Knight Wolverine?

[elkslayer53]

Hello,
I am brand new to this forum and have found lots of interesting information so far. I had this posted on the "New to Muzzleloading Forum" but there seems to be more traffic here. I have been seeing some really good deals on Knight Wolverine rifles and I was considering buying one. I see that they come with a 22" barrel and I was wondering how that would effect performance out to 200 yards. In other rifles (not Knight) I have shot out to 200 yards with 100 grains of BH209 but they have all had 26" barrels. Has anybody had any long range experience with the Wolverine rifle w/ a 22" barrel? Thanks.

 

[Reese]

Welcome to MM.

I have a Wolverine 209 in .45 cal and it has a contoured 26" barrel. It shoots very well out to 200 yards with 110 gr volume of BH209 and SST/SW 200 gr using Harvester smooth blue sabot. Although I cannot speak to the 22" vs 26" barrel part of your question I want to share that I have been using the Winchester 209 shot shell primer (in red FPJ) and the primers will sometimes come out of the primer cup after the shot. I have not had a problem, but I am told that the Federal 209a shot shell primers may solve that issue. In the next couple of months, I plan to do some testing with the Federal 209a as well as the nonFPJ breech plug that Knight offers for the Wolverine 209.

 

[cayuga]

I personally would not use this rifle to shoot BlackHorn 209. It is a hammer striker model rifle. While a hammer striker model will set 209 primers off, and fire the BlackHorn 209, the back pressure could throw pieces of primer back at the shooter. I was shooting a Black Diamond XR using Black Horn 209 and while it did fire the powder off, I went home with a chunk of primer that had cut my forehead. It will require a 209 primer. Some of the 22 inch barrels might be #11 caps.

Now this rifle will shoot Pyrodex RS and Triple Seven just fine. These are great powders and one should not over look them simply for the benefits of Black Horn. Also a 22 inch barrel will do anything the longer barrels will do, accuracy wise. It takes practice.

But also, with a 22 in barrel, shooting magnum loads is not going to work. The barrels are generally too short to do a complete burn of the large charges of powder. In my Wolverine LK-II with a 22 in barrel I normally shoot 80-90 grains of powder. And this will take deer. It is accurate. It is also a great tuff little rifle. I use it in tree stands in the thick woods. I have a 2.5x20mm scope on mine.

 

[sabotloader]

elkslayer53

I would like to agree with Cayugad, I am that familiar with the Wolverine, but I know that he is. I have shot BH from a White U-Mag and there is now way to contain the blow back and possible coming apart of the 209 primer. On one occasion and the last time I shot it with BH a portion of the primer, the battery cup, got caught between the hammer and the BP. The primer was gone it flew out someplace and laying on the floor of the reciever was the anvil portion of the primer.

I have also shot BH from a Remington 700ml another non-approved BP system but with that gun I am able to contain the primer and parts of the primer inside a copper shield on the end of the bolt.

 

[Semisane]

My Omega X7 has a 22" barrel. I recently conducted a test over a chronograph with my favorite hunting bullet and Triple 7 FFG to determine the maximum usable powder charge for the short barrel. Here's what I got.

Omega X7, 300 grain Speer Gold Dot, Harvester short black sabot, T7 FFG

Charge .......Velocity (three shot average)

75 grains.......1522 fps
85 grains....... 1575 fps
95 grains....... 1624 fps
105 grains....... 1719 fps
115 grains....... 1710 fps

As you can see, with this bullet/sabot combination the velocity began to drop off with the last charge. So 105, or maybe 110 grains is the maximum usable load. Anything beyond that is just blowing powder out of the barrel and probably reducing bullet velocity.

I would expect slightly different results with a different sabot and/or different 300 grain bullet. I would expect significantly different results with a 250 grain bullet, or a 350 grain bullet.

 

[flounder]

I own a knight wolverine with a 22" ss barrel and percussion cap ignition. I really like the gun, it is light and handles great. I wouldn't part with it but it does have its limitations.
For me it is a black powder, pyrodex or 777 gun and for me it is a under 100 yard weapon. We don't get to use scopes in the black powder season anyway so that is not a handicap to me.
The newer wolverines use the 209 primers with the red jacket...no real advantage in my opinion. They do have a little nicer stock with a recoil pad.
Art
________
Medical Marijuana

 

[elkslayer53]

Thanks for the input guys. I never even thought about not being able to use BH209 in the Wolverine. Sounds like a good way to lose an eye. Looks like I'll look into something else for a 200 yard rifle. Just hard to pass up $109 for a new rifle. Thanks again.

 

[greatbasin]

elkslayer53,
I've used a 22 in Wolverine to take animals out to 125 yds. with open sights. These are some of my favorite muzzleloaders for open sight hunting in Idaho's steep and deep where it's not uncommon to walk and carry for 10 to 12 hrs. in a day.

Where did you find one for the great price of $109 ? If it's Yeoldarcheryshoppe.com...I tried them, leaving messages to place an order 4 times...they never returned my call.

 

[elkslayer53]

Great Basin,
Thanks for the reply. Ye Olde Archery Shop is where I found them. You're the second person to tell me about the bad service there. I contacted finfeatherandfur outfitters and they responded immediately with a price of $119.99. For $10 difference I would gladly go with the better customer service. Thanks again.

 

[elkslayer53]

Great Basin,

I forgot to ask you what you were using for a load in your Wolverine?

 

[cayuga]

In my Wolverine LK-II it uses #11 caps, and that's fine with me. I shoot 89 grains of Goex 3f and a .44 caliber .430 diameter 300 grain XTP in a green Harvester Crushed Rib sabot. Excellent accuracy. Also the 250 grain Shockwaves shoot excellent too. With that load for deer, I would shoot out to 125 yards any day.

 

[big6x6]

Wolverines are VERY accurate with both Triple Se7en and Pyrodex and I'd just leave it at that. Practically shoot anything well. I've owned a couple and they are really good shooters and very simple.

 

[greatbasin]

Elk,

250 and 300 gr. Shockwaves over 100-110 gr of Pyro Select
300 gr. Barnes Expanders, 100 gr. 777
370 gr. Maxiballs with 90 gr Pyro Select
all with musket caps

BTW, for that price, I can't think of a better value.

 

[Busta]

Great Basin,
Thanks for the reply. Ye Olde Archery Shop is where I found them. You're the second person to tell me about the bad service there. I contacted finfeatherandfur outfitters and they responded immediately with a price of $119.99. For $10 difference I would gladly go with the better customer service. Thanks again.

I have bought 4 rifles in the last year from FFF, they are excellent to do business with.

 

[elkslayer53]

This forum is great. I joined a few short days ago and have already picked up some great info. Thanks guys.

 

[fliowa]

My brother has a wolverine with the stainless 22 inch barrel. He put a leupold 3x9 on it. It will easily take game out to 150 using 777 powder (ffg 100 grains loose) and TC shockwaves. They are extremely reliable and simple to use. I hunted with him in Iowa last year and we hunted in some nasty weather. His gun never failed to fire.