What Muzzle Loader I Hunt With

[bullet]

Just for those who think I only hunt with a Mark V modern rifle here is what I hunt with when I go muzzle load hunting.

I have a 45Cal Muzzleloader pistol that is special made. The man who makes this Muzzleloader for me has made them for 25 years using a Trapper kit and putting a special barrel on it and reworking the lock system and breech area and plug for consistent ignition as well as refinishing the stock.

My load for all around use is sighted in at 2" high at 50yds and is dead on at 100yds with a 285gr semi hollow point special made conical using 60grs Triple Seven and it clocks 1288fps. I can carry this all day long and shoot in the tightest spots and make shots out to 125yds with confidence.

I can shoot a 4 inch 44mag Redhawk using a 320gr cast bullet moving 1165fps hit a 100yds and I can shoot this one out to 125yds even more accurately than I can with my modern 44mag revolver and with more energy to boot.

This will really work well in tight thick places or when needed to shoot in any direction from a tree stand and is also quick to bring to bear when stalking and I need to make a fast shot.

45 cal.
14 inch barrel custom rifled and lapped
Brown finish
1 in 18 twist
Re-finished stock
This pistol can shoot anywhere from round balls to 325gr bullets at hunting/target grade accuracy!
-.445 round ball pyrodex 40gr 1306 F.P.S.
-265gr flat point 55gr 1325 F.P.S.
-285gr Hollow point 60grs Triple Seven 1288fps
325gr conical using 60grs Triple Seven 1228fps
-410gr flat point 55gr 1198 F.P.S.
All chronographed at 30ft. from muzzle.

 

[Alaska]

Knight Mk 85 Predator SS in 50 cal

and

Browning JB Mountain Rifle in 54 cal

 

[bullet]

This is a Jim Gleason pistol and he is building a 45cal. rifle for me off a old Traditions Hawken 50cal rifle I have. It will have one of his special 31" barrels with 1 and 18 twist and shoot a 350gr bullet between 1900fps and 2000fps and will be a 250yd rifle. It will be a perfect match in stock as well as barrel finish and all hardware the same as my pistol.

My 45Cal Pistol can even shoot a 500gr bullet and you had better hold on when you pull the trigger because this is one stout load. What is amazing is I can shoot from a 40gr ball to a 325gr bullet and have target grade groups and 410 -500 gr bullets and have very good hunting grade accuracy. I should have the rifle some time after the first of the year and down hear where I live I will get to use it in the last primitive weapons hunt from the middle of January to the middle of Feb.

 

[HunterJim]

bullet,

What are the details of the barrel internals, please and thank you?

A rifle in that style should look great, and should shoot very effectively too. Don't forget a picture when you get it done.

thanks...jim

 

[bullet]

bullet,

What are the details of the barrel internals, please and thank you?

A rifle in that style should look great, and should shoot very effectively too. Don't forget a picture when you get it done.

thanks...jim

Of course it is 6 grooves and 1-18 on the twist but the rifling is not real deep and the barrel has been lapped. This allows for easy shooting of ball and does not destroy the patch before it exits the barrel and makes of easy loading of the conical or sabot bullet. I take a special bullet made by my smith and the bullets are run down a barrel just like the one on my pistol and they come to me already grooved. You can take your thumb and start them and then just grab with one hand on top of the rod and push and the bullet seats beautiful. I use card-board wads of .462" and .060" thickness of my powder charge.

 

[HunterJim]

bullet,

Thanks for that data.

I was wondering about the land and groove difference, sounds like the rifling is shallow. Is it a .458" barrel? What diameter are your conicals that the gunsmith preps for you?

I have a White ML rifle, and that one is a .451". Most of my rifles are .50s. One .500 and the others .504 to .510 depending on the maker.

jim

 

[bullet]

bullet,

Thanks for that data.

I was wondering about the land and groove difference, sounds like the rifling is shallow. Is it a .458" barrel? What diameter are your conicals that the gunsmith preps for you?

I have a White ML rifle, and that one is a .451". Most of my rifles are .50s. One .500 and the others .504 to .510 depending on the maker.

jim

Jim, I am out of town on business and will be for about a week, so when I get back I will make sure of my conical diameters and the rest of the info from my notes.

 

[HunterJim]

bullet,

Thanks, I will look forward to the details...jim

 

[bullet]

bullet,

Thanks for that data.

I was wondering about the land and groove difference, sounds like the rifling is shallow. Is it a .458" barrel? What diameter are your conicals that the gunsmith preps for you?

I have a White ML rifle, and that one is a .451". Most of my rifles are .50s. One .500 and the others .504 to .510 depending on the maker.

jim

HunterJim, the flats on my rifle barrel are 15/16" my groves are .458" and my lands are .450", grooves are 50% wider than the lands and the barrel we have decided will be 32" long with 1-18 twist. I will be using paper patched 350gr bullets moving 1830fps as my general bullet. For big dangerous game I will be using a paper patched 410gr bullet moving 1750fps and when I spot and stalk on black bear this coming year in Arizona I will be using a 305gr sabot bullet moving 1920fps.

 

[HunterJim]

bullet,

That is an interesting assortment of projectiles. Usually I find one that works and just stick with it.

Thanks for the data on the barrel. I am thinking the .458" is a better way to go with a .45 ML.

I have a friend who shoots a lot of paper patch loads in his BP cartridge rifles.

thanks again...jim

 

[bullet]

bullet,

That is an interesting assortment of projectiles. Usually I find one that works and just stick with it.

Thanks for the data on the barrel. I am thinking the .458" is a better way to go with a .45 ML.

I have a friend who shoots a lot of paper patch loads in his BP cartridge rifles.

thanks again...jim

Jim, at the Creedmoor match in 1875, the American team, using Sharps and Remington black powder cartridge rifles defeated an Irish team using muzzleloaders. This was long range competition at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. The win was by one point and it was due to the fact that an Irish team member shot at the wrong target. The Irish were using muzzle loading cap-lock rifles made by Purdy with paper patch bullets in their muzzle loaders.


With a rifle just like the one I am having built we were making 250yds with the 305gr bullet and that distance is truly a chip shot and that is not brag that is fact. If you can see it with the naked eye you can hit it. We were shooting rocks about 12 to 15 inches wide at 280yds to 294yds (we were ranging them) and we were hitting them in their centers, this is with open sights.

 

[bobbyrum]

Bullet, what a beautiful piece, including the XX75 ramrod. :lol: Up here we aren't allowed to hunt with any handgun. :x Cherish your freedoms and watch out for the idiots who want to take them from you.

 

[bullet]

Bullet, what a beautiful piece, including the XX75 ramrod. :lol: Up here we aren't allowed to hunt with any handgun. :x Cherish your freedoms and watch out for the idiots who want to take them from you.

Thank you for the compliment on my 45 cal cap-lock pistol. It really is something special. I can't wait for the rifle to come some where around the end of Dec which will let me hunt with it from Jan 17th - Feb 15th which is are final primitive weapons season. Our buck do not really come into rut until the middle of Jan most years.

 

[bullet]

Jim, to answer your questions about the bullets here are some pictures and also some more of my pistol

 

[HunterJim]

Jim, to answer your questions about the bullets here are some pictures and also some more of my pistol

bullet,

I can see why you like it, and I am looking forward to seeing the rifle pictures and some field results with it.

thanks...jim