1st range session with Knight Vision
10-07-2011, 04:28 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,482
1st range session with Knight Vision
Well, a couple months ago those Knight Visions on clearance became too much of a temptation to bear, and I ended up with one. This week was the first time I had a chance to take it out and shoot it. Here was my setup. As you can see, unfortunately the corn field limited my shooting to 50 yards.
I heard Knight's can be powder hogs so after boresighting it, I loaded up 110 grains T7 FFG with a .40 cal 200 XTP and a MMP blue sabot and started shooting. After 2 shots and 2 scope adjustments, this is what I shot:
Not too shabby for shots 3, 4 and 5 out of a virgin muzzy with no tweaking. So I made some more adjustments and shot several more times to get closer. I was using 200 XTP's to sight it in, because I'm planning on using the 185 Lehigh to hunt with, and I figured they would have a similar POI (I have a lot of 200 XTP's and they are cheap). So several shots later I shot this:
Load was also 110 grains T7 FFG and MMP blue sabot. Not quite as good as the 200 XTP, but still pretty darn good for a new muzzy with no tweaks or load development. I will probably end up using this load for deer hunting this year, though I would like to see what it does at 100 yards before I decide for sure.
After that, I decided to try some 250 Deep Curls with Harvestor crush rib sabots. This is what I got:
This load was with 100 grains T7. Hmmmm, not so good. I didn't have time to play around more. Might have been the sabot- the crush ribs were fairly loose, especially compared to the MMP's which took considerable force to load.
After about 20 shots there was zero, and I mean no blowback at all:
Overall, I was very impressed. The Vision is built like a tank, which I really like. Seems like you could roll a 18 wheeler over it and it would just scratch it up some. It's heavy, which I also like- it soaks up the recoil. With 110 grains T7 I would describe the recoil as mild. It does have a long LOP, but being pretty tall, it didn't bother me that much. Shouldering it offhand, it fit just fine. Shooting off the bench, the LOP was a bit long- I may do what Sabotloader did and chop off a little of the stock. But for now it is okay.
I really need to try it out at 100 yards to be sure, but I was tickled pink at how good it shot right out of the box with no alterations. I have an old CVA that right now shoots really good (1.5" at 100 yards with several loads) but it took a lot of load development and some adjustments to the rifle to get it there. Out of the box that CVA was shooting pretty poorly- it took me a couple years to get it shooting really good.
Anyone have any idea how fast that 185 Lehigh is moving with 110 grains T7? I was guessing around 2100 fps, but I don't have a chrono to confirm. Good job Knight! This is not an "entry level" muzzy in my book. (****Just a disclaimer***** I am in no way affiliated with Knight, this is my first Knight muzzy - my other 2 are CVA's- so this is just unbiased opinion, take it for what it's worth)
Also, another favor- anyone with a ballistics calculator mind figuring out how much this load might drop? My shots are usually 100 yards or less, but it never hurts to be ready....
I heard Knight's can be powder hogs so after boresighting it, I loaded up 110 grains T7 FFG with a .40 cal 200 XTP and a MMP blue sabot and started shooting. After 2 shots and 2 scope adjustments, this is what I shot:
Not too shabby for shots 3, 4 and 5 out of a virgin muzzy with no tweaking. So I made some more adjustments and shot several more times to get closer. I was using 200 XTP's to sight it in, because I'm planning on using the 185 Lehigh to hunt with, and I figured they would have a similar POI (I have a lot of 200 XTP's and they are cheap). So several shots later I shot this:
Load was also 110 grains T7 FFG and MMP blue sabot. Not quite as good as the 200 XTP, but still pretty darn good for a new muzzy with no tweaks or load development. I will probably end up using this load for deer hunting this year, though I would like to see what it does at 100 yards before I decide for sure.
After that, I decided to try some 250 Deep Curls with Harvestor crush rib sabots. This is what I got:
This load was with 100 grains T7. Hmmmm, not so good. I didn't have time to play around more. Might have been the sabot- the crush ribs were fairly loose, especially compared to the MMP's which took considerable force to load.
After about 20 shots there was zero, and I mean no blowback at all:
Overall, I was very impressed. The Vision is built like a tank, which I really like. Seems like you could roll a 18 wheeler over it and it would just scratch it up some. It's heavy, which I also like- it soaks up the recoil. With 110 grains T7 I would describe the recoil as mild. It does have a long LOP, but being pretty tall, it didn't bother me that much. Shouldering it offhand, it fit just fine. Shooting off the bench, the LOP was a bit long- I may do what Sabotloader did and chop off a little of the stock. But for now it is okay.
I really need to try it out at 100 yards to be sure, but I was tickled pink at how good it shot right out of the box with no alterations. I have an old CVA that right now shoots really good (1.5" at 100 yards with several loads) but it took a lot of load development and some adjustments to the rifle to get it there. Out of the box that CVA was shooting pretty poorly- it took me a couple years to get it shooting really good.
Anyone have any idea how fast that 185 Lehigh is moving with 110 grains T7? I was guessing around 2100 fps, but I don't have a chrono to confirm. Good job Knight! This is not an "entry level" muzzy in my book. (****Just a disclaimer***** I am in no way affiliated with Knight, this is my first Knight muzzy - my other 2 are CVA's- so this is just unbiased opinion, take it for what it's worth)
Also, another favor- anyone with a ballistics calculator mind figuring out how much this load might drop? My shots are usually 100 yards or less, but it never hurts to be ready....
Last edited by oldsmellhound; 10-07-2011 at 04:34 PM.
10-07-2011, 04:41 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
For the first time out of the box, that rifle does real well. I was on Sportsmans Guide the other day, as I saw they still had some Knight Visions in their catalog. But I did not find them on their sight. Thank goodness.
10-07-2011, 04:57 PM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
oldsmellhound
I would think but do not know for sure since it is your gun... but I would think that a Crush Rib - might be a tad small for the best accuracy...
I really think they are good shooters + NO HAMMER TO PULL BACK!!! The hammerless design with a moveable trigger hammer safety is much preferred by myself.
I would think but do not know for sure since it is your gun... but I would think that a Crush Rib - might be a tad small for the best accuracy...
I really think they are good shooters + NO HAMMER TO PULL BACK!!! The hammerless design with a moveable trigger hammer safety is much preferred by myself.
Last edited by sabotloader; 10-08-2011 at 09:19 AM.
10-07-2011, 05:11 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 369
.
10-07-2011, 05:42 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Saxonburg Pa
Posts: 3,925
The Knight Vision is the second best brake open ML out of the box i ever used. With a little tweaking it can be very good.
Knight Vision Data,
200grn Hornady SST, 135grns by volume= 2326 avg 10 shots
200grn Hornady SST, 125grns by volume= 2143 avg 10 shots
200grn Lehigh, 125grns by volume= 2150 avg 10 shots, usually the Lehigh is a tad slower then the SST. The barrel might of been warmer when i did this testing.
Congratulations on buying a great ML.
Knight Vision Data,
200grn Hornady SST, 135grns by volume= 2326 avg 10 shots
200grn Hornady SST, 125grns by volume= 2143 avg 10 shots
200grn Lehigh, 125grns by volume= 2150 avg 10 shots, usually the Lehigh is a tad slower then the SST. The barrel might of been warmer when i did this testing.
Congratulations on buying a great ML.
10-07-2011, 06:12 PM
#8
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,747
Dang Grouse....that's a lot of powder AND a lot of velocity for those 200 gr bullets!
You're exceeding 35 Remington ballistics with those loads. And I am assuming these are .40 cal bullets??!?!
That is some potent medicine coming out of that muzzle.
You're exceeding 35 Remington ballistics with those loads. And I am assuming these are .40 cal bullets??!?!
That is some potent medicine coming out of that muzzle.
10-07-2011, 06:38 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Saxonburg Pa
Posts: 3,925
The 250grn SST is a little over 2300fps with 140grns of BH209 by volume. It handles and shoots that load really well. I will say I have no luck at all with crush rib sabots.
10-07-2011, 07:09 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,482
Thanks for the info. I bought the Vision at Sportman's Guide for $159, but I had a coupon that brought the price down to $120 shipping included. Kinda hard to beat that deal.
I've not had much success with the crush rib- I tried them some in my CVA Wolf and got less than stellar accuracy. Switching to MMP's tightened groups up a lot. The only Harvestor sabot I've had good results with is the Harvestor light blue .45/.40 sabot out of my .45 CVA. I get 1.5 MOA at 100 yards with either the 200 SST or 200 XTP.
I've not had much success with the crush rib- I tried them some in my CVA Wolf and got less than stellar accuracy. Switching to MMP's tightened groups up a lot. The only Harvestor sabot I've had good results with is the Harvestor light blue .45/.40 sabot out of my .45 CVA. I get 1.5 MOA at 100 yards with either the 200 SST or 200 XTP.