Whitetail Grain Load?

[b_vanfossen]

Hello-

I'm new to ML and was wondering what the most common grain load of powder is for whitetailed deer. I have a TC Triumph shooting sabots and will have the rifle sight in for 200 yards.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[g.g.]

the answer will be pending what powder and bullet you are using and what shoots best from your gun.

I shoot 100 grains volume of blackhorn 209 and in the past shot 100 grains (2 pellets) of 777

777 with good accuracy results.

blackhorn with GREAt accuracy results

 

[jbuck9]

g.g. is right ,my triumph stacks them in there , I shoot 110 grains of blackhorn by volume 250 gr sst hornady with a black harvester sabot, very accurate, and will shoot 200 yards if you do your homework,
blackhornn is an excellant powder like it was made for the triumph, try sum you will be happy, happy, do not exceed 120 gr. that would be like shooting 3 pellets, have fun, jbuck

 

[b_vanfossen]

thanks for the replies...

I'm waiting on UPS with my rifle. I have bought some of Shocky's 150 grain sticks to try. I had not heard of BH until yesterday on this site...

What do you think of the shocky sticks?

I want to have my rifle sighted in for 200 yards- with that sight in- what should I expect it to shoot at 100 yards? 1" or 2" high with 150 grain shocky stick & 250 g super glides....

Thanks again!

 

[Grouse]

What do you think of the shocky sticks?

Take them back if you can. Really, i think the powder sucks. BH209 or 777 would be much better choices. You will also get higher velocities and flatter shooting for your 200yd shooting with the BH209 and 777.

Your T/C Triumph should be very accurate with the 250gn SW. The short black mmp or the short black harvester will be sabots of choice. I like the harvester a little better in the tighter T/C barrels.

If you choose BH209 powder, use the Federal 209A primer. If you choose 777, i prefer the CCI primer. If you use Shockeys sticks i would use the Federal 209A primer as well.

BTW- Excellant choice on a Muzzleloader. I think it's one of the best you can buy right now.

 

[b_vanfossen]

thanks for the info...

The funy thing is I ordered the black weathershield last week. I also entered myself and my mother into mathewstv contest for decembers giveaway (a camo triumph) and she got the call yesterday that she won the prize!!!

So I'm going to return the black model and keep the free camo model!!! I love it. I also now have the spare coin to buy plenty of the BH...

 

[MOdeer]

thanks for the info...

The funy thing is I ordered the black weathershield last week. I also entered myself and my mother into mathewstv contest for decembers giveaway (a camo triumph) and she got the call yesterday that she won the prize!!!

So I'm going to return the black model and keep the free camo model!!! I love it. I also now have the spare coin to buy plenty of the BH...

That is SWEET!! Congratulations to you and your mom. That will loosen up your budget for a nice scope. Depending on the speed of your bullet, your 100 yard point of impact will vary a bit. Just a WAG, but 2" high may not be enough to be dead on at 200. I'd say find the most accurate load first with the bullet of your choice, then get after the 200 yard sight in.

 

[g.g.]

I want to have my rifle sighted in for 200 yards- with that sight in- what should I expect it to shoot at 100 yards? 1" or 2" high with 150 grain shocky stick & 250 g super glides....

Thanks again!

in most cases with this size load...if you are 3" high at 100 you will be about 7" low at 200.

play with this site a while and you will get the basics

http://www.handloads.com/calc/

 

[b_vanfossen]

wow- I didn't realize the darn drop of the ML would be so much- although I know they have come a long long way..

I already have a rilfeman scope for it but want to trade it for the ultimate slam to help me with my ranging... it is brand new in the box..

Thanks for the info

 

[Kingdady]

I load 100gr pyrodex (2pellets),300gr shockwave and touch it off with a remington sts 209 primer. I have tried different primers and powders and get the best group with the sts primersand the pyro pellets. The gun that load is shot out of is a win. apex .50 cal with a 1-28 twist. I am happy with the groups but there is always room for improvement.

 

[b_vanfossen]

thanks for the tip king...

I just got back from the range and using my second triumph ( I won it last week in a drawing- lol). I lowered the bh209 to 80 grains volume and she shot well with the shock waves and the sw super glides. It seems to hold groups better than the other Triumph I bought a week and ahlf ago. The funny thing was that the regular sw went down the tube easier than the super glides!

Even though the rifle seems to hold really good groups I have trouble getting the scope dead on. After making an adjustment it doesn't shoot where anticipated. Granted I couldn't shoot as much as I'd like to because I was running late to the range.

 

[sabotloader]

b_vanfossen

I know I am really late in getting in on this but I will throw it out there anyway. I do not shoot a Triumph - closet thing I might have that is my Omega. It really likes a couple of different bullets for deer.

I am not a pointy bullet fan, especially at ML velocities and ML ranges, so Iuse an old standard bullet. My whitetail bullet is a .451/250 gr. Nosler Partition on top of 110 grains of T7-2f. The problem with this bullet is the expense of the bullet. I have done a lot of searching for a replacemnt bullet @ a more resonable cost. I tried the XTP's but found that I could strip the lead right out of the copper on hard bone shot. I ended settling on the Speer .452/250 or 300 grain Gold Dot bullet. They are a bonded bullet and act like a Nosler in that they expand to a given point stop and continue to drive. The 300 grain even has a decent BC of .233. I still shoot them form the Omega with 110 grains of T7.

Here is a picture of the bullets that I have collected from my torture test...

First picture is a expanded Nosler - this is very typical for a Nosler-

The second picture shows some collected Gold Dots...

All three of these bullets most often provide a complete pass through - but more importantly the hydrostatic/hydraulic damage that they do to the vital organs in the animal is devastating.

just some thoughts from an old guy

 

[b_vanfossen]

thanks for the info sabotloader.

I carry speer gold dots in my glock 23. They are a wiked bullet. I guess yuou buy just the bullets and then purchase sabots separately?

thanks

 

[Hulions]

b-vanfossen,

Thats exactly right. Just buy the speer gold dots in bulk(or what ever bullet you decide on) and then get the sabot to match. Example - a .452/ 300 gr. gold dot would use a 45/50 cal. sabot. A Harvester short Black just might do the trick. I'm going to give the .429/250 gr. Nosler partitions a try after hunting season is over in my Endeavor. I plan on trying the Harvester 44/50 cal. sabots. Both the regular and the crushed rib. Good luck in you quest for the perfect combination. Thats what make this so fun.

 

[b_vanfossen]

lol- thanks

 

[txhunter58]

The surest way to developing a flinch and get off to a bad start accuracy wise is to start with the hyped "150 grain" load. DON'T DO IT!!! That much powder will kick your butt if you start with it.

In my opinion, any newbe should start (at the very most) with 80-90 grains powder. Get a feel for the gun. Shot it a bit. You got LOTS of time between now and next fall.

Still not convinced you don't need 150 grains? How about the 45-70 gun? Killed a heck of a lot of buffalo with 45 caliber and 70 grains of blackpowder!

Yes, trajectory of muzzleloaders is not like a 270, never has been, never will be, so don't try to make it. If you are really going to shoot animals farther than 200 yards, you better practice a lot at those ranges and have a ballistics table taped to your stock and a rangefinder in your pocket.

However, if you really are joining the ranks of muzzleloading to enjoy the sport, try your best to keep your shots reasonable muzzy distances: less than 200 yards. For that, you really don't ever need more than 90-110 grains of powder.

My elk load is a 350 gr FPB conical bullet shot with 90 grains of BH 209. More than enough energy to kill an elk out to 150 yards. Why would I want to use more powder to kill a whitetail? Not only that, but BH is expensive, and 90 grains costs a lot less than 120 grains and I definately don't flinch as much = more accuracy in the field

Loose powder and pellets are not equivalent!!!!
150 grains of pellets does NOT equal 150 grains of loose powder. 777 and Blackhorn 209 are more powerful in their loose form. They recommending DOWNLOADING by about 15% from what you use as pellets.

Last thought: loose powder is CHEAPER to shoot! Even BH 209, the most expensive powder made, is cheaper to shoot than pellets.