MGM Preferred & Brux

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WPrather

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What is the difference between the MGM Preferred barrel and the Brux barrel for the Encore? There both made by MGM right? Are they the same size round and weight. Will they both handle the same powder charge?

On arrowheads site there is about a $200 dollars difference between the two barrels.
 
Brux is a Brux 6 land barrel blank MGM uses for the SML barrels sold through ASG. They dont offer a SML barrel directly. Brux are cut rifled.

The MGM Preferred is a 5R barrel. Its 5 lands but the way its rifled is also a bit different. The shape of the lands/grooves is not the same. MGM sells smoker barrels in 5R but i imagine that ASG orders theirs in a heavier contour as well as maybe other changes like the plug. Im not sure but i think MGM in house barrels are button rifled.
 
I hunt the National Forrest around Fort Lenord Wood army base in Missouri so it’s all woods. I spend 80-90% of my time in a summit climber and the rest on the ground. Not all the time but most of the time I’m pretty far back in the woods. Most of my shots are 125yds and under. But I practice out to 200 because i have had that opportunity a few times. Any farther than that I’m really not worried about where I hunt. I really like my 28in 50cal Prohunter and where I hunt there isn’t anything it won’t do. I just have the itch to try smokeless because it’s different and I don’t have one basically.

So I’m just weighting my options and the costs against the benefits.
Other than a gun that I could sight in before season and not clean until season is over. What other benefits are there for me to look at?
 
Lower cost per shot vs BH209. Most of the commonly used powders will be between 55gr and 60gr.
Less recoil vs BH209...Light loads of the faster powders that work will be under half the weight of a BH209 84gr load.
Large selection of powders than can work. H/IMR 4198, VV N120 and Reloder7 just to name a few.

Lets say for instance you want to duplicate a 2200fps BH209 load. It only takes about 31-32gr of N110 and N110 is super temp stable too. Its an expensive powder but you get a whole pound and there are a heckuva a lot of 32gr loads in a pound. So even if its $40/lb you are already 6oz ahead of BH209 without even considering the amount of powder difference needed.

55-56gr loads of the slower powders will get you over 2400fps with a 200gr bullet. Probably close to 2500fps and those powders are fairly cheap. Bass Pro for example is $30/lb for Reloder7. A 60gr load will break 2500fps and peak pressure is really low with a 200gr sabot load.
 
When you talk about 200gr bullets are you talking about sabots? Like the Hornady 200gr SST.

Are those barrels and that rifling sabot friendly?

I was thing I would have to shoot sabotless to get good accuracy out of those barrels. I realize that the powder would be cheaper. I reload for everything and have thoughs powders on hand anyway. I was just thinking when you figure in the price of the bullets like BE’s and Pittman’s that savings goes out the window.

Not to mention a sizing die. But I guess with a sizing die. You could shoot any 45/70 .458 bullets like Hornady or Speer right? Like I said with my hunting needs I really don’t need to spend a fortune on long range bullets.
 
No need to pay 2 bucks a pop for bullets. Many of the Fury Custom Bullets are $44/50 and bonded jackets to boot.

No idea if those will shoot sabots. The Brux should and MGM says nothing about sabotless only for their in house 5R ML barrels.

No to use 458s you need a full form sizing die which requires a little of your barrel to make. A 458 wont go through the smooth sizing die. You would need to size them down in a couple steps to use them in the smooth die by using a .454 and then a .452 Lee die first.

The smooth sizing die is pretty much the best way to go and by far the least amount of headaches for sabotless.
 
Ya I had a brain fart I guess. I was thinking about the 45/70 conversions and thinking .458cal. So with a sizing die I could still shoot all the .452 bullets I usually shoot out of my 50 with sabots or my 454 and 460.
 
WPrather- Did you end up ordering a smokeless barrel?
 
No not yet, I’m a construction worker I’m pretty tight in the winter time. I haven’t decided which way I want to go either. I know which one I like but I’m not sure it’s worth the 1200 bucks where I hunt at.

ASG is the only place I have looked. I don’t even really know if that’s high for a Brux barrel or not. I know I can get a quote from Hankin’s too. Is there anybody else I should check with?
 
Both Hankins and ASG are the same price. It is for sure a big chunk of money. I ended up selling a couple guns to pay for it. From everything I’ve read it will be worth every penny.
 
Did you get a muzzel brake on yours?

Did you get it from Hankin’s or ASG and what ignition did you get?

I don’t know exactly what the max load is. I know Hankin’s suggests 65grs or 4198. But I would imagine that’s a safe (lawyer approved) load. I don’t know for sure how much more you could push it though. With a 26in barrel I don’t think it would kick to bad though. I was watching Hankins shoot one he built on YouTube that had a break and it didn’t look like it kicked much at all.
 
What is the difference between ASG’s LRMP ignition and Hankin’s HIS system?

The modules look the same.
 
I went with a 27” barrel no muzzle brake with an attached ramrod. I ordered mine from Hankins with the HIS system. I went with the HIS system over a 209 ignition as I wanted to guarantee I didn’t have to duplex powders in cold weather. I had to do that with my last smokeless and it bugged me. I’m not sure if there really is a difference between the Hankins HIS and ASG they look identical to me too.
 
I got an Encore Brux through ASG several years ago. It is more accurate than most of my center fire guns. Mine has a 209 ignition and I shoot straight 4198 powder under a wool wad and smooth form sabotless. Have not had any problems in cold weather. I shoot Pittman 275 Gr Accumax as well as well as Barnes 250 Gr TEZ and the 290 TEZ.
 
Does anybody know the difference between the ASG Preferred/MGM barrel and the Haus of Arms MGM barrel?

Because Haus of Arms says their working in collaboration with ASG. The Haus of Arms barrel I believe has the ASG 209 Breech plug in it. ASG didn’t start selling the Preffer/MGM barrel until about the same time Haus of Arms started selling theirs.

Haus of Arms barrel is $480 and ASG’s barrel is $680.
 
Does anybody know the difference between the ASG Preferred/MGM barrel and the Haus of Arms MGM barrel?

Because Haus of Arms says their working in collaboration with ASG. The Haus of Arms barrel I believe has the ASG 209 Breech plug in it. ASG didn’t start selling the Preffer/MGM barrel until about the same time Haus of Arms started selling theirs.

Haus of Arms barrel is $480 and ASG’s barrel is $680.
Contact Luke. He's a straight up guy and will answer your questions.
 
The only difference I see is Haus of Arms barrels are .810 heavy factory contour the same as TC Prohunter barrels. The ASG Preferred/MGM barrels are full Bull 1in barrels.

Other than that they have the exact same breach plugs and everything. MGM don’t charge any difference in price between a full bull and a heavy factory contour barrel. ASG’s barrel does have MGM install a 6 hole steel MGM rail on there barrels. MGM charges 60 bucks for that.

So I could order the same barrel from MGM’s custom shop for 540 that ASG is selling for 680. MGM is just to big of a company with to many lawyers to say it’s a smokeless muzzeloader barrel.

The only other noticeable difference is the ASG smokeless 45cal muzzeloader lable on the barrel. Surely that don’t cost a 140 bucks. Lol
 
What is the difference between Haus of Arms 45cal muzzeloader barrel with ASG’s carbide bushing 209 Breech plug. Then sending a 45/70 barrel to ASG and having it converted to smokeless with ASG’s 209 carbide bushing plug?

Wouldn’t it be the exact same thing? People have the 45/70 conversions done all the time. The 45/70 barrels are not 1in full bull barrels. You should be able to take the Haus of Arms barrel and unscrew the ASG 209 plug and screw a ASG LRMP plug or Hankins HIS plug right in there. Unless I’m not seeing something correctly.
 
The only difference I see is Haus of Arms barrels are .810 heavy factory contour the same as TC Prohunter barrels. The ASG Preferred/MGM barrels are full Bull 1in barrels.

Other than that they have the exact same breach plugs and everything. MGM don’t charge any difference in price between a full bull and a heavy factory contour barrel. ASG’s barrel does have MGM install a 6 hole steel MGM rail on there barrels. MGM charges 60 bucks for that.

So I could order the same barrel from MGM’s custom shop for 540 that ASG is selling for 680. MGM is just to big of a company with to many lawyers to say it’s a smokeless muzzeloader barrel.

The only other noticeable difference is the ASG smokeless 45cal muzzeloader lable on the barrel. Surely that don’t cost a 140 bucks. Lol
You go ahead and put smokeless in a barrel that says "Blackpowder or approved substitute only" and you may want to bend over, kiss your ass ga'bye and have your will completed first.
 
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