30 caliber smokeless muzzleloader build

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

View attachment 45076
Here is another hunting load
110 grain barnes solid at 3150 ft/sec
Over 33.1 of n120 with a 205m primmer.
Probably going to shoot this some more at distance.
I did note that n120 is very temp stable
I shot this load from 70 degrees this morning to over 95 when I quite.
I took my press to the range and my powder machine.
It was OK the powder machine is very sensitive.
Had to keep it in my truck. But it beat back and forth to the house.
I did try 33.5 and the velocity was 3175 but the group shifted and opened up. Got off the node. Primmrrs looked real good! No signs of preasure.
I'll take a 3/4 moa hunting load....

You have developed this idea beyond its original concept into a practical deer hunting rifle, with this velocity. That is what most people are looking for. Congratulations to you guys on coming up with a great idea and making it work.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Accuracy, economy, enjoyment, down range energy, enough to harvest a lot of the animals we hunt,,, not to mention the recoil differences, oh did I mention the word fun!!!

 

[Ga.Smokey]

You have developed this idea beyond its original concept into a practical deer hunting rifle, with this velocity. That is what most people are looking for. Congratulations to you guys on coming up with a great idea and making it work.

Yes sir for me the goal was always to get to a place where I felt comfortable and ethical to hunt out to 300/350 yards.
I agree that either of the barnes loads should do that job without much fuss. I'm leaning towards the 110 but that 120 is such a beauty of a projectile it's hard to discount it.
You don't need big long heavy bullets to shoot thin-skinned North American white tail deer.
I've personally witnessed 85 grain barnes in 6mm do wonders on deer when the shot is placed properly.
I've seen 110 and 127 barnes take deer where they stood at moderate velocities in 6.5 creedmoors.
I've typically hunted with 127gn to 180gn bullets in the monos and they have always performed well in 6.5 bore to 338 bore for me

I got here by taking the bullets performance over the last 16 seasons into concideration.
No matter the weight I've never found one in a deer. Not one with over 75 kills.
The wound channel is always predictable.
Caliber hole going in double going out.
Jello in-between.
Deer on the ground.farthest I've tracked is 37 yards.
So with that information I figure you can step down in weight and up in velocity.
With pin point accuracy I don't think a deer stands much of a chance.
For me in my state the driving force was last years law changed to allow 30 caliber muzzleloaders in Georgia. I'd love to take one this year with this rig.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I got a new internal for my Woodman plug so I've got it back up and running at least got rid of the Leaky part ,anyway this is the first time I've tried in-120 this is 27 grains and 112 grain hillbilly bullet looks like some potential there to me first shot was the one just out of the hole at the bottom and then four of them got in a hole sometimes you shoot a really great load and even if you worry that you might have pulled slightly the bullet just bends and straightens out and gets in the hole this load feels that way.

 

[Ga.Smokey]

I got a new internal for my Woodman plug so I've got it back up and running at least got rid of the Leaky part ,anyway this is the first time I've tried in-120 this is 27 grains and 112 grain hillbilly bullet looks like some potential there to me first shot was the one just out of the hole at the bottom and then four of them got in a hole sometimes you shoot a really great load and even if you worry that you might have pulled slightly the bullet just bends and straightens out and gets in the hole this load feels that way.

Great shooting bud!
Was that smooth or full form?

 

[Decay]

What's a hillybilly bullet?

 

[Mnt monkey]

It's a bench rest bullet ,custom made I have an uncle that shoots bench rest he happened to have a lot of them that were just too short for the particular throat in his rifle I picked them up from him at a good deal,,they would resemble 115 grain Berger.

 

[Ga.Smokey]

What's a hillybilly bullet?

A very cool design with a sealing band at the base. Much like a pinpoint from Bill at northern precision.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Oh I didn't answer ga smokeys question earlier it was a full form.

 

[Ga.Smokey]

Well I got out today with my good friend Steave who has 500 yard steel set up at his property.
It was a beautiful day of shooting, laughing ,and generally a great day of old friends planning and reliving days gone by.
As you can imagine I brought out the 30 caliber muzzleloader to play at mid-range distances to evaluate its application as a been field gun.
I do have one field that approaches 400 yards I can hunt so I really needed to know how it would perform at that and beyond.
It was also a good time to true up my ballistics.
We started at 100 to verify zero. That went as exspected and my zero was spot on.
So out to 200 then 350 and finally 502 on the range finder.
First up was the barnes 110 ttsx it performed as good as any hunting bullet I've shot turning in .7 moa with a nice group just slightly left of center.
Next up was the 120 barnes at 3090
It printed just a taste higher with sub moa performance at .75 moa
We had a great time and Steave had now been initiated to the wonders of smokeless muzzleloaders
Take a look at the balistc x analytics
Pretty impressive performance from the two hunting bullets!
Man I'm excited for deer season to put either to the test.

As for on target energy both bullet types were completely destroyed on the ar 500 steel.

 

[Mnt monkey]

So cool!!!!

 

[eekjellander]

Here is a 120 grain barnes solid copper bullet sized and the velocity with 32.4 n120
View attachment 44867
View attachment 44866
I'm so excited I have a viable hunting bullet.
In hand .
The one round hit in tgr group with yesterday's groups very cool.
Will shoot some groups this weekend with the 110 120 130 something will shoot let's hope.

WOW!!!!/Ed

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Nice shooting!

 

[Ga.Smokey]

One thing that is lost on most without spending time with one of these light for bore muzzleloaders is just how easy they are to shoot.
My buddy Steave has a 45 caliber smokeless that I built for him last year.
He honestly has been intimidated by the anticipated recoil and the operating costs.
The prospect of touching off a 4 to 5k LB muzzle energy rifle chambered in 5 well now with inflation 10 dollar bills is not for everyone.
This is for everyone !
Steave's resounding comments wear how smooth the recoil signature is. How soft it shoots. We literally tracked the shots in the scope seeing the trace on some shots.

My biggest fear is my misses takes a liking to mine. She's an accomplished shooter in her own right.
I've been quietly shooting this rifle and looking over my shoulder hoping she doesn't notice.
If she does ill just give this one to her and be happy that we could do something together.
Be on to the next project.
I'm wondering how a carbon wrapped barrel in 12 or so twist and 130s or flat based 150s might do.
Going to do a 15 next but that 12 is haunting me. 308 to a 300 wsm capacity chamber.

 

[Ninering62]

Well I got out today with my good friend Steave who has 500 yard steel set up at his property.View attachment 45287
It was a beautiful day of shooting, laughing ,and generally a great day of old friends planning and reliving days gone by.
As you can imagine I brought out the 30 caliber muzzleloader to play at mid-range distances to evaluate its application as a been field gun.
I do have one field that approaches 400 yards I can hunt so I really needed to know how it would perform at that and beyond.
It was also a good time to true up my ballistics.
We started at 100 to verify zero. That went as exspected and my zero was spot on.
So out to 200 then 350 and finally 502 on the range finder.
First up was the barnes 110 ttsx it performed as good as any hunting bullet I've shot turning in .7 moa with a nice group just slightly left of center. View attachment 45289
Next up was the 120 barnes at 3090
It printed just a taste higher with sub moa performance at .75 moa View attachment 45290
We had a great time and Steave had now been initiated to the wonders of smokeless muzzleloaders View attachment 45293
Take a look at the balistc x analytics
Pretty impressive performance from the two hunting bullets!View attachment 45291View attachment 45292
Man I'm excited for deer season to put either to the test.

As for on target energy both bullet types were completely destroyed on the ar 500 steel.View attachment 45288

Fantastic! Fine shooting brother, thanks for sharing all of that with us.

 

[Dieselden454]

One thing that is lost on most without spending time with one of these light for bore muzzleloaders is just how easy they are to shoot.
My buddy Steave has a 45 caliber smokeless that I built for him last year.
He honestly has been intimidated by the anticipated recoil and the operating costs.
The prospect of touching off a 4 to 5k LB muzzle energy rifle chambered in 5 well now with inflation 10 dollar bills is not for everyone.
This is for everyone !
Steave's resounding comments wear how smooth the recoil signature is. How soft it shoots. We literally tracked the shots in the scope seeing the trace on some shots.

My biggest fear is my misses takes a liking to mine. She's an accomplished shooter in her own right.
I've been quietly shooting this rifle and looking over my shoulder hoping she doesn't notice.
If she does ill just give this one to her and be happy that we could do something together.
Be on to the next project.
I'm wondering how a carbon wrapped barrel in 12 or so twist and 130s or flat based 150s might do.
Going to do a 15 next but that 12 is haunting me. 308 to a 300 wsm capacity chamber.

That's awesome! Great shooting & great pictures!