Knight 45 cal is a shooter!

[Bob L.]

Those are some mighty fine groups you have shot. Do you have to size or knurl those Pittman bullets for your barrel?

Yes I size with a Hankins bullet sizer.

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Nice shooting!

 

[Ninering62]

1st real range day to test powder charges with my new setup. I’m very impressed what this Knight Mountaineer will do so far. Here’s the specs:
Knight 45 Cal 1-20 twist.
Boyd stock with aftermarket cheek piece
Adjusted Timney Trigger
Bestill 2 piece breech plug and firing pin
Murphy SS base
Nightforce 3x15nxs scope
300 grain Pittman Aeromax bullets, wool wad, BH209, Cheddite 209 primers.
105v/82.2gby weight shot a 3 shot group at 100yards in the 0.3’s” and 115V shot a group in 0.55’s”. I will test those charges at 200/300 yards.

Nice gun, very nice set up & great shooting.

 

[Ninering62]

Yes I size with a Hankins bullet sizer.

As do many of us. 3yrs ago I got into sizing my bullets myself after getting a Lee Challenger single-stage press & a .45 Hankins adj sizing die kit, it opened up a whole new world, a whole new level of muzzleloader shooting possibilities to me. Super cool. NOw I have one in .40 & getting one in .50 too & a hand knurling tool too

 

[earlthegoat2]

Great shooting with a well set up rifle.

 

[JeffB1961]

As do many of us. 3yrs ago I got into sizing my bullets myself after getting a Lee Challenger single-stage press & a .45 Hankins adj sizing die kit, it opened up a whole new world, a whole new level of muzzleloader shooting possibilities to me. Super cool. NOw I have one in .40 & getting one in .50 too & a hand knurling tool too

how is that challenger press holding up ?

 

[Ninering62]

how is that challenger press holding up ?

I'm very happy with it. It makes sizing bullets easy. I mounted mine to a piece of 2x8 and quick clamp it to my shooting bench. Thats pretty cool.

 

[Bob L.]

Shot today at 465 yards and put the first 2 at 4” with not much vertical. I then shot more 2 shot groups and they opened up to 8” and 9.5”
I keep getting inconsistencies swabbing between shots. I am going to try and see if not swabbing between each shot with bh209 will be more consistent.
I have read some rifles don’t like running patches between shots with bh209? Any improvement out there with no patches between shots?
Thanks

 

[ENCORE50A]

Shot today at 465 yards and put the first 2 at 4” with not much vertical. I then shot more 2 shot groups and they opened up to 8” and 9.5”
I keep getting inconsistencies swabbing between shots. I am going to try and see if not swabbing between each shot with bh209 will be more consistent.
I have read some rifles don’t like running patches between shots with bh209? Any improvement out there with no patches between shots?
Thanks

What, if anything are you swabbing with? Many long range shooters swab with a 50/50 mixture of Hoppe's and 91% alcohol but, only a slightly damp patch, followed by a dry patch. The key is to not saturate patches, which absolutely can cause the issues you're having. Slightly damp only.

 

[X-ring]

Shot today at 465 yards and put the first 2 at 4” with not much vertical. I then shot more 2 shot groups and they opened up to 8” and 9.5”
I keep getting inconsistencies swabbing between shots. I am going to try and see if not swabbing between each shot with bh209 will be more consistent.
I have read some rifles don’t like running patches between shots with bh209? Any improvement out there with no patches between shots?
Thanks

Bob........respectfully, 2 shots don't make a "group". You have to shoot at least 5 shots to really get an idea what is happening with the load, rifle, you, etc. At 465 yards wind and mirage will have an effect too. Maybe the 4 inch group was a fluke and the 8-9 inch groups are the norm?? Shoot more and see what the average group size is. X

 

[Bob L.]

What, if anything are you swabbing with? Many long range shooters swab with a 50/50 mixture of Hoppe's and 91% alcohol but, only a slightly damp patch, followed by a dry patch. The key is to not saturate patches, which absolutely can cause the issues you're having. Slightly damp only.

That’s my mixture it is possible that my patch is too saturated I try to ring out the wetness but this is possible. Thank you

Bob........respectfully, 2 shots don't make a "group". You have to shoot at least 5 shots to really get an idea what is happening with the load, rifle, you, etc. At 465 yards wind and mirage will have an effect too. Maybe the 4 inch group was a fluke and the 8-9 inch groups are the norm?? Shoot more and see what the average group size is. X

I understand your reasoning. This is a hunting rifle and care the most about the 1st 2 shots which would mimic a hunting situation. I don’t think those are flukes as I have shot consistently 1.4” to 1.7” groups at 265 yards. I have something else going on here. Thank you

 

[white eagle]

I have never used a 5 shot group to measure the accuracy of a load
just the way I do things
but like some of you I am a hunter and I have never had a deer stand around for more than 2 shot's , if that , when hunting so I base my testing on those parameters
why heat the barrel up that much

 

[ElDiablo]

Bob........respectfully, 2 shots don't make a "group". You have to shoot at least 5 shots to really get an idea what is happening with the load, rifle, you, etc. At 465 yards wind and mirage will have an effect too. Maybe the 4 inch group was a fluke and the 8-9 inch groups are the norm?? Shoot more and see what the average group size is. X

^This

Many of us fall into the small sample size trap. To even approach a significant sample size (statistically) one must shoot 5-10 shot groups. Twenty+ shot groups will really tell you what size group the load is honestly capable of. So when we shoot 2-3 shot groups it doesn’t really tell us anything from a dispersion prediction (extreme spread) perspective. I use 2-3 shot groups to look at how bad a combo may be. If a group is bigger than I’m willing to live with, I change something or move on to another load.

Small samples are the main cause of many headaches, weird groups and unexplained poi “shifts.”

 

[white eagle]

not from a cold barrel perspective
I care not for shooting long range and do not compete against other guns
my only concern is the very first shot coming out of the barrel
that has worked in my world for over 40 years

 

[birdog]

not from a cold barrel perspective
I care not for shooting long range and do not compete against other guns
my only concern is the very first shot coming out of the barrel
that has worked in my world for over 40 years

I understand your reasoning for wanting to know where your first shot will be. I also understand the two shot mentality. Not trying to stir anything up but anything less than three shots is not a group. Three shots minimum, more is better as others have already said. The reason I believe for a minimum of three shots is you want to triangulate your group to find the center of your group.

 

[ENCORE50A]

That’s my mixture it is possible that my patch is too saturated I try to ring out the wetness but this is possible. Thank you

I understand your reasoning. This is a hunting rifle and care the most about the 1st 2 shots which would mimic a hunting situation. I don’t think those are flukes as I have shot consistently 1.4” to 1.7” groups at 265 yards. I have something else going on here. Thank you

It could be. I'm very careful about my swabbing patches. From years of experience, I know that wet patches for swabbing between rounds is a problem.
Ring them out until nothing drips from them and that still might be too much.

There are some of on the site that do shoot and compete at LONG range, out to 1,000yds, along with hunting. Everyone swabs, but not with wet patches, only slightly damp. You could try using 2 dry patches after swabbing to see if it makes any difference. You might try a veggie wad (.060").

 

[white eagle]

I understand your reasoning for wanting to know where your first shot will be. I also understand the two shot mentality. Not trying to stir anything up but anything less than three shots is not a group. Three shots minimum, more is better as others have already said. The reason I believe for a minimum of three shots is you want to triangulate your group to find the center of your group.

That is the way I have been doing it since I started shooting all those years ago
besides 3 shot group for me is all I need to determine MY accuracy
others can do it their way but for me and my limited experience that is the way I choose to do it

 

[Bob L.]

It could be. I'm very careful about my swabbing patches. From years of experience, I know that wet patches for swabbing between rounds is a problem.
Ring them out until nothing drips from them and that still might be too much.

There are some of on the site that do shoot and compete at LONG range, out to 1,000yds, along with hunting. Everyone swabs, but not with wet patches, only slightly damp. You could try using 2 dry patches after swabbing to see if it makes any difference. You might try a veggie wad (.060").

I’m going to try shooting dirty, this is making sense on these unexplained flyers I’m experienced when this gun wants and has shown me it will shoot.
Thanks again I’ll report back with at least 3 shots for the groupies lol

 

[Bob L.]

Today I tested top 2 bullet sizing groups with no swabs and with 2 dry patches between shots. I had previously been using a hoppes#9/alchohol patch and 2 drys but were getting flyers. Maybe I was too damp on that wet patch and thank Encore for bringing this up as it has been on my mind.
I also shoot with a labradar and interesting enough the high flyers are always spikes in velocity by 50fps and all on this paper are spike velocity flyers.
Hands down the best “pair” was shot using slightly less bullet pressure of the Two bullet sizing groups and 2 dry patches between shots. It shot 2 at 2.13” apart at 465 yards at 2123fps with an ES of 1!
This sized bullet and powder charge had shot 1.4 and 1.7” groups at 265 yards but would have flyers which must have been too wet of patch.
Im optimistic that I can duplicate this
and looking forward to shooting more. I appreciate the advice

 

[bronko220002]

I just checked on those bullets and I can't afford them. I'll stick with my cast bullets. They shoot good enough.
I don't plan on shooting in any serious competition and my long range is 300 yards and that's just trying to hit steel with my muzzys. I admire you guys diligence when it comes to shooting that far