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Best bullet for accuracy
- Thread starter codybrown
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justgoto
Well-Known Member
After I determined that my lead wasn't pure enough for the the mini-balls to make a good consistent seal, I switched over to the Hornady sabot, with the Hornady 250gr .452 diameter HP-XTP bullets.
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Depends on your gun.
TC rifles tend to be tighter bore than others and the Barnes Spitfire EZ works great and shoots great for example.
Different sabot/bullet combinations may have to be tried for your rifle.
However, Blackhorn 209 powder makes it a lot easier also. Gets rid of the 777 crud ring and move MV
TC rifles tend to be tighter bore than others and the Barnes Spitfire EZ works great and shoots great for example.
Different sabot/bullet combinations may have to be tried for your rifle.
However, Blackhorn 209 powder makes it a lot easier also. Gets rid of the 777 crud ring and move MV
ENCORE
Well-Known Member
Make sinkers from the powerbelts.
Try the Barnes T-EZ or TMZ and the search will be over. 105 to 110grs BH209.
Try the Barnes T-EZ or TMZ and the search will be over. 105 to 110grs BH209.
Elite Muzzleloader
Well-Known Member
Try the Hornady 250 SST try them as is and try putting a slight knurl on them with two files. Run the bullet between the two files slightly just giving them a small amount if texture them.
You can try the Barnes yes they are a great bullet but the Hornady is also a great bullet and they transfer allot of energy into the deer. You put any bullet in the pump station they are a goner.
pooldoc
Well-Known Member
I have always been able to shoot tight(1") moa or less, groups at 100 yds with Harvester's 300 gr. PT Gold Scorpion out of both my Knight's and a new Redemption. My normal load is 110 gr. BH 209, a Harvester Black Crush Rib Sabot and a Federal 209 A primer. This week is the first time I've used them to hunt with and I killed a nice 12 pt. at 100 yds and the bullet was a pass through from right front shoulder to left hindquarter. Internal damage was impressive and the deer made it 25 yds and left a decent blood trail. It was impressive enough for me to permanently switch from Hornady's 300 gr SST with EZ Load Sbot to the PT Gold.
You don't mention what you're hunting. I don't believe that the bullets marketed for muzzleloaders have sufficient sectional density (s.d.) for elk. I've had too many elk run off with no blood trail. Even with a heart shot at 90 yards there was no blood trail. I have a Kahnke rifle, which shoots the Barnes 290 gr. very well, and the 340 gr. Precision Rifle bullets very well. Either one of these bullets will usually drop a deer in its tracks. Both are expensive bullets. I go for heavy for caliber bullets every time. If the bullet doesn't perform well, the s.d. makes up for a lot.
I started playing around with Harvester Crush Rib sabots and 45-70 bullets. I got some Remington .458 dia. 405 gr. Hollow Points from Outlaw State bullets and shot a one hole group at 100 yards with 115 grs. of Pyrodex. I shot an elk at 220 yards, and hit her in the spine. I was aiming at that height, but in the excitement of the hunt I forgot about the wind, which was significant. I hit about 12" behind the shoulder. It was an DRT shot. The quickest kill I've ever gotten on an elk. I found the bullet and jacket under the hide on the far side and another 8" back. It had expanded from 3/4" to 1".
I've been reading the The Buffalo Harvest by Frank H. Mayer with Charles B. Roth, and they were dropping buffalo at 300 yards using 120 grains of powder and 550 gr. bullets. I can tell you that the 405 gr. bullets with 115 gr. of Pyrodex doesn't kick as bad as lighter bullets with 150 gr. of 777. I use a couple of shoulder pads at the range, because I found I started flinching with heavier loads if I didn't. I denied it for years, but recoil affects everyone. I bought a scope that compensates for the drop, so I don't need the speed. The older I get, the more I believe we don't need or want magnums. The less the velocity, the more the penetration. An exit wound means a blood trail, which in thick timber can mean the difference between killing an elk and harvesting an elk.
I started playing around with Harvester Crush Rib sabots and 45-70 bullets. I got some Remington .458 dia. 405 gr. Hollow Points from Outlaw State bullets and shot a one hole group at 100 yards with 115 grs. of Pyrodex. I shot an elk at 220 yards, and hit her in the spine. I was aiming at that height, but in the excitement of the hunt I forgot about the wind, which was significant. I hit about 12" behind the shoulder. It was an DRT shot. The quickest kill I've ever gotten on an elk. I found the bullet and jacket under the hide on the far side and another 8" back. It had expanded from 3/4" to 1".
I've been reading the The Buffalo Harvest by Frank H. Mayer with Charles B. Roth, and they were dropping buffalo at 300 yards using 120 grains of powder and 550 gr. bullets. I can tell you that the 405 gr. bullets with 115 gr. of Pyrodex doesn't kick as bad as lighter bullets with 150 gr. of 777. I use a couple of shoulder pads at the range, because I found I started flinching with heavier loads if I didn't. I denied it for years, but recoil affects everyone. I bought a scope that compensates for the drop, so I don't need the speed. The older I get, the more I believe we don't need or want magnums. The less the velocity, the more the penetration. An exit wound means a blood trail, which in thick timber can mean the difference between killing an elk and harvesting an elk.
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pooldoc
Well-Known Member
Whitetails are my primary target on our lease in West Texas on the Edwards Plateau. Body weight of a mature free range WT in that part of the state are generally in the 125 to 160 lb. range. We do have an abundance of feral hogs on our lease and its not uncommon to kill a 250 lb one. We also have free range Axis, Fallow and Aoudad in that area. The Aoudad ram I killed 2 years was 275 lbs. Over the last 3 years everything I killed, except for the aoudad, was shot with a 300 gr SST. He was killed with a 250 Gr Barnes TMZ. I've stayed with the heavier bullets because of their greater retained energy at longer ranges. I would have no problem with hunting elk with my standard load. I might step up to a 115 to 120 gr load of BH 209, as long as my accuracy was not affected.
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
I have heard that the Aoudad is a tough animal for their weight, do you think that is true?
Concerning weight I would prefer to go heavy but my Encore likes the 250TMZ and not the 290 gr.
pooldoc
Well-Known Member
I've killed elk and moose and lots of big hogs and nothing has a tougher thicker hide than an aoudad. In the country they live in 90% of all vegetation has spines, spurs etc. I had a brand new Kershaw Gut hook, the kind you have to sharpen and after 10 inches of hide it would not cut any more. Fortunately I had one of those new Havalon Knives with the replaceable blades in my pack, and it took 4 of them to finish the skinning and cleaning. They aren't very tall at the shoulder and are nothing but muscle. He made a impressive mount with all the furnishings they have. If I can figure out how to post pictures this weekend I'll do so.
We call the Aoudad Barbary Sheep here in NM. All of the African game are tougher than American game. I killed a ewe at 230 yards with a 120 grains Barnes TTSX out of a 7-30 waters Contender Carbine. The trick with African game is to hit the shoulder. Their lungs and heart are behind the shoulder. The typical aim point for American game is a gut shot on African game. I know someone who shot a Gembox (Oryx) straight on center of chest and tracked it 15 miles. The lungs are out at the sides, so it was a gut shot. As far as best bullets for accuracy, I find the Berger to be as good as any I've ever used. The Horndady AMax is very good as well. I use both in my 7MM WSM.
