Finally Tested the Hodgdon Firestar Pellets!

[muzzle-loader]

Well, the Muzzle-Loaders.com crew was finally able to spend some time doing testing with the various muzzleloaders this spring. The most anticipated part of the testing was the velocities by powder. Keep in mind, this was done with two different muzzleloaders, with CCI 209 Magnum primers with each load. 

With the Firestar Pellets, we were able to get an average velocity of 2205/fps, between the CVA Accura LR and the Traditions Vortek Strikerfire LDR with 30" barrels. This was done using a PowerBelt AeroLite 250 grain bullet, but we have plans to test other bullets in the future.

This was just one small test that we did that day, so keep an eye out for more information in the near future. To see how the powders stacked up, I included a link below.

https://www.muzzle-loaders.com/articles/cva-accura-v2-long-range-velocity-test/

 

[MeatMachine]

I didn't see it listed so I'm wondering what the Blackhorn 209 dose was ?

 

[exMember]

Brad, any test shots without swabbing to see if the fire star pellets left behind the typical crud ring?

 

[muzzle-loader]

Yes, we did fire the Firestars without swabbing and they left a crud ring. I reached out to Hodgdon about this and they told me that the crud ring will not show up with Winchester Triple Seven primers, but we have not tested this theory yet. 

The accuracy with these pellets was pretty good, with us measuring groups around 1" at 100 yards with a 5 pellet load and the AeroLite bullets. One thing that definitely stood out is that the Firestars have a significant increase in felt recoil compared to the other powders we used. 

Not to give away too much of our tests yet, but the PowerBelt Platinum 270's with 100 grains of Blackhorn 209 ended up being our best grouping of the day at .65". Almost all of the powders resulted in a 1-1.5" group at one powder charge or another.

 

[muzzle-loader]

I didn't see it listed so I'm wondering what the Blackhorn 209 dose was ?

The Blackhorn 209 powder with 120 grains by volume ended up at 2127fps average.

 

[flint head]

That's very interesting numbers on the Select RS... what was the load on it?

 

[muzzle-loader]

That's very interesting numbers on the Select RS... what was the load on it?

We used 150 grains by volume with a 250 grain PowerBelt AeroLite. These speeds were achieved using an Accura Long Range, but we also tested the Traditions Vortek StrikerFire LDR with very similar results.

 

[Buck Conner1]

What kind of distance are you expecting out of your tests? 

Years ago Shockley wrote about 200 -225 yard kills. To me all that article did was create a mind set with inexperienced guys that anyone could take game that far out with a muzzleloader. 

I know Colorado DOW was doing a study on wounded animals because of the distance they were shot at, never did see the results of their study.

 

[muzzle-loader]

Distance is always a touchy subject, especially based on experience and equipment. While the guns now carry enough terminal velocityto kill a deer at 300 yards, there's probably alot of hunters that should never take that shot.

The long distance craze has crept into rifle, muzzleloader, and archery hunting and is definitely a concern. I have no doubt that the are a large amountof animals being lost each year due to unethical shots with all weapons. It's a sad trend that we can only correct by continuing to educate people on ethical hunting practices.

 

[brownisdown]

Just because a gun can shoot 3-500 yds does not mean the shooter can auomatically shoot that far.

 

[Buck Conner1]

When Winchester brought out the .338 caliber a local DOW Warden told me they saw a large number of elk and deer wounded all shot at long distances.  That's not hunting, that's lazy guys just throwing lead.

 

[brownisdown]

I feel it's not as much the caliber as it is in shot placement and time at the range.

 

[Buck Conner1]

A lot of the problem is some of the writers claiming all this baloney about distances and the guy that shoots his rifle just before opening day of the season believes it. 

He spends no time at the range, knows nothing about the animal they are going to hunt for the best spot to hit them (shot placement).

And some of these so called hunters just don't care about being a good sportsman. If you talk to them they don't have a clue on how to stalk or get as close as possible to their game.  

Sad for those of us that care about sportsmenship and fair chase.

 

[koger]

I know that BH209 with mag primers, and a 300gr PLASTIC TIP slug with a Harvester black sabot for .451 slugs, is dead nuts accurate out to 300 yds. I have taken deer, big deer out to 279 yds with my two TC Omega .50's and the above mentioned load, here in KY and Mule deer hunting out west. Strong 
eagle on this site was the one who introduced me to BH209, and I shot nearly 3 cans of it before hunting with it. I shot one group at 300yds that was 1&3/4" group for 3 shots, and several that were all under 3"at 300 yds, some off cross sticks. I have never recovered one of the 300 slugs, even when shooting a big mulie head on, square in the chest, the slug exited out the right ham at 190 yds!

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Just because a gun can shoot 3-500 yds does not mean the shooter can auomatically shoot that far.

Stop talking about my shooting! :lol:

 

[Buck Conner1]

Just because a gun can shoot 3-500 yds does not mean the shooter can auomatically shoot that far.

Stop talking about my shooting! :lol:

Just seems to never go away or be forgotten KC, it just keeps popping up time after time..... :affraid:   :ss: