Dec 2, 2006 was the opening day of Iowa first shotgun deer season. I can, and do, use my Savage ML-II muzzleloader. It was cold ? single digits, but my heated shooting tower was a half-mile away. Crossing the creek was dicey ? b/c there was 2? of rain earlier in the week. My insulated rubber boots gave me a 2? safety margin, but I could almost feel cold water rushing in. At the tower, I slid the windows down, started the heater and waited for legal shooting time. Once there, I usually had 3 of the 4 windows out. Looking north, was the same creek I had crossed earlier. I saw a very nice 8 pointer, and when he crossed, everything but his head and neck was under water. It was a temptation, but I let him pass. About 20 minutes later, 2 small 6 pointers, and one with many points presented themselves at the same spot. The rack was narrow and tall and he was definitely a shooter. It was an easy shot at 90 yards and then ?.. plink. MISFIRE. I pulled the muzzle back in and recall thinking that I was going to have to take the blankety-blank thing apart. Well the deer just stood there, so I dropped the rod down to see what was in there. The rod hitting the breech plug makes a wonderful sound in a situation like this. I poured in a fresh charge, stuffed a bullet, primered-up and aimed and shot that sucker in the neck. He dropped like a brick.
The G2?s are 9.5 inches, 13.5? inside spread and it is only 2? between the tips.
I know it's getting to be the season, but I don't think this is the red nose in the song.
I was shooting 58 grains of N120, Harvester sabot, and a 300 grain XTP. Everyone who doesn?t shoot a muzzleloader thought it was the powder. Personally, I think the cold caused the sabot to loose its seal. No pressure ? no boom. At the end of the day, it misfired again. On day two it was colder and I took the primer out and re-seated the bullet on occasion. No problem ? it boomed when I wanted it to. I hope it was a sabot situation b/c I?ve got more than 3 pounds of N120. I started using Harvesters b/c they loaded a little easier than MMP?s. The good news is that I?ve got 4 packs of MMP?s and I will be using them in cold weather.
Now the focus changes from deer to elk. Three of us leave early on 12/7 and we?ll be hunting Saturday morning. 2 cow tags and one bull tag. I?ll be shooting 3 50?s of 777 and a TMZ 290.
Best regards from the cob pile.
The G2?s are 9.5 inches, 13.5? inside spread and it is only 2? between the tips.
I know it's getting to be the season, but I don't think this is the red nose in the song.
I was shooting 58 grains of N120, Harvester sabot, and a 300 grain XTP. Everyone who doesn?t shoot a muzzleloader thought it was the powder. Personally, I think the cold caused the sabot to loose its seal. No pressure ? no boom. At the end of the day, it misfired again. On day two it was colder and I took the primer out and re-seated the bullet on occasion. No problem ? it boomed when I wanted it to. I hope it was a sabot situation b/c I?ve got more than 3 pounds of N120. I started using Harvesters b/c they loaded a little easier than MMP?s. The good news is that I?ve got 4 packs of MMP?s and I will be using them in cold weather.
Now the focus changes from deer to elk. Three of us leave early on 12/7 and we?ll be hunting Saturday morning. 2 cow tags and one bull tag. I?ll be shooting 3 50?s of 777 and a TMZ 290.
Best regards from the cob pile.
