TK 2000 loads

[Dougs136Schwartz]

I bought a Knight TK 2000 for turkey hunting this year I have chased around Thunder chickens before with a smoke pole . I was lucky enough to kill a turkey with my Double barrel Damascus shotgun. That gun was given to me by my Grandfather who just passed away last summer at the age of 98 . He actually bought the double barrel shotgun at a auction when he was 8 years old for 25 cents ! Pretty cool history . Anyway back to my TK 2000 . I wanted a muzzleloading shotgun that would reach out . This is just the gun for the job but.... I had a little learning curve I thought I would pass on.

I went to a muzzleloader shop to buy my wads ,powder shot ect... the fellow at the shop advised me to shoot 90 grains of FF Black with 2 1/2ounces of shot . He told me the gun was really only good to 30 yards . My response was really ? ? ? I was hoping for much better than that! I went home with my supplies and thought I'd just see what the gun would really do . One thing I can tell you for certain it will do is kick the $h!@t out of a guy ! Dang it man ! I have shot some hot loads but nothing like this thing ! After sighting the gun in at 10 yards i took the target out to 30 yards to see what she would do . 90 grains FF Black Knight wads #5 lead shot . I used one of those Turkey targets that has the kill zone (spine and brain marked .) The gun shot horrible . Only 4 to 5 pellets in the brain and spine . I was very very disappointed to say the least . I had done some research on my own the week before on proven loads for the TKK2000. I had read where other guys were having trouble getting them to shoot . One guy ( a Knight representative ) said 85 grains of FF triple 7 and 2 1/2 ounces of plated #6 with TPI wads has always shot well for him . Well I had triple 7 but nothing else . I really did not ever imagine that shooting triple 7 instead of True Black powder would make any difference at all but I was at the end of my rope because I had tried everything else I could think of . So I loaded the gun up with 80 grains of FF triple 7 set up another target at 30 yards and let the shot gun roar . To my surprise I went from 4 to 5 pellets to 12 pellets in the spine and brain . Thinking it was just a fluke i loaded up the gun again this time 85 grains FF triple 7, Knight wad 2 1/2 ounces of #5 shot. Set up another target at 30 yards and let the gun kick the crap out of me one last shot . This time I had 14 pellets in the spine and brain ! SWEET ! I cleaned the gun and loaded some quick loads for opening day (Wednesday here in Indiana )

The moral to this long story is ... normally your gun is much more capable than the operator. Luckily I was persistant enough and stick with the gun until I figured out a load that would shoot . If some one would of tried to tell me that switching from Black powder to Triple 7 would make that much of a difference in a shotgun I would of said your nutz ! I still cant hardly believe it. Now after thinking about this whole situation .FF Triple 7 is hotter than FF Black . Maybe if I would of shot 100 to 110 grains of FF Black I may have had the same results ? I really don't know . I had shot the gun more than a dozen times and I had enough . I truly believe if I did some more experimenting I could easily make this a 40 yard plus gun. Just thought I would pass on this little bit of information in case if anyone was having trouble getting their TK 2000s to shoot . Don't give up . This guns I'm sure will not only kick the crap out of you. It will also put the snack down on a gobbler !

Happy hunting !

 

[twild]

Doug, I have no idea on that gun I don't own one. And I'm glad I don't now, don't care for getting what little brain cells I have left knocked into my azz cheeks when I pull the trigger. Do those guns have a screw in choke tube? 2 1/2 oz of shot is a lot, more than a 31/2 in 12Ga, I'd think ya could do better than 30 yrds. Have you shot at a big piece of card board ( 4ftx4ft ) to see where all that shot is going, Might be bulk of your pattern is centered off a little turkey target. Also if your only going to be shooting 40 yards, I'd definitely find some 6's to try, they are plenty good to 40. Your a good man for sticking with it

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

Yes I did get some big pieces of cardboard. My pattern now is pretty decent . I would not now be afraid to take a 40 yard shot before 30 yards was even iffy . They have a unique design . I guess its 1890 technology ? The choke tube screws over the barrel .

I'm getting use to the recoil but a 21/2 ounces of shot is a pretty hefty load of lead . That is what a Knight shot cup holds . I could cut the shot cup down or buy shorter shot cups that would allow me to use less shot. I'm not gonna mess with anything right now. I actually have the gun shooting pretty good . I'm positive with more load development I could make this gun reach well beyond 40 yards. I actually really like the gun. Only thing I would and I'm going to change is the stock . I want a thumbhole stock . That would help with recoil also allows a right handed shooter to shoot to the right one handed if need be . I bought this gun off of a guy that needed money . I honestly paid more than retail just to try and help him out . Otherwise I would of ordered the gun with a thumbhole stock. As far as a inline muzzleloading shotgun this thing in my opinion is really nice.

 

[twild]

Glad you like it, if you decide to shoot it one handed please make sure you video it

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

Lol I will shoot the dang thing one handed if I have to . But I hope it's not videoed ! It is wicked to shoot . The safety kinda tore my hand up.

 

[dbowling]

A guy I know who owns a archery shop hunted with the TK2000 for years and if I remember correctly he killed a few turkeys out at 50 yds and a lot in the mid 40 yd range, seems like he was using 1 7/8 oz or 2 oz of shot.. as said 2 1/2 oz is a lot no wonder its kicking the crap out of you, sometimes you can get better patterns by lowering velocity instead of raising it, I know on the old still board shotguns guys used to sneak low velocity shot shells in to shoot the cards with and would sometimes almost blow the center out of the target at 22 or 27 yds I believe it was, they of course got ask to leave when found out.
You might try copper coated no. 7 1/2s a lot of guys use them on turkeys for head shots as 2 oz of 7 1/2`s throw a really dense pattern out to 35-40 yds.

Yes I did get some big pieces of cardboard. My pattern now is pretty decent . I would not now be afraid to take a 40 yard shot before 30 yards was even iffy . They have a unique design . I guess its 1890 technology ? The choke tube screws over the barrel .

I'm getting use to the recoil but a 21/2 ounces of shot is a pretty hefty load of lead . That is what a Knight shot cup holds . I could cut the shot cup down or buy shorter shot cups that would allow me to use less shot. I'm not gonna mess with anything right now. I actually have the gun shooting pretty good . I'm positive with more load development I could make this gun reach well beyond 40 yards. I actually really like the gun. Only thing I would and I'm going to change is the stock . I want a thumbhole stock . That would help with recoil also allows a right handed shooter to shoot to the right one handed if need be . I bought this gun off of a guy that needed money . I honestly paid more than retail just to try and help him out . Otherwise I would of ordered the gun with a thumbhole stock. As far as a inline muzzleloading shotgun this thing in my opinion is really nice.

 

[pjsoden]

When I had my Tk-2000, I experienced the same thing that you did, went out and put about 30 shots thru it with 100 grns RS and the Knight wads. Was sitting the recliner that night and felt my shoulder getting kind of stiff, took off my shirt and it was all purple, looked like someone took a baseball bat to my shoulder. My wife made me go get x-rays the next day to make sure I didn’t break anything. The loads shot good with about 20-25 pellets in the head and neck area so I hunted with it and shot my biggest bird, 29 lbs with an 11 1/2” beard, 1 3/4” hooks. After the season I worked up some loads that were more user friendly. I settled on 85 grns T72F, I bought the tps un-slit wads and cut my own slots that were only half the length of the knight wads, with nickel plated #5s. This is when the gun became a 50 yard gun keeping 20 pellets in the dead zone. The next season I took 2 birds with this load, one at 43 yards and one at 56 yards. It still kicked like a mule, but both of those birds dropped like they had been hit by a brick. Hope this helps!

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

Oh wow yes you have . I'll do some research and give that a try ! I'm use to shooting hard kicking guns but this thing really will get your attention . After season I will definitely give that a try . I have read now a couple of times that copper plated #6 is what I need . Why does the copper plates make a difference ?

 

[toytruck]

Why does the copper plates make a difference ?

They are harder than lead, won't deform as quickly thus carry further out for better patterns. Most of the better centerfire shotgun loads have copper pellets for this reasoning.

 

[twild]

Since you like experimenting see if you can find some TSS shot, then you could shoot 8's or 9's and really have a badass load.

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

I shot a bird with the TK2000 . IT really put the hammer down on the tom. I cant figure out how to post pictures . If I can figure it out I'll post a picture . I really liked carrying the gun . Its light . But.... I sure remembered the recoil the second I pulled the trigger!

 

[ENCORE50A]

I shot a bird with the TK2000 . IT really put the hammer down on the tom. I cant figure out how to post pictures . If I can figure it out I'll post a picture . I really liked carrying the gun . Its light . But.... I sure remembered the recoil the second I pulled the trigger!

Will this work :wink:

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Nice turkey! At 2.5 oz, that’s over a 1000 grains :shock: no wonder it kicks

My worst recoiling gun is my 12ga 870 turkey gun using Long Beard XR 3in. That’s pushing 1.75oz (765 grains) at 1200fps but it sure does hold a tight pattern.

Is there any buffer material used with the shot?

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

Where did you get that picture George ? Thank you

 

[ENCORE50A]

Where did you get that picture George ? Thank you

You didn't know that in my past life I was a detective? :wink:
Came of the Knight site.

 

[pjsoden]

Congrats on a great bird!

 

[dbowling]

Nice Bird...

 

[twild]

Great bird!!

 

[WV Hunter]

Congrats! Well done

 

[muzzlestuffer]

90 grs 777 ffg a knight shotcup filled with #5 shot and they come with a foam over card to hold everything down

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