150 grains
01-12-2005, 04:51 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Iowa
Posts: 779
150 grains
Does anyone think my .45 caliber knight wolverine would have any problems shooting 150 grains? The owners manual says it can but i've seen some pictures of blown up rifles and i'd hate for that to happen to me.
01-12-2005, 04:58 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
RE: 150 grains
QTompkins2005,
If your manual says the rifle is OK for 150 or equivilent loads, mechanically you are ok. Me, I would work my way up to that amount if I thought it a necessity to shoot that heavy of a load.
I do not own any 45 cals so I can tell you much about performance or effects on accuracy.
If your manual says the rifle is OK for 150 or equivilent loads, mechanically you are ok. Me, I would work my way up to that amount if I thought it a necessity to shoot that heavy of a load.
I do not own any 45 cals so I can tell you much about performance or effects on accuracy.
01-12-2005, 05:35 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wabash, IN
Posts: 826
RE: 150 grains
It's good for firing 150gr of PELLET powder, but probably not 150gr loose powder loads. The older versions of the Wolverine & USAK were only good for 120gr of Loose powder and I think that is a very good limit if you use loose.
Typically you WILL loose accuracy with too much powder - especially if you're using bullets lighter than 300gr in weight. It's actually a lot easier to over-power the lighter bullets with these fast twist barrels than many people think it is. Since about the Heaviest bullet sold for the .45s are the 275gr PowerBelts, I would say 100gr of loose powder is as far as you can go and expect much accuracy out of your Knight. Work your loads up starting at 80gr & work up to 100gr in 5gr increments and I'd venture to say that the odds are over 90% that your most accurate load will be found in that range.
Typically you WILL loose accuracy with too much powder - especially if you're using bullets lighter than 300gr in weight. It's actually a lot easier to over-power the lighter bullets with these fast twist barrels than many people think it is. Since about the Heaviest bullet sold for the .45s are the 275gr PowerBelts, I would say 100gr of loose powder is as far as you can go and expect much accuracy out of your Knight. Work your loads up starting at 80gr & work up to 100gr in 5gr increments and I'd venture to say that the odds are over 90% that your most accurate load will be found in that range.
01-12-2005, 06:31 PM
#5
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: 150 grains
The Knight Rifles have a Green Mountain Barrel which is one of the best barrels out there for the money. If your manual says the rifle is able to fire such a load then I am sure it has been tested to those extremes. Be sure and read the manual and make sure they do not list pellets only with those kind of loads.
Most people claim if your barrel is not at least 26 inches it will not be able to burn the full 150 grains of power off before blowing it out the barrel. My Wolverine has a 22" barrel and there is no way it would or could shoot that much powder, also I would not want to.
Your choice of a projectile will be very important if your going to attempt this. I would look into the Barnes Expanders or the Thompson Center Shockwaves. Some others are the Knight Red Hots (made by Barnes) or Hornady SST's (which are a shockwave). Your accuracy might not be the best with 150 grains. Also if you have a scope on the rifle watch out for the recoil.
Personally, I would not waste my time, money and powder. Also the recoil will be really stiff. You might be better off like Mark said. Start at around 80 grains and work you way up until the groups get too spread out. Then back up to where you had the best group. That would be the rifle sweet load.
You really do not need to shoot 150 grains of powder to kill deer. They have been shooting them for over a hundred years with 70 grains and a roundball. The extra powder and better projectile design will extend your overall range of shooting and harvesting but you will need to learn your rifle and practice out to the distances you intend to shoot.
I was looking at that rifle of yours when they were on sale. If I would have had a use for the rifle I would have jumped on it. It sure looked like a good deal. Good luck with your rifle.....
Most people claim if your barrel is not at least 26 inches it will not be able to burn the full 150 grains of power off before blowing it out the barrel. My Wolverine has a 22" barrel and there is no way it would or could shoot that much powder, also I would not want to.
Your choice of a projectile will be very important if your going to attempt this. I would look into the Barnes Expanders or the Thompson Center Shockwaves. Some others are the Knight Red Hots (made by Barnes) or Hornady SST's (which are a shockwave). Your accuracy might not be the best with 150 grains. Also if you have a scope on the rifle watch out for the recoil.
Personally, I would not waste my time, money and powder. Also the recoil will be really stiff. You might be better off like Mark said. Start at around 80 grains and work you way up until the groups get too spread out. Then back up to where you had the best group. That would be the rifle sweet load.
You really do not need to shoot 150 grains of powder to kill deer. They have been shooting them for over a hundred years with 70 grains and a roundball. The extra powder and better projectile design will extend your overall range of shooting and harvesting but you will need to learn your rifle and practice out to the distances you intend to shoot.
I was looking at that rifle of yours when they were on sale. If I would have had a use for the rifle I would have jumped on it. It sure looked like a good deal. Good luck with your rifle.....
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