Range Report Update
Well, I got out this afternoon for some more function testing, and while I was at it figured I'd shoot some paper. I must say, this breech plug is awesome with the o-ring installed. I shot 17 Blackhorn 209 loads out of it today with 6 different primers, most of those primers are not recommended for Blackhorn 209. ALL primers worked flawlessly, absolutely no hang-fires, no misfires, not even a hiccup. ALL primers were easily removed by just finger and thumb, ALL were as clean as new with no blowback getting past the o-ring. As a matter of fact the seal was so good the only smoke I got on the standing breech leaked out between the actual primer and the battery cup of Winchester W209 primers when shooting 120 grain loads of Blackhorn 209.
I had only shot this H&R Sidekick for function testing with Federal 209A primers prior to the short range session today. This is a new rifle, and I only plan to shoot Blackhorn 209 out of it. I needed to make sure my scope was on paper so I shot an old target at 50, It was only a couple inches to the left. I had eye-ball bore sighted it prior to shooting, so it was close enough to go out to 100. I used the old Remington 209-4 (410 primers) for both of these shots to get on paper, and both charges went off just like a Federal 209A would have. The shot at 100 was 3"-4" to the left of the bull, and almost 1" low. I made an adjustment to the right and up to hopefully be 2" high and on center. I was ready to start testing primers and checking for accuracy.
The first group was just some T/C Cheapshot 240 grain bullets with 80 gr BH209, ignited by a Winchester Triple Se7en Primer. All loads fired flawlessly, and ended up with a 1.45" group, I was happy with that and figured that this H&R Sidekick was going to shoot just like my NEF Huntsman does.
The second group was Hornady .430" 300 grain HP/XTP in the green Harvester Crush Rib Sabot with 90 grains BH209, ignited by Winchester WML209 Muzzleloading Primer (tan box). All loads fired flawlessly, the first two were touching, the third left the group and ended up at 1.33".
The third group was Speer's .429" 270 grain Gold Dot's in the green Knight High Pressure Sabot with 90 grains BH209, ignited by the standard CCI 209 Primers. All loads fired flawlessly, had some horizontal stringing, but ended up with a 1.75" group.
At this point my fingers wer starting to get numb, so I figured I better get a bullet that I can crank up. I picked the T/C 200 grain shockwave in the supplied sabot over 120 grains BH209, ignited by the standard Winchester W209 Primer. All loads fired flawlessly, the first two were touching about 2-1/2" above the bull, pulled the third a hair right, but it was still good enough for my only MOA group of the day at .758". I will be following up with that load again next time. The W209 primers leaked some soot smoke between the actual primer and the battery cup.
After that last group, I had a grin you couldn't wipe off with a Mack Truck. I deceided to shoot the Hornady 350 grain FPB over 80 grains BH209, ignited by Remington Kleanbore Muzzleloading Primers. All loads fired flawlessly, the first two were nearly touching tearing one hole, with the third ending up about an inch to the right for a group that measured 1.20".
The inside of the breech was so clean I couldn't hardly believe it, after 17 shots the breech plug looked as good as it did before I started shooting. The standing breech had a small smoke ring around the firing pin, notice the size, all of this came out between the primer and the battery cup, none leaked past the o-ring as evidenced by how clean the primers were. You would get more soot on the standing breech by just firing a primer with no powder out of the orange primer carriers than I ended up with after firing 17 hunting loads out of this breech plug with o-ring installed.
Here is another picture of the breech plug after I was done shooting.
To say I am happy with this breech plug is an understatement, it has such a short path to the powder, the o-ring seals it from blowback, and I really think you could use ANY 209 primer. I know it was only in the low 30's today, but had to be in the 20's with the wind chill. We all have this pre-conceived notion of what will work and what won't, but let me tell you this plug worked perfectly with every primer that shouldn't work. There is hardly any crud, the flash hole is still wide open. I think all of that crud that builds up in those long flame channels of our Knight, T/C, and CVA plugs goes through the .040" flash hole directly into the powder charge. And good riddance as far as I'm concerned. :wink:
