This is the Knight Disc .50 caliber shooting Black Horn 209 powder yesterday. Overall pretty good groups.






Today this was the Knight Disc shooting Triple Se7en 2f powder. Again, pretty good groups although the 200 grain XTP were just wild today. Also the 300 grain XTP's normally group better then this, but a storm cloud was coming over so I shot that group and never swabbed the barrel. I was using MMP HPH-24 sabots and other then some crud ring in the bottom (and not really all that bad) they loaded like a dream.



The real surprise of the day were the Shockwaves. I ran out of 300 grain yesterday and thought I had more but [&o] my stock is low. But I did have some 250 grain Shockwaves so I used them. I only loaded 90 grains of powder because I knew that the Shockwaves shot best with that charge. Well I had a good group going. The first two were almost the same hole. Then that third one jumped way out there but the next two were again back to the original spot. Needless to say, I was pleased.

So overall, Triple Se7en will shoot just as good if not better groups out of that rifle. But take into account, with the BlackHorn 209 I have never tuned the loads like I have with the Triple Se7en 2f. So to be fair, this was not a test of accuracy with the BlackHorn 209.

I am still wondering what I did wrong with them 200 grain XTP's. That kind of bothered me a little.

We had an unbelieveable down pour this morning, just after I got to the range and got set up, since I have to hunt in the rain sometimes i deceided to shoot anyway. It was raining so hard at 10 am that I could barly see 100 yds so I deceided to try two of my stand hunting loads.
110 gr BH Gold Dot 250 usually groups under one inch it give me a 5 shot 3 inch group I was shock; the next load was 90 gr BH and 250 SW it usually groups an inch and it shoot two ragged holes one above the other right at an inch. The wind was gusting about 25 or 30 miles per hour but it was at 90 deg and I time that and all shots wer right where I expected them for windage. The Gold Dot is normally my best shooting bullet I sometimes get .625 groups center to center with it, but it sure don't like going through a down pour some holes looked a little bigger than they should be. Any ideas? Lee

Thanks for the comparison shoot Cayugad. That's really strange the way those 200 XTPs spread on you. Where'sLookiedatmoa when you need him?

Semi - when I threw that third Shockwave I immediately thought of your post on the muzzleloader gods. Then I swabbed the barrel real good, let it cool (went and had a glass of ice tea), and then really concentrated on the last two shots.. Had that one flier been in that hole, it might well have been the best 100 yard group I ever shot. So now I have something to work towards, as I know this rifle can do it.

Lee - Do you suspect that the moisture was effecting the BlackHorn 209? I do occasionally shoot in the rain, normally not a real down pour, but I do that to see what the powder will do in those circumstances.. Also, do you find that projectiles shoot higher in hot weather? Those Shockwaves, while just over the X should have actually hit in or under that X, the same as the others. And I really have no idea why those 10mm 200 grain XTP's went crazy. I have to order some more sabots from MMP as I ordered two hundred bullets, but have no sabots left.

The Shock Waves shot just like they normally do, it was raining like 8/10 of an inch in about 3/4 of an hour, I am guessing that maybe that big hollow point don't shoot well in that heavy a rain, do you suppose it could collect water in the hollow point? I ran some tests on BH and moisture has vert little affect on it. Lee

I would doubt water collects in the hollow point, but then again....

I am really glad to hear that you believe the BlackHorn 209 is not moisture sensative. Shooting in a downpour is really a difference experience. It's amazing how it will effect your line of sight. I say this from years of duck and goose hunting in fog and rain. It makes for an interesting day.

Good report Dave. I'm impressed with the 250 gr shockwaves. I think that is what I'd use.
How do you keep track of your loads for each rifle? It used to be easy - but now with so many ML, I find I have to keep a log of which on shoots what the best.
Even with a log, I keep trying new bullets, powder, charges, etc. Hopefully this week I am going to try some sabot/bullets in one of the .50 LRH barrels. I got some Harvester EZ load sabots 50/44 and going to try some 240 gr and 265 gr bullets I have. Report will follow.

Each rifle has its own computer file. In the file besides all the identification information of the rifle, there is a complete list of the range dates, with photographs of the session. Then I list the loads, powder charges, and make note of how they did.

I was going to build a data file for all of these and that way if I wanted to shoot a certain bullet I could pull up loads that I tried and what worked. Each would tell the range date that I could then go back and inspect.

But of course I have not done that yet, so I have to search the file for information when I want to know the load. Once I have SET loads, I enter them highlighted so they stand out more and are then easier to find.

Dave , I am fairly sure about that, I delibertly poured some on damp cloth and let it set for a bit then dumped it on to a dry cloth and rolled the cloth up and worked it around to take any excess off; the logic being if the powder absorbed the moisture like some will it would miss fire, all three shots fire with out any hesitation so I believe that it is at least resistant to humidity. I looked carefully at the holes in the paper besause they looked a bit different, I did not expect the rain to affect the flight of the bullet. I think I won't be taking any long shoots in the rain any way, but it would be nice to know just what effects it can cause; look how far just a good strong breeze can move one in a hundred yds. Lee

That's true.. especially a cross wind. The more I hear about his powder the more I like it. I even think that once distribution of it gets better, we might see price reductions or off season sales on the stuff. That would be the time to stock pile.