Knight LK-93 Improvements & Questions & Advice

[SLP]

Greetings: I have been given an older Knight LK-93 that I'm trying to get into hunting condition. The barrel was rusted & breech plug frozen, so I have thoroughly cleaned and de-rusted as best I can and breech plug removed and replaced. I have both ignition systems, but am using 209 due to not having a ton of caps (keep those for the side locks). So far, the best groups have been 2-4" at 50 yds; two shots will touch and 2 will open up group; swabbing barrel between each shot.

I'm also experimenting with bullets and sabots to find a consistent combination. I have been using a little Bore Butter on the sides of the sabot, Does this help? I have recently read in a thread where Knight told a customer that BB would be detrimental to accuracy. (Have not tried firing without BB yet).

The factory composite stock seems to have some flex so I have bedded the barrel from 1" in front of attachment block to the rear of barrel and will free-float barrel. Next, is the one attachment screw enough? Can a second barrel attachment screw be added to rear of barrel.....would this be worth the effort?

Would a more rigid stock, like laminated wood (then bedded) improve groups? Thanks in advance for any assistance!! SLP

 

[GM54-120]

You wont find lube on a shotgun wad so why would you want it on a sabot? The simple answer is NO you dont want to lube a sabot. You want to get sabots that fit correctly in your bore. They should be tight but loadable. If they start easy with just the rod its probably too loose. Adding lube to a sabot just creates another variable to deal with. Modern sabots have no need for lubes of any kind and there are numerous sizes to choose from.

If you have pits in your barrel Bore Bummer will just collect in those pits. It will trap water in those pits too. Scrub that bore out with JB Bore Shine real well and ditch that Bore Bummer. Use a good synthetic oil or mineral oil based lube instead for storage.

Keep it simple to start out. Something like a Harvester EZ Load or Crushib sabot and a 250gr XTP or similar bullet. You can buy either of those sabots at places like Cabelas. They might be a bit loose in a Knight though. Hard to say for sure. Then find a reasonably priced 250gr bullet to shoot. Work up starting at about 80gr by volume. Swab between shots as needed but dont get your patches soaking wet. They just need to be wet enough to wipe the bore between shots. Then dry patch a couple times before loading again.

One of the main things is giving the barrel time to cool down between shots. Sabots HATE hot metal. It makes them softer.

 

[SLP]

GM54-120: Thanks for your reply. Pardon my late reply, deer modern gun season has started here in KY and our DSL has been down.

I'll definitely stop using B-Butter (didn't realize it traps moisture). I have already cleaned/scrubbed the rust with various cleaners etc....and ended with JB Bore Paste.

I have measured my cleaning jags and selected the largest one (.478) to use on the Knight....from what I've read they have a bore around .502/.503. Do you have any idea if the jag sold by Knight is sized for their bores or a source for different sized jags? Thanks, SLP

 

[GM54-120]

When you got pits or any spot in a bore that water can collect, sometimes that water is not easy to get out with just a patch. You need something like 91% isopropyl alcohol. It will help the water evaporate quickly. You have to displace or evaporate that water first. If you have any rust or fouling left in a bore it will soak up liquid making it even harder to remove.

This is where the big issue with Bore Butter comes in. It just covers that wet spot or wet rust. Products like Ballistol can emulsify. A mineral oil and alcohol solvent combination that will combine with water making it easier to remove.

Sorry but i dont know who makes the jags for Knight. Brand new ones might be Lehigh but i doubt it.

 

[dbowling]

might be better off shooting a conical instead of sabot easier to load on a pitted/rusty barrel.. also Knights usually shoot them decent to excellent.

 

[snapbang]

SLP, I was interested in a Knight and asked around my friends who may have one. The one I got was rusted really bad. Like you I scrubbed it out and in the end the gun shot to perfection. Dont be discouraged with the pour condition of the bore. Find the right bullet, sabot, powder, primer combination, follow the advice here, and Im sure it will shoot for you.

 

[ShawnT]

I have measured my cleaning jags and selected the largest one (.478) to use on the Knight....from what I've read they have a bore around .502/.503. Do you have any idea if the jag sold by Knight is sized for their bores or a source for different sized jags? Thanks, SLP

Maybe I missed it somewhere but is the rifle a .50 or .54 cal?

Don't get too hung up on the exact dimension of the jag. Just take a good quality patch and test the jag by starting a patch in the muzzle with it. If it starts into the crown and you can pull the patch back out your good to go. You should be able to work a patch back and forth with it snug in the barrel but no problem to work it back and forth without it coming off the jag. I have used several brand jags from Knight, Proshot, Tipton, and some others with no issues. IF your going to use some thin T-Shirt material or something like that then you might want to pay more attention to it. I personally use Pro-Shot brand patches mostly because I use the same ones for other CF rifles too. But I like the material the use. i have also purchased yards of Flannel material from fabric stores and cut my own, but its just too much of a pain in the butt. I like 2" round (squares ok too) for my ML's.

 

[brownisdown]

I use under size jag and then wrap a little 000-0000 steel wool around it to clean my muzzleloaading barrels.Then I swab the barrel with a dry patch to finish it off.If it goes up for storage then I use a barrel cotton swab with a little oil on it for protection.

 

[SLP]

I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions.......I'm waiting on the weather/wind to cooperate so I can try and shoot groups!

 

[SLP]

might be better off shooting a conical instead of sabot easier to load on a pitted/rusty barrel.. also Knights usually shoot them decent to excellent.

What type/brand/size conical do you suggest? I will have to purchase manufactured as I don't pour my own lead bullets.

 

[rangerod]

Last time I had my LK93 out it shot great with .44 xtp 240 grn inside a green crush rib with 100 grns VOLUME ffg trip7.

 

[SLP]

Those are in my pile to try when the wind will cooperate. In a T/C I was using 90 to 95 gr (v) 777.

 

[Cary L Pipes]

Mine loves 300gt xtp mag and 90 gr. Goex

 

[SLP]

Wind cooperated for a while today! I took GM-120's advice and ditched the Bore Butter; made a big difference as everything grouped better than using BB. Best groups today consisted of .451 Scorpion/Harvester 240 bullets with 90 gr. (V) T7 and Harvester sabots....3 shots overlapping in a row; 4th about 3/4" to below the group (changed my powder measuring routine on this shot-realized after I poured it down the barrel). 260 Scorpion/Harvester did almost as well. Also tried .458 cast RNFP 300 gr. with Harvester orange sabot and 90gr. (V) T7....this load kicked a lot more but showed potential for additional experimenting. I have several .44 cal bullets to try next time out.

Many thanks for the different threads concerning cleaning between shots with Windex AND end of day cleaning with MAP. These new-to-me formulas/routines have made a big difference.

 

[Mar Nut]

SLP, I have a BK92 Knight that bought new in the 90's when they came out. It has been well cared for and is in perfect condition. I shot 777 for years and ETP's 240 or 250 grain can't remember. Well, I bought some Blackhorn powder few years back and all I use now. Bought the Knight Red Hot copper bullet from Knight (only place can find them) and it is the same bullet that Barnes makes. Best bullet have ever tried. In fact, I shoot the Barnes TTSX 130 grain copper bullet in my 308 also, same results. Bullet does not come apart on entry and will completely penetrate bone. I use like 110 grain load of Blackhorn and can shoot 1/2 " groups with this bullet. What is so great about Blackhorn is it cleans up so much easier and faster than anything else. Been hard to find on shelves but believe Midway had it while back. That bullet will group well in all Knight I have seen. Pushing the 250 grain Red Hot about 2070 FPS and little over 1000 foot lbs energy at 200 yards. Got mine zeroed at 150 yards and can reach out to 200 and drop a buck with authority. Many bullets out there will do the same thing, but all copper holds together and does damage as much meat I have found, plus no lead fragments. Have shot it thru wet phone books and thru a 2 x 6 board....stacked together at 100-150 yards and some you can capture and some you cannot. Give it a try.

 

[Jbrown69]

SLP, I have a BK92 Knight that bought new in the 90's when they came out. It has been well cared for and is in perfect condition. I shot 777 for years and ETP's 240 or 250 grain can't remember. Well, I bought some Blackhorn powder few years back and all I use now. Bought the Knight Red Hot copper bullet from Knight (only place can find them) and it is the same bullet that Barnes makes. Best bullet have ever tried. In fact, I shoot the Barnes TTSX 130 grain copper bullet in my 308 also, same results. Bullet does not come apart on entry and will completely penetrate bone. I use like 110 grain load of Blackhorn and can shoot 1/2 " groups with this bullet. What is so great about Blackhorn is it cleans up so much easier and faster than anything else. Been hard to find on shelves but believe Midway had it while back. That bullet will group well in all Knight I have seen. Pushing the 250 grain Red Hot about 2070 FPS and little over 1000 foot lbs energy at 200 yards. Got mine zeroed at 150 yards and can reach out to 200 and drop a buck with authority. Many bullets out there will do the same thing, but all copper holds together and does damage as much meat I have found, plus no lead fragments. Have shot it thru wet phone books and thru a 2 x 6 board....stacked together at 100-150 yards and some you can capture and some you cannot. Give it a try.

Not really recommended to use blackhorn in the plunger type actions.

 

[Mar Nut]

Been over this before on this forum so I will tell you one more time.....years ago and several containers of Blackhorn used, I talked with an engineer at Knight before I even bought a container of Blackhorn and not dead yet and no fingers lost, eye sight still good, and work up your loads in your gun, at your expense, not responsible for anything you do using Blackhorn. You need to call Knight and talk to the correct engineer. He still works there after all these years...just talked with him some time back and knows his stuff.

 

[GM54-120]

Been over this before on this forum so I will tell you one more time.

You can go over it all you like and we will do the same to make sure readers get the info that comes straight from Western Powders also. Having witnessed a Knight plunger gun recock and the FPJ fly off you wont convince me its safe to use BH209 in a plunger gun.

Almost 2100fps with a 250gr bullet in a plunger gun with BH209 is a hot load. So its not like you are talking about a reduced load. That is basically a max load or near max.

 

[Mar Nut]

My gun....some will, some won't....not recommended this load to anyone, at anytime on this forum or any forum for that matter, if using any load everyone should start low and work up is what I have always said.

 

[SLP]

I appreciate the load suggestions . I have 3 lbs of T7 and several lbs of Pyrodex Rifle (bought at Wally-World for $5.00 each on sale) so I will be working up loads using these powders. I also reload several metallic rifle and handgun cartridges, so I always cross reference and reduce suggested loads then work up for accuracy in my rifle. Also, I have seen several threads where the Knight/Barnes bullets are praised......will have to give them a try.