Friday, July 30, 2010

Blackhorn 209, TC Shockwave, and Barnes TMZ-EZ

Well, I have officially put close to a hundred rounds through my Endeavor. The TC Shockwave 300grain and Barnes TMZ-EZ (flat based) are the top two shooters. What has suprised me is that the gun seems to shoot better with a higher charge of powder. I am using Blackhorn 209, and with 115grains of powder there is no petals left on the sabot and the base is expanded past .50 cal but it seems to tighten the grouping. My very first group with 115grains was .95 inch and my last was 1.35 (both groups being shot at 100yards from a benchrest).

Anyone else have similar experiences?

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Iowa Muzzleloader Hunting

I am an avid muzzleloader hunter, and as such have used pretty much most forms of muzzleloading rifle to take game, minus the matchlocks. I hunt Iowa, as it is the great state in which I was born and raised. Now I am going on 17 years of muzzleloader hunting for deer and have decided what better way to relive the experience after the season has closed than to talk about it to the masses.

First order of business: Choice of firearm
Second order of business: Protect said firearm by joining groups like NRA

My choices have included everything from a Dixie Gunworks Cub rifle in .45cal (hey I was ten) to my newest purchase a TC Encore Endeavor. There has been knights, Lymans, CVA's, Perdersoli's and others a many in there also. I do not want to specify that I like modern over traditional or vice versa as that is not what this is about, I just want to talk about what I have been finding as I embark on my shooting adventures and hunting experience.

As for right now I am trying to get that Endeavor to shoot, and have been having a rough go of it, it does not like "soft sabots" and does not like the new Hornady FPB in 300grain. It does like Barnes TMZ EZ's and to an acceptable extent Hornady SST-ML(red sabots). Pictures of targets will be posted with each load to show the experience as I go.