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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Muzzleloader Hunting
Smokeless muzzleloader recommendations
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<blockquote data-quote="Bullmark" data-source="post: 2097639" data-attributes="member: 113003"><p>Ha....I had to laugh when I read your post. I also owned one of those "ultimate muzzleloaders" built on a 700 action. </p><p>I had just bought a little tract of land in Iowa and was desperate for a smoke pole that could shoot 300yds. So I came across this old guy....out of Michigan, and he talked his build up and convinced me to buy one. It shot 4 pellets and had a neat ignition system using primed pistol brass.....357 I think. </p><p>He even sold me the scope and the gun arrived ready to roll. This was spring time and I had plenty of time to be 100% ready for late season iowa whitetails.....distance be damned this year. </p><p>Well over the next 6 months I spent countless hours at the range. Used 2 bottles of bp solvent and enough patches to make a blanket for Andre the Giant. I had the Leupold scope (can't recall which model but I remember it was $1400, and this was 12-13 yrs ago) remounted and then checked on another rifle....the scope was fine. The gun would not group....and I'm not talking about the occasional slick bore flyer, or even 1.5" groups at 100. It was a sprayer. </p><p>So I call the old guy in Mich.....and I have respect for my elders.....shoot I'm 51. He must have been in his late 70s at the time. I was cordial and friendly and explained the issue. He couldn't have been a bigger horse's ***. Basically told me I couldn't shoot. To which I replied that he was likely correct but I had a friend, who has shot on a Team USA Long range squad and once held the world record for 1000yd with a .308, also shoot it and spend a weekend messing with it. He got the same results and opined that the barrel was likely not up to par. The old guy had the gall to suggest that I fly to Mich and he would personally teach me proper shooting techniques. I mean he was over the top. I send the gun back.....he keeps it a while and supposedly put another barrel on it. Not convinced he did, but I could manage to shoot around 1.5" groups at 100 IF and only if, I swabbed between each shot. </p><p>I ended up trading it for a Banks Tower blind and feel positive I got the better end of that trade. </p><p>Im glad Hankins could make yours into a real shooter. </p><p>As a final interesting twist, several yrs later I happened to be staying in the same lodge with the owner of custom rifle co., who shall remain nameless. He was carrying his new smokeless build and was showing it off by exploding pumpkins at 400 and 500yds. I told him about my exp with the Mich guy and as it turns out, his company had decided to start building a few smokeless muzz's a year or so earlier. They were going to use the same guy to supply the barrels. After some quality control they punted the idea....apparently his barrels were garbage and didn't meet even the lowest standards for tolerances. He also commented on what a character the old guy seemed to be. It really is a small world.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bullmark, post: 2097639, member: 113003"] Ha....I had to laugh when I read your post. I also owned one of those “ultimate muzzleloaders” built on a 700 action. I had just bought a little tract of land in Iowa and was desperate for a smoke pole that could shoot 300yds. So I came across this old guy....out of Michigan, and he talked his build up and convinced me to buy one. It shot 4 pellets and had a neat ignition system using primed pistol brass.....357 I think. He even sold me the scope and the gun arrived ready to roll. This was spring time and I had plenty of time to be 100% ready for late season iowa whitetails.....distance be damned this year. Well over the next 6 months I spent countless hours at the range. Used 2 bottles of bp solvent and enough patches to make a blanket for Andre the Giant. I had the Leupold scope (can’t recall which model but I remember it was $1400, and this was 12-13 yrs ago) remounted and then checked on another rifle....the scope was fine. The gun would not group....and I’m not talking about the occasional slick bore flyer, or even 1.5” groups at 100. It was a sprayer. So I call the old guy in Mich.....and I have respect for my elders.....shoot I’m 51. He must have been in his late 70s at the time. I was cordial and friendly and explained the issue. He couldn’t have been a bigger horse’s ***. Basically told me I couldn’t shoot. To which I replied that he was likely correct but I had a friend, who has shot on a Team USA Long range squad and once held the world record for 1000yd with a .308, also shoot it and spend a weekend messing with it. He got the same results and opined that the barrel was likely not up to par. The old guy had the gall to suggest that I fly to Mich and he would personally teach me proper shooting techniques. I mean he was over the top. I send the gun back.....he keeps it a while and supposedly put another barrel on it. Not convinced he did, but I could manage to shoot around 1.5” groups at 100 IF and only if, I swabbed between each shot. I ended up trading it for a Banks Tower blind and feel positive I got the better end of that trade. Im glad Hankins could make yours into a real shooter. As a final interesting twist, several yrs later I happened to be staying in the same lodge with the owner of custom rifle co., who shall remain nameless. He was carrying his new smokeless build and was showing it off by exploding pumpkins at 400 and 500yds. I told him about my exp with the Mich guy and as it turns out, his company had decided to start building a few smokeless muzz’s a year or so earlier. They were going to use the same guy to supply the barrels. After some quality control they punted the idea....apparently his barrels were garbage and didn’t meet even the lowest standards for tolerances. He also commented on what a character the old guy seemed to be. It really is a small world. [/QUOTE]
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