Vandy
Active Member
UPDATED on May 18, 2015
I have been busier than expected, but managed to make a quick trip to the range yesterday to test some of the load combinations. So far, I am not too impressed with the results. I hope that groups shrink down to 2 M.O.A. or below once I move up to the 290-300 grain bullets. The updates are below in red.
I recently purchased an Accura V2 and am getting ready to start working on load development. I have plenty of powder and a number of bullets and sabots to test out. I would appreciate any feedback on what seems to me like a decent path forward. While I enjoy target shooting with all of my guns, the sole "purpose" of this muzzleloader is to take deer. For that reason, I really only care about the first two shots, however, all groups will be done with 3 shots. I do not see how a 5 or 10 shot group will tell me anything I can use for hunting that a 3 shot group will not. I am, however, willing to be enlightened. All the shooting will be performed across a good number of days and will probably take me quite a while to complete. I am sure this is overkill, but I like to shoot. I figure after putting a couple hundred rounds down range, I will certainly be familiar with the gun, its ability, and my ability with it. That said, my plan and approach is below.
Powder and Primers
Powder -- Blackhorn 209
Primer -- CCI 209M
I have about 4lbs of Blackhorn and it is the only powder I intend to use in this rifle. Years ago I bought 1,000 CCI primers and have about 600 left so those are what will be used.
Initial Sight In / Barrel Break-in
Using 240 grain XTP's I sighted the rifle in for 1-1/2" high at 100 yards using 105 grains by volume. I have 50 rounds through the bore at this time. At one point I weighed a couple dozen volume measured charges and found that I was typically able to keep the weight within +/- 0.2 grains, which I think will be sufficient enough for load testing. All testing of bullet sabot combinations will be with 105 grains by volume (thinking/hoping my "final" load will end up between 100 and 110 grains, so I thought it would be a good compromise).
Bullet/Sabot Combinations
All shots will be at 100 yards, using 105 grains by volume. All groups will consist of the three shots, unless I clearly pulled one, then a fourth may be fired (we'll see). Starting with a clean bore, I will fire two primers and then load and proceed to shoot the group. I will not swab the bore between shots. I will use a patch with solvent followed by a dry patch between groups; I will also take a drill bit, provided by Western Powders with their breech plug, and turn it by hand in the flash channel between groups to remove carbon buildup. Depending on the air temperature, I will wait 3 to 5 minutes between shots and 10 to 15 minutes between groups. Since I am only concerned with identifying the best load/accuracy for hunting purposes, I have decided to wait only one minute between shots to simulate a reload and second shot in the field. Time between groups will remain 10 to 15 minutes to allow for complete barrel cooling. I will note where the first shot of each group lands in relation to the other two to gauge consistency of the clean/cold bore among different bullet/sabot combinations.
Based on what I currently have on hand, I will be testing the following combinations (one group of three shots each):
-- Barnes 250 grain TMZ with supplied sabot -- 2.54 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 250 grain TMZ with Harvester Yellow Crushed Rib Sabot -- 2.65 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 250 grain TMZ with Harvester Smooth Sabot -- No group. The first two shots of this combination completely missed the two foot square target board. I did not shoot a third shot and do not plan to consider this combination further. Just out of curiosity, I may retest this combination at 50 yards to see what is going on. Even if it groups well, I would be concerned that at 100 yards its point of impact is at least a foot or more off in one or more directions compared to all other loads.
-- Barnes 250 grain TEZ with supplied sabot -- 2.51 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 250 grain TEZ with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- 2.86 M.O.A. While not by much, this currently is the least accurate combination for those loads which I was able to determine a group size. It is interesting that this combination loaded with only slightly more force than the 260 grain Scorpion PT Gold with Crushed Rib, however, recoil felt stout and I had no ignition issues.
-- Barnes 250 grain TEZ with Harvester Smooth Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 250 grain with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 250 grain with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- Not yet tested.
-- Barnes Expander 250 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 260 grain with Harvester crushed rib sabot -- This combination loaded with so little force that I suspected I may run into issues with igniting the Blackhorn 209. The first two shots impacted the target approximately 2-1/2 inches apart. With the third shot, I heard the primer go off, but nothing else. I held steady for approximately 30 seconds in case of a hangfire. I checked the bore and it was empty. At first I thought I somehow forgot to load the bullet/sabot. Not seeing it on the bench, I walked the target line and found a near mint bullet approximately 35 yards down range. Realizing what happened, I tried another shot (with a fresh bullet). The result was the same, except this time I felt very minor recoil. That bullet was found about 40 yards down range. With a 50% failure rate, I will discontinue further testing of this combination.
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 260 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- 2.31 M.O.A. This is currently the most accurate combination tested. Unlike with the crushed rib sabot, this combination loaded with sufficient force. Group size was 2.31 M.O.A.
-- Hornady XTP (.44 cal) 300 grain with supplied green sabot -- 2.51 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 290 grain TMZ with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TMZ with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TEZ with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TEZ with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TEZ with Harvester Smooth Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 300 grain with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 300 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 300 grain with Harvester crushed rib sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 300 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- Not yet tested
I may add the T/C shockwave to the list, but am not sure. I may add the 250 gr and/or 300 gr .452 XTP with Harvester sabots to the list, as Bass Pro seems to be stocking those bullets now. I am aware of the Parker Ballistic Extremes, but do not plan on testing them at this time. I am personally not a fan of Power Belts, so they will not be tested.
From the above combinations, I will take what appear to be the most accurate (3 to 6 combinations) and shoot two more three shot groups using the same cleaning and timing routine as above. That will give me three 3 shot groups of each combination. The groups will have been fired on two if not three separate days. I think that should be enough information for me to see how the first clean/cold shot performs against follow up shots. I can overlay the three groups for each load to ensure the point of impact is the same and judge the overall size of a 9 shot group, etc... From this, I will choose the bullet and sabot I will work with.
Testing Various Charge Weights
Now that I have my bullet and sabot selected, it is time to find the best charge weight. I may or may not continue to use volume measured charges at this point. I will plan to shoot three 3 shot groups at various charge weights/volumes. Since I already have three groups for 105 grains, I do not need to re-shoot that. I will fire groups using 95, 100, 110, and 115 grains. I doubt I will go below 95 or above 115 grains by volume. In the end, I will have the most accurate bullet/sabot/charge combination for the rifle, based on the components tested.
After I have my desired load, I will shoot at ranges from 25 to 300 yards to build the trajectory for the round (my range maxes out at 300, so why not). Based on that, I can then make an educated choice of where to set my zero based on the subtensions in my scope and distances I realistically could shoot. I will then check my accuracy standing, sitting, etc... to determine my self-imposed max range for taking deer.
When it comes time to hunt, I will duplicate the bore conditions by starting with a clean bore, run a patch with solvent followed by a dry patch and two primers. Then load for the hunt. I typically only hunt on Saturdays due to work, so I typically unload my muzzleloader after each day of hunting. I think I will also experiment with leaving a charge in the gun for days at a time, keeping an eye on rust issues and point of impact shifts.
So that's my plan. I would love to hear if I am missing something, putting too much emphasis somewhere, not enough, etc...
I have been busier than expected, but managed to make a quick trip to the range yesterday to test some of the load combinations. So far, I am not too impressed with the results. I hope that groups shrink down to 2 M.O.A. or below once I move up to the 290-300 grain bullets. The updates are below in red.
I recently purchased an Accura V2 and am getting ready to start working on load development. I have plenty of powder and a number of bullets and sabots to test out. I would appreciate any feedback on what seems to me like a decent path forward. While I enjoy target shooting with all of my guns, the sole "purpose" of this muzzleloader is to take deer. For that reason, I really only care about the first two shots, however, all groups will be done with 3 shots. I do not see how a 5 or 10 shot group will tell me anything I can use for hunting that a 3 shot group will not. I am, however, willing to be enlightened. All the shooting will be performed across a good number of days and will probably take me quite a while to complete. I am sure this is overkill, but I like to shoot. I figure after putting a couple hundred rounds down range, I will certainly be familiar with the gun, its ability, and my ability with it. That said, my plan and approach is below.
Powder and Primers
Powder -- Blackhorn 209
Primer -- CCI 209M
I have about 4lbs of Blackhorn and it is the only powder I intend to use in this rifle. Years ago I bought 1,000 CCI primers and have about 600 left so those are what will be used.
Initial Sight In / Barrel Break-in
Using 240 grain XTP's I sighted the rifle in for 1-1/2" high at 100 yards using 105 grains by volume. I have 50 rounds through the bore at this time. At one point I weighed a couple dozen volume measured charges and found that I was typically able to keep the weight within +/- 0.2 grains, which I think will be sufficient enough for load testing. All testing of bullet sabot combinations will be with 105 grains by volume (thinking/hoping my "final" load will end up between 100 and 110 grains, so I thought it would be a good compromise).
Bullet/Sabot Combinations
All shots will be at 100 yards, using 105 grains by volume. All groups will consist of the three shots, unless I clearly pulled one, then a fourth may be fired (we'll see). Starting with a clean bore, I will fire two primers and then load and proceed to shoot the group. I will not swab the bore between shots. I will use a patch with solvent followed by a dry patch between groups; I will also take a drill bit, provided by Western Powders with their breech plug, and turn it by hand in the flash channel between groups to remove carbon buildup. Depending on the air temperature, I will wait 3 to 5 minutes between shots and 10 to 15 minutes between groups. Since I am only concerned with identifying the best load/accuracy for hunting purposes, I have decided to wait only one minute between shots to simulate a reload and second shot in the field. Time between groups will remain 10 to 15 minutes to allow for complete barrel cooling. I will note where the first shot of each group lands in relation to the other two to gauge consistency of the clean/cold bore among different bullet/sabot combinations.
Based on what I currently have on hand, I will be testing the following combinations (one group of three shots each):
-- Barnes 250 grain TMZ with supplied sabot -- 2.54 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 250 grain TMZ with Harvester Yellow Crushed Rib Sabot -- 2.65 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 250 grain TMZ with Harvester Smooth Sabot -- No group. The first two shots of this combination completely missed the two foot square target board. I did not shoot a third shot and do not plan to consider this combination further. Just out of curiosity, I may retest this combination at 50 yards to see what is going on. Even if it groups well, I would be concerned that at 100 yards its point of impact is at least a foot or more off in one or more directions compared to all other loads.
-- Barnes 250 grain TEZ with supplied sabot -- 2.51 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 250 grain TEZ with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- 2.86 M.O.A. While not by much, this currently is the least accurate combination for those loads which I was able to determine a group size. It is interesting that this combination loaded with only slightly more force than the 260 grain Scorpion PT Gold with Crushed Rib, however, recoil felt stout and I had no ignition issues.
-- Barnes 250 grain TEZ with Harvester Smooth Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 250 grain with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 250 grain with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- Not yet tested.
-- Barnes Expander 250 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 260 grain with Harvester crushed rib sabot -- This combination loaded with so little force that I suspected I may run into issues with igniting the Blackhorn 209. The first two shots impacted the target approximately 2-1/2 inches apart. With the third shot, I heard the primer go off, but nothing else. I held steady for approximately 30 seconds in case of a hangfire. I checked the bore and it was empty. At first I thought I somehow forgot to load the bullet/sabot. Not seeing it on the bench, I walked the target line and found a near mint bullet approximately 35 yards down range. Realizing what happened, I tried another shot (with a fresh bullet). The result was the same, except this time I felt very minor recoil. That bullet was found about 40 yards down range. With a 50% failure rate, I will discontinue further testing of this combination.
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 260 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- 2.31 M.O.A. This is currently the most accurate combination tested. Unlike with the crushed rib sabot, this combination loaded with sufficient force. Group size was 2.31 M.O.A.
-- Hornady XTP (.44 cal) 300 grain with supplied green sabot -- 2.51 M.O.A.
-- Barnes 290 grain TMZ with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TMZ with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TEZ with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TEZ with Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes 290 grain TEZ with Harvester Smooth Sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 300 grain with supplied sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Barnes Expander 300 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 300 grain with Harvester crushed rib sabot -- Not yet tested
-- Harvester Scorpion PT Gold 300 grain with Harvester smooth sabot -- Not yet tested
I may add the T/C shockwave to the list, but am not sure. I may add the 250 gr and/or 300 gr .452 XTP with Harvester sabots to the list, as Bass Pro seems to be stocking those bullets now. I am aware of the Parker Ballistic Extremes, but do not plan on testing them at this time. I am personally not a fan of Power Belts, so they will not be tested.
From the above combinations, I will take what appear to be the most accurate (3 to 6 combinations) and shoot two more three shot groups using the same cleaning and timing routine as above. That will give me three 3 shot groups of each combination. The groups will have been fired on two if not three separate days. I think that should be enough information for me to see how the first clean/cold shot performs against follow up shots. I can overlay the three groups for each load to ensure the point of impact is the same and judge the overall size of a 9 shot group, etc... From this, I will choose the bullet and sabot I will work with.
Testing Various Charge Weights
Now that I have my bullet and sabot selected, it is time to find the best charge weight. I may or may not continue to use volume measured charges at this point. I will plan to shoot three 3 shot groups at various charge weights/volumes. Since I already have three groups for 105 grains, I do not need to re-shoot that. I will fire groups using 95, 100, 110, and 115 grains. I doubt I will go below 95 or above 115 grains by volume. In the end, I will have the most accurate bullet/sabot/charge combination for the rifle, based on the components tested.
After I have my desired load, I will shoot at ranges from 25 to 300 yards to build the trajectory for the round (my range maxes out at 300, so why not). Based on that, I can then make an educated choice of where to set my zero based on the subtensions in my scope and distances I realistically could shoot. I will then check my accuracy standing, sitting, etc... to determine my self-imposed max range for taking deer.
When it comes time to hunt, I will duplicate the bore conditions by starting with a clean bore, run a patch with solvent followed by a dry patch and two primers. Then load for the hunt. I typically only hunt on Saturdays due to work, so I typically unload my muzzleloader after each day of hunting. I think I will also experiment with leaving a charge in the gun for days at a time, keeping an eye on rust issues and point of impact shifts.
So that's my plan. I would love to hear if I am missing something, putting too much emphasis somewhere, not enough, etc...
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