cayugad

3-8-09 1:20 PM
22ºs overcast, windy, cold
Distance: 13-45 yards
Shotgun: Knight TK2000 w/ Bushnell RED DOT sight
Powder:American Pioneer Powder 2f 100 grains
Shot:#5 all lead
Primers: Winchester W209
Shotcups:3-1/2 inch green hard plastic, 3-1/2 inch softer clear plastic



As you might note, one of Lane's tubes is almost filled to the top with #5 lead shot. That's a lot of weight to push down the barrel of that shotgun.

I had bore sighted the red dot, so I set the first target up at 13 yards used the 5MOA dot and let fly...



The scope I suspect here was a little low, but I put a new target on and backed out to 25 yards, held the same sight pattern and let that cannon go.



My suspicions were correct. It was hitting low, so I turned up the RED DOT, and shot one more time at this same target. There was no need to post a picture of it, as it was totally blow away from the two hits. But the raise in POA looked pretty good. So I loaded up again (using APP I do not have to swab)



Here is where things got interesting. With the clear plastic cup at 35 yards, I was not impressed with the pattern. So I loaded up the hard green plastic cup and shot at an X on the bottom of the box. I only knew that X was about dead center of the box, but I could hardly make it out. BUT the harder green shot cup did a much better job at holding the pattern tighter.

The same proved true at 40 yards. It held more holes in the kill area of the box with the hard green shot cup as did with the clear plastic one. At 45 yards the pattern was not that good for some reason. I suspect the powder. My notes indicated last year I was shooting with Pyrodex RS. So I might try that or some Triple Seven next time.

Recoil was not all that bad, but I had a heavy jacket on because it was cold out there. Also I am not sold on this RED DOT. I might change over to a 1x scope and see if I like that better.

hunting junkie

Looks like you got a dead bird there.Is that a special barrel your using.Shotgun muzzleloading is new to me.

cayugad

No, this is just a Knight TK2000 with a turkey choke on it. I want to try a few more things and see if I can get a little more range out of it.

Gotbuck

Cayugad, one thing I have not tried with my gun is to not use the shot cup. You might try loading the powder then the shot then put a card on top and shoot.I have not tried it as I have had great success beyond 50 yds if I pack the cup and shot good and tight in the bore afterI put on a shot card. A fellow I know has had the same problem and he uses 777 , winchester primers and 2-1/2 oz of #4 all without the cup and shoots to his liking at 30 yards. I use 110 gr of Pyrodex P the 3-1/2" red cups and #4 shot and Remington Kleenbores out to 62 yds. The weight of the shot really dictates how much powderI use. If you use the full 2-1/2 oz of shot the 110-120 gr should be used as it gets great results. If you go down to the 2-3/4" shot cup I have had success with 80-100 grs out to 40 yds. I have not shot APP out of my gun as Pyrodex seems to be what it likes. Each gun is diffrent so all you can do is try.

cayugad

Gotbuck.. I tried the APP because it is what I use in the New Englander. I did not like the results of APP in the Knight. I think next time out I will try the Pyrodex RS and see if that works good. Do you find that you have to swab when you shoot Pyrodex RS?

Gotbuck

I always swab no matter the powder, but being Pyrodex you will have to swab a little more if you shoot the higher loads which tend to have more fowling if you are using anything other than kleenbore primers. The Kleenbores seem to keep it down to a minimum and last time I shot I did test to see how long I could go without swabbing and it seemed to be somewhere around 12 times but only using Kleenbores, I used winchester, regular remingtons, and 777 primers and they really fowled everything to hell.

cayugad

Well we are having another blast of winter today... raining now, and then the snow blizzard in the Dakota's is headed this way. So there will be no shooting for me today. But its only a matter of time before this stuff ends.

Thanks for the heads up on the primers.

lemoyne

cayugad
Its funny how much difference 850 miles can make we are having a foretaste of summer yesterday and today got up to 80 yesterday and it 75 right now; supposed to be back down to freezing thursday night and a high of 40+.
One thing about it here if you don't like the weather just wait a bit it will change, 39 mile an hour wind so I stay home and worked on the roses instead of going shooting. Lee