung a deer. Yes, I know, ML hunters should always strive to find and then shoot the most accurate projectile possible out of their smokepole, but IMHO, paying that kind of bread for BM3 is unnecessary when there are some many other alternatives that can be used.

Cayugad, thanks as always for your report. Been out chasing deer (nah, the freezer is still empty [:@]) with my bow so I've been away from the board for awhile.

cayugad

While today the Black Mag 3 really impressed me a lot, I am still with the opinion, crud rings are not my problem and I hate to pay double or more, for the same amount of powder. If I happen to get to where they sell more, I will probably get another pound (only because I love to tinker). I do want to get a chronograph. I am starting to understand just how helpful they can be in the development of loads.

MidwayUSA has a "Chrony F1" for $69.99 and the Chrony F1 Master (which has a remote monitor) for $79.99. I want to research this model and see if it is any good, and if the extra $10.00 for the remote monitor is worth it. Any experience from any of you on this model would be appreciated....

lemoyne

cayugad,I have the original chrony which is similar to the F1, I have use it for something like18 years it still does the job I just set it up and put my spoting scope on the tripod so I can read it with out running out on the range all the time and I mark all my answers down and keep them in a note book so I can refer back to them.I would like one of the new ones but cant justify the expense as long as this one works good.Lee

cayugad

Do you think that remote screen is worth the money... my worry is, that's just one more thing to break. Although I could have to get a spotting scope then to check my chrony.. I use the scope of a rifle to check my hits and am not sure I could read a small Chrony down range with it.

sabotloader

cayugad

I am using and have been using a for a couple of years now a ProChrono Digital - It really works well. I have made some modification on it by wrapping the hole thing in heavy turkey basting foil, cut out the motion windows on top and put clear package tape acroos them for protection. When shooting I put a clear zip lock bag over the read out display secured with a rubber band.

I only place the chrono about 12 ft in front of the muzzle - I want to make sure that the sabot passes through with hitting the chrono. From 12/15 feet I have no problem reading the read out. One of the draw backs is you need to clean the sky screen rods after shooting because they become coated with residue from the muzzle blast. I mount it on a heavy camera tri-pod with two of the three legs to the rear. I really do not see the chrono absorbing a lot of shock from the blast but there must be some. When I set it up I set it so the scope is looking just under the sky screens - I do not see the chrono at all through the scope, I am calculating the sabot and the bullet pass about 3 to 4" inches under the sky screens.

Remember also Grouse offers a chrono boxfor protection. Their are only two types of Chrono's - One that is packed away and never inharms way and theONE the oneyou are shooting through that will eventually get clipped by a sabot.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/pro-chrono.htm

http://www.competitionelectronics.com/shooting%20products.html

Cabelas- 99.99

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=null-cat600816_TGP&id=0004513221339a&navCount=0 &podId=0004513&parentId=cat600816&mast erpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IG&am p;rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat600816& amp;cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=grav itystream.com&cm_pla=&cm_ite=netcon&ha sJS=true

I also need to tell that when I am shooting through the chrono - it really makes me nervous so I do not get to concerned about groups. So far I have not gotten the courage to set the chrono at the 100 yard target so I can record the actual velocity @ 100 yards. One day I am going to work up that courage but I am not in a hurry yet.

If you get one have fun with it...

cascadedad

Hey Mike,

Next time you come over, bring that chrono. I won't be nervous at all to shoot through it at 100 yards.

cayugad

ya Mike.. he can afford to buy you a new one..

MLKeith

I have the base Crony and it works just great. Two problems; the screen has to be read either up close or with a scope and it is subject to burning powder and sabots or wads. Personally if I were to start over I would spend the money for the remote screen. I had to make a plexiglas cover for the screen on mine as the first one had to be repaired by Crony after I wrecked it with black powder rifles. I think they have a cover available but the remote one solves that problem.