- Joined
- Jul 26, 2016
- Messages
- 1,176
- Reaction score
- 232
Recently I read a post where the new CVA Rifle is capable of shooting 140 grains by volume .Also the UFs are capable of 150 grains Blackhorn 209. ( by volume) Not positive about the UF . Someone asked if Knight had a comparable gun. Knight does but they are not approved loads. Knight personally told me they tested loads up to 150 grains of Blackhorn 209 out of the Knight 500. ( KNIGHTS APPROVED LOADS IN ANY RIFLE DOES NOT EXCEED 120 GRAINS BY VOLUME OF BLACKHORN 209 !)
Last summer I did a considerable amount of testing loads and bullets at 300 yards. My 2 test guns were the Knight 500 .45 1-18 and the Knight Mountaineer .45 1-20. I used Parker Balistic Extreme 275 and 300 grains.Parker Emax 270 grains .Pittman Accumax 275 , 300 grains and the Pittman Aeromax 300 grains.My loads ranged from 100 to 150 grains by volume of Blackhorn 209. All of my shooting was done off a bench
My findings were that i saw no difference in accuracy shooting loads over 120 grains by volume. In fact out of the Knight Mountaineer .45 1-20 my most accurate loads were aprox 110 grain by volume or 78 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209 with a 270 grain Parker Emax. The cheaper 275 grain Parker Balistic Extreme was just as accurate if conditions were good.
My Knight 500 1-18 likes the 300 grain Pittman Aeromax or 300 grain Pittman Accumax with 83 grains Blackhorn 209.
I found that accuracy started to fall off after 85 grains Blackhorn 209 by weight. This was my findings others may differ. After 85 grains of Blackhorn 209 by weight the recoil seems to increase considerable. Also there is huge amount more fouling with the hotter loads(95 grains plus ) I think Encore50 can also confirm this . Jeff Fisk has also accidentally came to my same conclusions. After being forced to lower his loads at Friendship (100 grains Blackhorn 209 down to 84 grains Blackhorn 209 by weight) Jeffs scores has not suffered one bit. In fact the last year Jeff shot some of his highest scores ever.
The only time i found the hotter Blackhorn 209 loads would out preform the more moderate loads were in high wind. Even then the group size would not suffer that much but the hotter loads would not drift as much.
I did all this testing at 300 yards for 2 reasons . One i feel like 300 yards is about my maximum hunting distance with a smoker muzzleloader . I still have plenty of energy with a moderate flight time to the target. Also Friendships longest target in the Manufactures Inline division is 300 meters.
My conclusion even though some rifles are capable of shooting charges over 120 grains by volume i see no advantage . Like previously stated this was my findings im sure others will differ. When these new CVAs are available the new owners may be thankful for a 10lb gun while shooting max loads.
Last summer I did a considerable amount of testing loads and bullets at 300 yards. My 2 test guns were the Knight 500 .45 1-18 and the Knight Mountaineer .45 1-20. I used Parker Balistic Extreme 275 and 300 grains.Parker Emax 270 grains .Pittman Accumax 275 , 300 grains and the Pittman Aeromax 300 grains.My loads ranged from 100 to 150 grains by volume of Blackhorn 209. All of my shooting was done off a bench
My findings were that i saw no difference in accuracy shooting loads over 120 grains by volume. In fact out of the Knight Mountaineer .45 1-20 my most accurate loads were aprox 110 grain by volume or 78 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209 with a 270 grain Parker Emax. The cheaper 275 grain Parker Balistic Extreme was just as accurate if conditions were good.
My Knight 500 1-18 likes the 300 grain Pittman Aeromax or 300 grain Pittman Accumax with 83 grains Blackhorn 209.
I found that accuracy started to fall off after 85 grains Blackhorn 209 by weight. This was my findings others may differ. After 85 grains of Blackhorn 209 by weight the recoil seems to increase considerable. Also there is huge amount more fouling with the hotter loads(95 grains plus ) I think Encore50 can also confirm this . Jeff Fisk has also accidentally came to my same conclusions. After being forced to lower his loads at Friendship (100 grains Blackhorn 209 down to 84 grains Blackhorn 209 by weight) Jeffs scores has not suffered one bit. In fact the last year Jeff shot some of his highest scores ever.
The only time i found the hotter Blackhorn 209 loads would out preform the more moderate loads were in high wind. Even then the group size would not suffer that much but the hotter loads would not drift as much.
I did all this testing at 300 yards for 2 reasons . One i feel like 300 yards is about my maximum hunting distance with a smoker muzzleloader . I still have plenty of energy with a moderate flight time to the target. Also Friendships longest target in the Manufactures Inline division is 300 meters.
My conclusion even though some rifles are capable of shooting charges over 120 grains by volume i see no advantage . Like previously stated this was my findings im sure others will differ. When these new CVAs are available the new owners may be thankful for a 10lb gun while shooting max loads.