Been awhile, need some advice

[SuperKirby]

Hey guys. Been awhile since I posted anything. I lurk here a fair amount, especially lately, but don't post much.

But I need some help and there seems to be a good mix of guys with different muzzleloading inclinations, so figure here is about as good of a place as any to get some input.
I started a project a couple months ago, building a muzzleloader that is "ideal" for my hunting style and area. I started with a stainless Pro Hunter frame as I feel the Encore platform fits me as well or better than any other muzzleloader. From there I ordered a custom barrel and thumbhole Boyds laminate stock. Now here's my hold up. I started this with the intent of shooting smokeless. With 3 kids at home I don't have a lot of time. Figured I could maximize shooting time by minimizing, almost eliminating cleaning time. After a little misunderstanding with my barrel order, instead of an unchambered barrel to send for a Savage plug to be installed, I'm not going to end up with a barrel cut for an Encore/Omega breech plug. I also now have a smokeless safe breech plug coming for me to check out thanks to a very generous member. But I can stop thinking I would maybe rather throw an Encore plug in it, buy some BH209 and go to town.
Here's another factor- the barrel is .458 1-14 twist and 20" long. I don't know if BH209 will be able to get the 200 SST's going fast enough to stabilize in that twist, and I want this gun to be a 200 yard gun. I think I can do both with smokeless, not sure about BH209. Any thoughts on this?
Not really sure which route to go. I guess I can ultimately go back and forth, but I feel like I need to commit to one or the other. Smokeless is legal in MN, but scopes aren't. Also this gun will be going with me next year to WY for a hunt of some sort, not sure if it will be an elk or deer. Smokeless would be more convenient as I wouldn't have to take all my cleaning stuff.
I think I'm stuck trying to find where for me it goes from a muzzleloader to essentially a rifle. We all have that line somewhere. For some it's flintlocks, for some it's anything traditional, to others it's anything inline but smokeless is too far. And still others as you dump the powder in from the front, it's a muzzleloader. Not sure where I fall.
Sorry this turned into some rambling. Just stuck in some sort of personal quandry and having a hard time deciding which way to go. I'm open to suggestions.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

If you go with the smokeless breech plug, you can still shoot BH209, correct?

That would be the route I would take, that way you could shoot smokeless and try out BH209, if the BH/bullet combo doesn't work with that twist rate, you can go back to smokeless or sell the barrel and get another one.

 

[GM54-120]

I cant imagine why you would want to lower the resale value of the barrel by making it SUB only. The Savage OEM plug or a variation using a bushing for a vent is very BH209 friendly. IIRC the Savage was even one of the MLs used to develop BH209.

Why do we go through this so often? People cant seem to get it in their head a SML is usually 100% Sub/BP friendly in terms of ignition. Which do you think is typically harder to ignite?..........Seems like a no brainier to me.

 

[03mossy]

Can't you get a hold of MGM and ask to have the barrel cut the way YOU ordered it? Isn't it there responsibility and they should make it right and get you the barrel the way you want it?

I guess I agree with GM and BDH that you should still build it to handle smokeless then you could always try some bh209 but not the other way around.

 

[SuperKirby]

I talked to MGM a couple times. He's finishing the barrel as is and sending it to me. He said to take a look at it, try out my breech plug and see what I think of it. If I'm ok with it, I keep it and all is well. If I don't like it I have the option to send it back and he'll remake it. The downside to him not finishing it is he can't fully finish it and once it leaves the factory there's no warranty. If I take the factory one, it includes a warranty. Unless of course I blow it up shooting smokeless in it. But that's not hardly the makers fault whether there's a warranty or not.
I think when it comes down to it, I'll keep it as is, shoot smokeless in it, and go from there. I'm going to hopefully put a Pete's plug in it, but if for some reason it doesn't quite work I'll order a PR LRMP plug and see what happens. Agreed, I can shoot BH209 in it, but why risk any sort of corrosion in it until I'm ready to be done shooting smokeless?
So we'll see what happens. Either way it's going to be a good looking rifle, at least in my opinion. I'll try to get some pictures of it up once I get it all put together here in a couple weeks.

 

[Omega45]

Vince,
The PA Pete Encore breech plug is packaged and ready to ship. I'm hoping to get it mailed out today.

BH209 is filthy compared to smokeless. Go shoot, come home and relax, not clean