Me & my MK in the Rock Pit
 

The weather here broke last night and I was going nuts not shooting... So this morning I grabbed the MK and headed to Little Boulder Rock Pit....

It was really kinda sunny here in Moscow when I left and the temp was a balmy 34* - when I got to the pit out by Helmer - no sun and 32*... Way good for shooting.

My mission was to continue to learn about the MK, get a a good site-in with the Lehigh Sabotless bullets, and I wanted to move to 110 grains of T7-3f to see if the gun would handle that load with that bullet. My last range session - I had moved the load up 100 grains and it was very good... so will the 110 work.

Here is the setup at the Rock Pit....



I gotta tell you shooting the little MK is really fun. I guess I never really appeciated how good that old gun really is and howe well it shoots. The other thing I am re-thinking, and I have been lectured a bit about this from the 'Dirty White Boys' because I use a 209 in my my White U-Mag, shooting the #11 cap does not seem to handicap this gun at all. Shooting the 110 grain load and the moderately heavier 270 grain bullet - back pressure is not moving the plunger back at all. It certainly is not clean in the breech - but it is not a real mess and it does clean up easily.

I started out shooting the paper because I had never shot the gun at 100 yards and it is a good thing I did - it was way low. Shot 3 shots for a group to get a base (wish I had popped a couple of caps and dry patched the bore but not bad for open sites for me. Made sight adjustments up - then moved to the clay pigeons.... First 2 pigeons at 25 yards were not much of a challenge then the pigeons on the wall were great... one shot - one bird. I will use this gun for Idaho ML season, but I will have to switch to Dan's .5045/460 grain Bull Shops...

The paper target you see out there is not much to show but here is the pic...



After telling you about how well I liked the #11 setup, I am hoping to get out with the gun again tomarrow - this time with a 209 setup installed - got some really interesting testing to do. Problem weather is suppose to go to heck tonight...

Well that shows there is some good promise to the rifle. All I ever read about the MK-85 was how accurate they were. I am sure that you will prove that.

FWIW My mk-85's seem to shoot best with a load that isn't quite that hot. I usually use between 90 and 100 grains of triple 7 2f. I have shot 100 grains of goex 2f with good results also.

i'd really love to see the full pattern on that stock, How about putting it up against some green pine trees and snow?

Great shooting though with open sights!

I know I don't have to tell you this Sabotloader, but a 2" 100 yard group with iron sights is excellent. I hope for 3" with my peeps on my very best days.

But I'd sure like to see where all the shots between #2 and #33 hit. :s2:

Pete, have you shot the bullshops out of that rifle yet?

flounder33

Yes, i did a couple of trips back... I had to knurl some .504 Bull Shops to get them to fil good going down. They shot very well from the gun...

Eventually because of Idaho rules - I will end up shooting them for ML hunting.

Yes, but I am stubborn... if it will not shoot what I want i to shoot then I do not need the gun... but then, I am quite sure 100 grains would do all that I need done - but then I always think what if...

And a 2" group isn't to bad with open sights and 110 grains... the other thing is I am not recoil conscious so I do not even notice... The thing that makes the difference I think is this gun sits so well in this thumbhole Extreme stock.... no float at all on the barrel - just snug as a bug in a rug....

Nice Shooting Pete

I really was surprised when I measured it because to the naked eye it looked terrible - but I can live with 2". The other thing had I done my normal thing it might have been even better.

May be next trip... but I think I am going to use a 209 next trip just installed a the 209 conversion in case I can go in the morning.... I doubt that I will leave it that way but I do want to try it.... but like I said i was really happy with the #11 ignition.

OK the next time I get into the woods I will try to get a picture of on a stump or something... All I have around here is grass. And when I go to the farm all there is there is snow and stubble.

While I have a lot of rifles that "can" use 209 primers as a option, if they accept a #11 I go that route. I just seem to have less problems. For instance today, I was shooting a New Englander with #11 RWS 1075 caps. Even shooting Triple Seven, there was no crud ring. I swabbed but really did not need to. Why? No idea. But I do like that.

cayugad

Same here Dave, no need to run a patch at all... I am positive it is a combination of X-treme BC and the lack of heat and debris from a #11. The 209's throw all kind of debris out into the bore.

Breech

Ok I read your post twice... then the third time I read your signature line - bet no one else did....

I know I really do not want to ask but that is coming out of left field - so there has to be a bite in there someplace.

You know if the CVA reads that - there is going to be a reaction - unless it is a set up...

I wonder why nobody but me uses musket caps on their mk85, #11 are a bear to get off and on quickly in a reload situation where a fast shot is needed. Dynamit Nobel musket caps are great and fire off any powder I put in it. I'm glad the folks here steered me to noslers too.260's or 300 work great.

Gosh! i do not have that problem at all - I just turn the gun over and the torn #11 falls out.

Next time I am shooting with #11's I will get a picture and show you what is happening for me.

Pete I've been thinking about how you always use heavier charges than I do and always get good accuracy. It made me think about how some say a gun has two sweet spots, one is with a lower powder charge and then again another sweet spot with a higher charge. Did I explain what I mean well enough? Do you subscribe to that theory?

flounder33

You know until you just said that I had never thought of that... but it is entirely possible. It really is a matter of harmonics (vibrations) if you get those tuned right with bullet and powder you could do exactly what you are suggesting

Me too. :confused2:


Great shooting sabotloader! I've never been that good with open sights.

I love my mk, and it is a shooter also. #11's and 100gr of pyrodex w 260 knight jacketed bullets shoots 1" groups at 100 (scoped) and a one hole group at 50. It shoots better than I can :D


I like that stock btw....would like to see a close up of it also. Where did you get it, and how much?

WV Hunter

The stock on the MK is really a thumbhole stock of one of my Knight DISC Extremes. I just fits the Mk very well and I like the fit and feel and of course the camo pattern.

If you look closely you can see the inlet in the stock for the bolt handle. Did not really get a close up. Do you want me to get another one closer???

I actually have two stocks with this camo pattern on it. A Rem 700ml and the thumbhole. The pattern is called 'Winter Camo' Both of thse stocks used to be the normal black composite stocks.

I have them camo'ed at a business in Lewiston - about 30 miles from here. Tony does an excellent job on these stocks - he is kinda a peferction freak.. He charges $85 for the job which ever patern you choose. Here is his web site.

http://www.filmdipper.com/filmdipper/

I really am not a photographer - one of the many things I can not do. But here are some pictures - gonna try to get some in natural light when I can...

SabotLoader, all you need to do know is discover the best of both ignitions, and put a musket cap ignition system on your MK-85. IMO it really is the best of both worlds. A good hot ignition. But not powerful enough to partially blow your load out before powder ignition.

I load over 100 grains of 3F BP in my rifle with a 525 grain conical. And it shoots so well that no one would believe me if I told you how well it shoots.

Please explain to people that it only takes 5 minutes or less in additional time to clean the rifle. And also that it has undoubtedly the best trigger of any factory MZ ever made!! Tom.

Don't say nobody. I have been preaching about the musket cap ignition on the MK-85 for a long time. I put the musket cap hammer(and nipple) on my MK-85 many years ago(probably over 15 years ago). Best move I ever made on MZ's. The musket cap is probably the best ignition system there is for an MZ. More than hot enough for 100% reliable powder ignition, but not too powerful to partially blow the load before powder ignition. Tom.

I have know doubt that the musket cap would work and work well. I just prefer the #11's (RWS 1075+) as I know when I put them on the post they will stay there and the fact that I can put a rain jacket on the #11 and keep the water out. I have never had a problem with #11's pushing the load off the powder either even though I am using #11 Magnum caps - they are pretty mild also.

But then again I have never had a problem with 209's doing that either if you keep your powder dry.

100 grain and a 525 that should be quite a thump on both ends. Eventually I will be using a 460 grain Bull Shop Conical for hunting the ML season here in Idaho.

Well I have been shooting a plunger gun for a long time... a Remington 700ml, so I was not expecting a clean breech especially shooting 20/30 times at the range. So for me the removal of the hammer system - nipple - breech plug is a simple matter and clean is a snap - I really do not mid it at all.

The trigger - awesome - it really is hard to beat a fully adjustable Timney trigger - mine is just glass smooth and one of the reasons that the gun shoots so well.

I am really happy that I got the MK - I was thinking one time about a Big Horn but I really like the reciever on the MK better. Wish they used the same design on the DISC series.

Even though i havent shot mine yet, the trigger is amazingly smooth and light. I also cant believe how light the MK is for a full sized ML.

Field and Stream picked it as one of the top 50 guns of all time. It ranked 37 including centerfires.