First shots through my MK85

[Harleysboss]

I picked up an un fired MK85 a few months back. Santa Claus brought me a new Williams Peep sight for Christmas so I mounted the new sight and threw together some different projectiles ...off to the range. The rifle is a 54 cal SS with the grey laminate stock. SWEET! I asked a few questions here just after I got it questioning what might shoot. Well I have a Lee mold for the 500 S&W and she casts a bullet at .500 pure lead and in the neighborhood of 460grns. I paired this up with a purple MMP sabot 54x50. I was not sure if this bullet was going to be to long for the sabot. I set a test target at 25yds to get on paper. I started all loads today at 80 grns of FFFG Goex blk powder. After dialing in the sight I moved out to 50yds. Same 80 grn load and proceeded to print a 3 shot group right at 1" center to center. Two bullets almost going through the same hole. The holes were nice and crisp with no signs of being unstable. I then shot 3 335grn Rainer 50cal bullets. Same 80 grn charge. 3 shots at 1 7/8" center to center. All shots were fired then barrel swabbed one damp and 1 dry patch before loading again. I found out that the front sight is not going to be tall enough so I have to figure out the right height and order one. Next session I will test powder charges in the range of 85-90 grns and move out to 100yds to see what is happening with that big ole bullet. This is an Elk gun so yes I want that big of a bullet Just thought I would share.

 

[ShawnT]

Sounds like a Great start so far! Congrads on a great find in that MK.

 

[pjsoden]

One of the best muzzleloader ever made.congrats and enjoy!

 

[WV Hunter]

I'm shooting Shawn's hand cast lead w/purple sabots in my .54 MK with 100gr pyro rs. I think they are 336gr IIRC. Also shoot the 325gr speers which are great bullets also. I have not shot any bigger lead in mine yet. Really haven't had a need as I only hunt whitetails.

I agree....the MK's are great guns :yeah:

 

[idahoron]

I picked up an un fired MK85 a few months back. Santa Claus brought me a new Williams Peep sight for Christmas so I mounted the new sight and threw together some different projectiles ...off to the range. The rifle is a 54 cal SS with the grey laminate stock. SWEET! I asked a few questions here just after I got it questioning what might shoot. Well I have a Lee mold for the 500 S&W and she casts a bullet at .500 pure lead and in the neighborhood of 460grns. I paired this up with a purple MMP sabot 54x50. I was not sure if this bullet was going to be to long for the sabot. I set a test target at 25yds to get on paper. I started all loads today at 80 grns of FFFG Goex blk powder. After dialing in the sight I moved out to 50yds. Same 80 grn load and proceeded to print a 3 shot group right at 1" center to center. Two bullets almost going through the same hole. The holes were nice and crisp with no signs of being unstable. I then shot 3 335grn Rainer 50cal bullets. Same 80 grn charge. 3 shots at 1 7/8" center to center. All shots were fired then barrel swabbed one damp and 1 dry patch before loading again. I found out that the front sight is not going to be tall enough so I have to figure out the right height and order one. Next session I will test powder charges in the range of 85-90 grns and move out to 100yds to see what is happening with that big ole bullet. This is an Elk gun so yes I want that big of a bullet Just thought I would share.

I installed a Lyman 17 AHB on my son's MK85. I will be installing on on mine this spring.

 

[Harleysboss]

Ron, I like that sight set up but just curious of how it performs in the dark timber and low light conditions. Pretty thick over here in Western Wa. The bullet that I was shooting is the Lee 500 S&W that we both paper patch for the 50's. So far seems to be shooting very accurately using the 54x50 sabot.

 

[idahoron]

I painted the part white on the sight that keeps the insert in. It helps a lot but as you know as the light drops the closer the shot needs to be. The small pin is tough to see but at 5 to 75 yards I work it like a double peep. My eye centers the peep and it centers the globe. My eye centers the target in the globe. I guess I am kind of shooting instinctively at close range. No way I could pull off a 100 to 150 yards shot in the cover and light your talking about.
I was hunting Whitetails in Northern Idaho last month. I got into some of that super thick stuff and low light. Precision shooting at long range ain't happening. But I have no doubt I can be successful with my sights in that terrain.
The Wet weather spooked me from taking my Hawken on my first day. That was the day I shot my deer.

 

[idahoron]

In this picture you can see the white paint on my 50 the bottom rifle.