Well, new to me anyways and my first muzzleloader. The guy I bought it from took very good care of it, and it has just the right amount of "patina" for my taste. I've been kinda waiting for something to come along and for $125 I just couldn't pass it up Of course I had to go out and spend $150 on these so-called "possibles"...
Started at 50gr Pyrodex RS with a PRB, fun and pleasant to shoot. Worked up a little to 60 then 70gr and zeroed the sights at 75 yards. I did notice that accuracy kind of went out the window at 80 grains, is that about normal for this? I think it's a 1:48 twist. I hope to hunt with it next year for deer and elk, but I'm a little concerned that 70gr behind a .50 cal PRB might not be enough power, at least for elk. I kind of want to use a PRB rather than conical for traditions' sake but I don't want to lose a wounded animal.
At any rate, I had a lot of fun and made a lot of smoke, and once I showed my 13 year old boy how to properly load and shoot it he was putting rounds downrange like nobody's business. I think we're both hooked!
Started at 50gr Pyrodex RS with a PRB, fun and pleasant to shoot. Worked up a little to 60 then 70gr and zeroed the sights at 75 yards. I did notice that accuracy kind of went out the window at 80 grains, is that about normal for this? I think it's a 1:48 twist. I hope to hunt with it next year for deer and elk, but I'm a little concerned that 70gr behind a .50 cal PRB might not be enough power, at least for elk. I kind of want to use a PRB rather than conical for traditions' sake but I don't want to lose a wounded animal.
At any rate, I had a lot of fun and made a lot of smoke, and once I showed my 13 year old boy how to properly load and shoot it he was putting rounds downrange like nobody's business. I think we're both hooked!