My thanks to Chuck and Tom for opening up a new section to the message board. Since there is a new opportunity I?m hoping we can start by putting something in it that will be attractive to smokeless muzzle loading shooters of all types.
I imagine this portion of the board to be somewhat like an e-book but with instant critical assessment. So I will be posting a number of topics. The length of each topic may vary and some will be longer than the average post you?d see at a message board. The subjects will cover theory, innovations, modifications, engineering developments, safety, and any other subjects that need covered at length.
To begin let?s start with the rifle itself. We are talking about the only real true innovation in factory produced rifles in some time, smokeless muzzle loaders. Smokeless muzzle loaders are in fact an improvement of another innovation the inline muzzleloader. While it is true shooting has never had as much variety in product as today the average shooter is still employing the same rifle as shot early in the last century or even late in the 19th century. As a matter of fact smokeless muzzle loading could not be thought of as new except for the fact cartridges had already taken over shooting before smokeless powder was popularized.
We live in a time of cause and effect. The cause appeared when states opened muzzle loading seasons for nostalgic reasons about 40 years ago. That in itself was only a hobby in flux, today buckskins and Hawken rifles are common. The cause exploded the popularity of muzzle loading when state laws went from forming a new hobbyist pursuit to restricting deer hunters to either shotguns or muzzle loaders during this most popular of hunting seasons. So the effect is hunters who want innovations because they no longer are able to shoot their preferred rifles.
One could debate the merits of severe weapons restrictions (I think they?re bogus) but there is no debate smokeless muzzle loading is a direct result of hunters who are after better weapons for a purpose.
Now we have defined the animal. What are the traits of it?s? life style? That means I?m going to have to define by some means, the basic qualities one would think about for a smokeless muzzleloader. Since there are so many now (remember when the 10ML was the only choice?) we have to think in generic terms rather than specific while at the same time making the choice precise. Let?s break down the subject in categories.
1 Strength and pressure.
This depends some on caliber but we can make a statement for any caliber so this comes first. My thinking is the rifle should be designed to withstand a high pressure (80,000+psi) for safety reasons. However the operating pressure would be no more than the low 40,000psi range. The limit is chosen for two reasons, sabots blow as you near this pressure, and a big bore rifle is very powerful without having a high pressure load. The 450 and 444 Marlins prove this by reaching bullet energies in excess of 3500fpe with pressure limit not exceeding 43,000psi. With a larger bore (50 caliber) even greater energies are possible at this moderate pressure.
On this point the best summation is a rifle should be very strong but still shot at a moderate to low pressure.
2 Action style:
This is not an easy answer for there are more considerations than one might think. However it should said that there are several actions that could be used successfully. This discussion excludes none of them it simply compares merits and demerits.
Bolt actions are very strong and very accurate. The road to such strength and accuracy winds around the fact the action can be heavy. The bolt with a very light frame seems to say perfection but alas recoil becomes an issue quickly proving there is no perfection in an in perfect world. A well designed bolt is a true work of art and most shooters would be well served by such an action but because variety is the spice of life we will consider two other possibilities.
Break-over actions are light and short so a longer barrel can be had without having a longer rifle. Break-overs are good carry guns because they point quick because of length and won?t give you a back ache if you have to tote them for a few miles. Their weak points are strength and accuracy. However it should be pointed out they are not inaccurate. We speak here of potential accuracy not absolutes. The strength issue is not insurmountable either it simply requires the correct resource to build in the proper amount.
Single shot actions (like the Ruger #1) are very good for strength and accuracy but care must be taken to not load in extra weight. This action is one of the most attractive looking rifles out there but to have the beauty you have to drop the coin. This way of getting a smokeless rifle might also be the most expensive.
The action could be a number of other possibilities (a lever for example) but these three are the most likely encountered. A stand hunter would almost certainly be served by a bolt action. The strength and accuracy are at home in a stable shooting position. Thick woods hunters might need the quick point of a break action. And those with money and preference may go the single shot. All these will do the job according to the task asked.
Two possible action types.
3 Caliber
Admittedly almost everybody will shoot 50 caliber as that?s the only readily off the shelf product. However this discussion dwells in theory as well as reality so the merit of another caliber is a consideration. Most states allow caliber as small as 45 and some allow even smaller yet. The advantage of a smaller caliber should not need a large amount of explaining. After all no one has to explain why hunters everywhere believe the 30-06 is a better deer caliber than the 460 Weatherby.
Simply put the big 460 has all the power and prestige of a heavy weigh champion but the 30-06 has a good many more hunters because they know it works better for the task they are likely to perform. So what task does a smokeless muzzleloader intend to complete? For almost every hunter that is the white tailed deer.
In the last 100 years deer rifle changes have centered on a moderate to light weight bullet with some speed. Now some exceptions apply but they generally are where range is restricted or a shooter is sticking with an old favorite. In fact one could say the greatest change in shooting brought about smokeless powder is the move toward smaller bullets and faster velocity. That being the case I challenge anyone to give a good technical reason for all this that wouldn?t apply to a smokeless muzzleloader as well.
In practice some say the 45 suffers from a lack of components. It is true there are fewer to choose from but the ones there are excellent. They are accurate fast and reliable. Do I have to tell you how much easier and fun it is to shoot a 200 grain SST to 2650fps as compared to a 250 grain bullet at 2400fps? If you have equal bullet energies then a heavier bullet is always more recoil. The amount of extra recoil depends on the difference in weight of the bullets. The 200 grain bullet is 25% lighter than the 250 grain slug, that?s a lot.
So my choice is 45 calibers. I?m not holding my breath for the world to turn to my way of thinking. That?s because smokeless muzzle loading is still muzzle loading and the world we live in always picks a favorite. It is unlikely Savage (still the only common rifle) would give even a remote hearing to having a 45 caliber rifle.
these bullets can all be shot accurately in a smokeless muzzle loader. They weigh 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, and 180 grains. Which would have the least recoil at similar energies?
I think this post would be about right for a chapter in an e-book. I?ll let the book critics have a go at it and take a few days off. This weekend perhaps there will be time to have a chapter two.
I imagine this portion of the board to be somewhat like an e-book but with instant critical assessment. So I will be posting a number of topics. The length of each topic may vary and some will be longer than the average post you?d see at a message board. The subjects will cover theory, innovations, modifications, engineering developments, safety, and any other subjects that need covered at length.
To begin let?s start with the rifle itself. We are talking about the only real true innovation in factory produced rifles in some time, smokeless muzzle loaders. Smokeless muzzle loaders are in fact an improvement of another innovation the inline muzzleloader. While it is true shooting has never had as much variety in product as today the average shooter is still employing the same rifle as shot early in the last century or even late in the 19th century. As a matter of fact smokeless muzzle loading could not be thought of as new except for the fact cartridges had already taken over shooting before smokeless powder was popularized.
We live in a time of cause and effect. The cause appeared when states opened muzzle loading seasons for nostalgic reasons about 40 years ago. That in itself was only a hobby in flux, today buckskins and Hawken rifles are common. The cause exploded the popularity of muzzle loading when state laws went from forming a new hobbyist pursuit to restricting deer hunters to either shotguns or muzzle loaders during this most popular of hunting seasons. So the effect is hunters who want innovations because they no longer are able to shoot their preferred rifles.
One could debate the merits of severe weapons restrictions (I think they?re bogus) but there is no debate smokeless muzzle loading is a direct result of hunters who are after better weapons for a purpose.
Now we have defined the animal. What are the traits of it?s? life style? That means I?m going to have to define by some means, the basic qualities one would think about for a smokeless muzzleloader. Since there are so many now (remember when the 10ML was the only choice?) we have to think in generic terms rather than specific while at the same time making the choice precise. Let?s break down the subject in categories.
1 Strength and pressure.
This depends some on caliber but we can make a statement for any caliber so this comes first. My thinking is the rifle should be designed to withstand a high pressure (80,000+psi) for safety reasons. However the operating pressure would be no more than the low 40,000psi range. The limit is chosen for two reasons, sabots blow as you near this pressure, and a big bore rifle is very powerful without having a high pressure load. The 450 and 444 Marlins prove this by reaching bullet energies in excess of 3500fpe with pressure limit not exceeding 43,000psi. With a larger bore (50 caliber) even greater energies are possible at this moderate pressure.
On this point the best summation is a rifle should be very strong but still shot at a moderate to low pressure.
2 Action style:
This is not an easy answer for there are more considerations than one might think. However it should said that there are several actions that could be used successfully. This discussion excludes none of them it simply compares merits and demerits.
Bolt actions are very strong and very accurate. The road to such strength and accuracy winds around the fact the action can be heavy. The bolt with a very light frame seems to say perfection but alas recoil becomes an issue quickly proving there is no perfection in an in perfect world. A well designed bolt is a true work of art and most shooters would be well served by such an action but because variety is the spice of life we will consider two other possibilities.
Break-over actions are light and short so a longer barrel can be had without having a longer rifle. Break-overs are good carry guns because they point quick because of length and won?t give you a back ache if you have to tote them for a few miles. Their weak points are strength and accuracy. However it should be pointed out they are not inaccurate. We speak here of potential accuracy not absolutes. The strength issue is not insurmountable either it simply requires the correct resource to build in the proper amount.
Single shot actions (like the Ruger #1) are very good for strength and accuracy but care must be taken to not load in extra weight. This action is one of the most attractive looking rifles out there but to have the beauty you have to drop the coin. This way of getting a smokeless rifle might also be the most expensive.
The action could be a number of other possibilities (a lever for example) but these three are the most likely encountered. A stand hunter would almost certainly be served by a bolt action. The strength and accuracy are at home in a stable shooting position. Thick woods hunters might need the quick point of a break action. And those with money and preference may go the single shot. All these will do the job according to the task asked.
Two possible action types.
3 Caliber
Admittedly almost everybody will shoot 50 caliber as that?s the only readily off the shelf product. However this discussion dwells in theory as well as reality so the merit of another caliber is a consideration. Most states allow caliber as small as 45 and some allow even smaller yet. The advantage of a smaller caliber should not need a large amount of explaining. After all no one has to explain why hunters everywhere believe the 30-06 is a better deer caliber than the 460 Weatherby.
Simply put the big 460 has all the power and prestige of a heavy weigh champion but the 30-06 has a good many more hunters because they know it works better for the task they are likely to perform. So what task does a smokeless muzzleloader intend to complete? For almost every hunter that is the white tailed deer.
In the last 100 years deer rifle changes have centered on a moderate to light weight bullet with some speed. Now some exceptions apply but they generally are where range is restricted or a shooter is sticking with an old favorite. In fact one could say the greatest change in shooting brought about smokeless powder is the move toward smaller bullets and faster velocity. That being the case I challenge anyone to give a good technical reason for all this that wouldn?t apply to a smokeless muzzleloader as well.
In practice some say the 45 suffers from a lack of components. It is true there are fewer to choose from but the ones there are excellent. They are accurate fast and reliable. Do I have to tell you how much easier and fun it is to shoot a 200 grain SST to 2650fps as compared to a 250 grain bullet at 2400fps? If you have equal bullet energies then a heavier bullet is always more recoil. The amount of extra recoil depends on the difference in weight of the bullets. The 200 grain bullet is 25% lighter than the 250 grain slug, that?s a lot.
So my choice is 45 calibers. I?m not holding my breath for the world to turn to my way of thinking. That?s because smokeless muzzle loading is still muzzle loading and the world we live in always picks a favorite. It is unlikely Savage (still the only common rifle) would give even a remote hearing to having a 45 caliber rifle.
these bullets can all be shot accurately in a smokeless muzzle loader. They weigh 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, and 180 grains. Which would have the least recoil at similar energies?
I think this post would be about right for a chapter in an e-book. I?ll let the book critics have a go at it and take a few days off. This weekend perhaps there will be time to have a chapter two.
