Lloyd Smale
08-27-2007, 04:22 PM
Well some of the theroy flew and some didnt. I did lop off the recessed crown. Went to the range with it and it still shot like crap with 255s. Somewhat better but not much. I then tried round balls at 70 and 80 grain. It shot somewhat better. I was about to toss it in the trash can when i found some 300 swcs that i used in my inline rifle last year. Figured what the hell and loaded them with 80 grains of 2f goex substitude in a knight mag sabots. A drastic improvement there they shot into about 3 inches at 25 yards. Now i was getting somewhere. I figured maybe the heavier slug was staying in the barrel a tad longer and allowing for better powder burn so I ran home and grabbed some 350 lfngcs out of a ballistic cast mold. Things all came together with that bullet. 80 grains gave me 3/4 inch 25 yard 5 shot groups and 1.5 inch 50 yard groups. I shot probably 15 groups because i just couldnt belive it was actually shooting and expected it to all go south with the next shot but it didnt. I then loaded 90 and 100 grains of the same powder and it did open groups up but not alot both loads still shot 2 inch at 50 yards. Plenty good enough to make it a viable 100 yard deer and bear load. I think i will stick with the 80 grain load though as its a little easier to control with that lopped off rifle pistol grip. I then went home again and will probably get shot for this when the old lady gets home but took two white sheets out of the closet and took them to the range and spread them out in front of the bench and shot 5 shots using 70 80 90 and 100 grains of the powder and it there was any more unburned powder with any of these loads you sure couldnt tell. Very little to none. I even moved the sheets out to 15 yards and tried again to make sure that the powder wasnt blowing out past them and still virtually nothing. So at least with goex 2f substitude and 209 primers i have to save that a 100 grains is not a overcharge with a 15 inch barrel using 350 grain bullets. Now swap that out for round balls and things may change. As far as im conserned this is a done deal. I can live with that accuracy level and power level and im not a big fan of muzzle loaders so it will probably sit till hunting season other then maybe one more range session to test accuaracy at a 100 yards and maybe run a couple over the chrono. Just so theres no misunderstanding all these groups were shot with a scope set on 5x not with open sights. I personaly need a real good day to shoot any handgun that well at 50 yards with open sights.