Long-Range Muzzleloading- Which bullets/powders/sabots to try? Ian?

[CanadianLefty]

Hi all,

Just bought a Savage 10ML-SS-Camo, smokeless powder muzzleloader- Yippppiii! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Purpose: Long-range (300 yard limit) hunting of mainly WT Deer in Saskatchewan, with occassional Moose (200 yard limit)or Caribou in Quebec.

Hopefully, with this being a LR forum, I won't get any flack for wanting to shoot deer out to 300 yds with a ML. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Being completely new to the sport, I am looking into what powders, bullets, sabots that I should first try out in my gun that would best serve my purpose above .

I will probably mount a 2.5x8 VXIII, in heavy duplex (unless someone has a strong aversion to this for ML hunting or another reticle preference).

I have been told to try VV-N110 and a 250gr.-300gr. Hornady SST bullet and MMP sabot for my purposes. What othe bullets/powder/sabot combos might you recommend that I try out?

I am struggling to decide between higher weight bullet (greater B.C., penetration) vs. lighter bullet with higher velocity (given under 300 yards, the lower B.C. might not mean much in real world performance?)

Also, I was specifically looking at the 245gr. and 285 gr. Spitfires by Barnes but have hear nice things about many others including SSTs, XTP, Winchester, Nosler etc.

At this point, ANY tips or comments are appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
CL

[distantfoe]

You might want to check out:
www.modermuzzleloader.com (click on forum, and smokeless ml)
www.dougva.proboards34.com
These are two great discussion boards when dealing with smokeless muzzleloading.

[davewilson]

i used to hunt whitetails in sask with a muzzleloader but i never tried anything too far. 230 yds is my longest kill.we used to shoot at ducks out on the lakes.can't tell ya how far they were,but i can tell ya the smoke would clear before the bullet would hit sometimes.after 250 yds any bullet is really falling off.if i were you i would stay in the 300 gr range. Richard at wildcat bullets told me he shoots a really long bullet and has killed them at long ranges.he can tell ya how far.my claim to fame is i shot the #1 whitetail/muzzleloader.it was only 100 yds but the tense part was i had to shoot him between the back tines.gettin off the subject here.my last 3 years i used the sierra 300 gr .44 bullet. 120 RS pyrodex. shot a gonic so i had to use their sabots.call richard,he's done some shootin at these ranges.

[huntem]

Believe it or not but I have had great luck with the 250 & 300 gr shockwaves pushed with 150gr of pyrodex. I personally use the 300gr if I know the shots may be long. Force= mass x acceleration.

MY ML is an omega.

[wadevb1]

Last year I finally had an opportunity to test various rounds/powder combinations. I obtained some good information from the folks over at 24 hour campfire. With my T/C encore, 50 cal, Leu 6.5X 20, I was under an inch at 100 yards. At 150 yards I average 1.5 inch groups. at 225, I was regularly breaking clay pigeons. I found my most accurate load was 100 grains of pyrodex with a 250gn Hornandy SST. I thought the guys who claimed such accuracy were twisting the truth, I can confirm the sabot SST was the most accurate round shot out of my rifle. Groups consisted of three rounds with spit patch between shots.

Anyone tried the Barnes Spit-Fire bullets?

[Ian M]

I have shot long quite a bit with a variety of muzzleloaders. Longest kill to date is 343 yards on a big Nilgai bull, that was with a Knight, two pellets and a 300 grain A-Frame. Now I am shooting T/C Shockwaves, several 300 yard kills on hogs in Texas. Latest bullet is going to be called the Bonded Shockwave, shipped about a week ago.
Have never shot a smokeless, just prefer to stick with white smoke. My Encore and Omega shoot as good as I can hold them out past 300 yards.

Suggest that you get a multiple aiming point reticle, mildots, ballistic plex, TDS or whatever so you have more than one downrange zero to work with.