Big mule deer here I come :)

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robby denning

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As I applied for three states this year (Co, Nv, Ut,) in hopes of drawing ONE muzzleloader tag, it's time to get ready. The results won't be out for 7 more weeks, but I gotta think positive. Worst case scenario, I don't draw but I'll at least have my new .45 cal barrel sighted and ready for the future.

I shoot a custom muzzleloader I purchased in 2002. It's a Kahnke model 94 made by Kahnke Gun Works of Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

http://kahnkegunworks.net/

Here's mine:
attachment.php

I hunt Idaho and Colorado, which have the most conservative muzzleloader laws, so I purchased this gun so I'd be legal in both. Ut and Nv are more liberal but I can only afford one gun, so I bought one that could be tuned for those states, too, but will always be legal in the conservative states.

With the Kahnke, I can change barrels similar to the Thompson guns. I ordered a .45 cal barrel for it as I like the ballistics of the 45 for deer. I bought a used barrel from Cecil at Precison Rifle Bullet
http://prbullet.com/index.htm
and saved about $150.

I'm not worried about the used barrel as I know the company and they will back it up if there is a problem.

I'm retiring my 50 cal barrel unless this new one doesn't work out. The 50 cal averaged 1.75" 3-shot groups with an SD of 0.5" so groups as small as 1.25 to as big as 2.25, which is great for an open-sighted gun. Hopefully the 45 can match or beat the 50.

I shoot the XS sight system

http://xssights.com/index.php?nID=sights&cID=Sights&pID=sights&sID=rifle

and had great luck with it when I was hunting with the 50 cal barrel.

The rear ghost ring site is interchangeable on the barrels, but the front site is not.

attachment.php


The way XS works, they send you the rear sight and the mount for the front sight. You install the rear, then the mount for the front. Because all guns shoot differently, they send you a temporary post for the front sight. It' perforated plastic allowing you to break of pieces in (probably) 1/16' increments. Once you're on paper at 100 yards, you can order the correct height for the front sight.

As there is some turnaround time in this process, I'm cheating and built my own front site out of a steel nut and some electrical tape.

attachment.php


It got me on paper at 50 yards, so I'm going to order it for the measured height of 0.6" from top of barrel to that tiny peak of tape you can see in the pic.

Once I get the sight installed, I'll see how close I am to the draw results being posted. If it's close, I'll wait to order my bullets as it depends on which state I draw if I shoot sabots or conicals. If the sight comes together quickly, I'll order both conicals and sabots just to get jump on the whole process.

Like rifles, I'm kind of an accuracy freak for muzzleloaders, too. I really want an average group size less than 2" at 100. Stay tuned and we'll see if I get it.
 
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bnsafe

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good luck, nice lookin gun. i will be the wardens take a double look at it though. hope you get a tag. with my luck i would either not draw a single tag or draw all three and only be able to hunt one. hope it all works out for ya.
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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Yes bnsafe, the wardens have inspected my gun closely. It's modeled after a Winchester Model 94 and looks like one, minus the lever.
For a few years in Idaho, you could not have an "inline" ignition system. On warden in Montpelier was just sure this gun had an inline ignition system. It actually does, as the hammer is inline with the powder, but he let it slide as the law was intending to ban closed weather-proof ignitions. I was sweating bullets for a minute.
Idaho dropped that designation the next year and now only requires the cap be exposed when cocked and ready to fire.
If I draw all 3 tags, I'll have to turn one or two back, but odds are less than 5% I could draw all three.
 
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bearguide

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i like the duct tape sight. just another use for duct tape
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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ya bearguide, I should just hunt with that tape. My wife says she can prove I'm a redneck by everything I put duct tape on: my pants, my truck, my bow (really!)
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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My sight from XS arrived. I've got the front ramp base and a new threaded peep. The threaded peep allows you to change aperatures according to lighting conditions. Now I just need to get them installed and it's range time for me! (and the kids)

Bearguide, I'm going to miss that tape sight. We made some good memories together- oh well...
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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Was hoping to shoot it this weekend but we've got a windy storm AND I haven't had time to install that front sight- darn work keeps getting in the way!
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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OK, got the time to install the front sight and the screw hole is the wrong size- I even miked it before I ordered it and still didn't get it right.

Our local gunsmith died of a heart attack so I'm trying a new one. Just dropped the gun off today and am hoping to have it back by Friday as my daughter and I are planning on lighting up the range.
 
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bnsafe

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that is def frustrating, but any gunsmith should be able to fix that easily enough. good luck at the range
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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Well, I'm $35 poorer, but the gunsmith got the front sight on. Yee haw, we're going shooting now.
Found a new gunsmith in SE Idaho (Idaho Falls) and good service, fast. He was busy, but when I told him I had the weekend off, he got it done. If anyone's looking for gunsmith, so far so good, let me know.
 
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robby denning

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Finally got to the hills for some camping with the family and some much needed shooting time.

Sadly, I had to remove the tape/nut sight I built (gonna miss that thing- sniff sniff) but the temporary sight post isn't much too look at either but you have to sight in with it before ordering the front sight so you know what height to order from XS.

attachment.php


I'm only shootin the 180 grain Hornady pistol bullets while I get this sight installed- too expensive to shoot the good bullets for me. So I won't have much accuracy until I match the bullet to my 1:28 twist.

Felt so good to throw some lead and smell all that smoke.

attachment.php


(yes, that is duct tape on my scabbard I use for pad- told you bearguide my wife says I'm a redneck- also notice the new CAMO duct tape on the bench- don't know if I like it yet, though, not quite as much bling)

I've been out of the muzzleloader hunt for 9 years after Idaho closed some of our big buck units and haven't pulled any good tags in that time in other states so it feels good to be back- I love shooting/tweaking these guns.

Anyway, did get it on paper. Here is a group from 100 yards. Once I know what state regs I'll be having to meet, I'll order my bullets, conical or sabot, and I expect to cut this group down to about 2"- Lord willing of course. Stay tuned. NV and UT will draw in the next few weeks and I'll know a little more.
attachment.php
 
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robby denning

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Alright, as I'd said in the other thread, "am I going muzzleloader hunting", I was working on a cheap LO tag in Colorado as my 19 points between NV and UT didn't even pull me a mediocre tag. I found a mediocre Colorado tag I could afford. The Landowner cashed my $500 check, so it looks like I'm going (although I've seen these deals fall apart even after the check is cashed- the risk we take.)

So, I ordered my bullets from Precision Rifle this morning. As I'm shooting a 1:28 twist barrel and Colorado requires full-bore diameter bullets (conicals for those new to this), I ordered the heaviest weight of bullet available. I spoke with Cecil, the owner (helpful guy) and he recommended this bullet.

If you have a fast twist (say less than 1:48), you need heavier bullets or the bullet may not stabilize. It's not really the weight of the bullet you need, but the length that comes with the extra weight. Since Colorado dropped their "2x length vs diameter" regulation, these longer bullets are legal now (wise move Colorado as these longer bullets just tend to be more accurate, not shoot further as the extra weight offsets the higher BC. Why not let hunters be more accurate? and Colorado agreed.)

Here is a pic of the Ultimate 1, Conical.

attachment.php


Deadly lookin' sucker 'eh? Can't wait to dig it out of the opposite side of a big buck!

It's also available in a boat tail (no pic available) but Cecil is checking if he has some and will split my order between boat tail and cup base (flat base) if he has them.

Anyway, need to get to the range now and start tuning this load. I ordered 2 dozen as the shipping is the same for up to 5 dozen. If they work, I'll order more, if not, I'll try stepping down to the 330's or go with another Conical design.

Check out http://prbullet.com/index.htm if you're interested. Also, there is some great reading there on just about everything you need to know about muzzleloading from primitive guns all the way to the extreme.

If you purchase anything, make sure you call and let Cecil know you heard about him on Rokslide.

Stay tuned and I'll post as this hunt comes together.
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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Umpqua Hunter,
I got your PM on the XS sight, I thinnk you will like the peep system. Very rugged sight, too.

Anyway, this might save you some frusration, powder, and bullets. Tested many times on my 45 magnum Kahnke.

For my gun,

180 turn of the aperature (peep), it moves the bullet 1" at 100 yards

90 degree turn of the windage screw moves bullet 1" at 100 yards

maybe this will save you some frustration.

Oh yea, move the rear sight direction you want bullet to go Bullets needs to hit right, move sight to the right- believe me, I've wasted dozens of shots over the years doing that wrong. It's hard for me to remember as I'm an archer and we move the front sight which moves arrow opposite direction. There you go.
 
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Ive been hearing alot of good about those bullets. and i hear they expand more then the typical sabat because they are made of solid lead. im planning on useing them this fall in my home state of md. we have an early 3 day muzz. hunt in mid oct and then a two week hunt in late dec. and if they are as good as im hopeing i might use my muzz. instead of shotgun this year. cant wait to here how they shoot for ya good luck!
 
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Robby....just got the XS sights today for my 50 caliber Knight Disc Extreme, and got them installed. They are awesome looking sights, and rugged looking too. Love that. That was a good choice. This is the set-up we will be using here in Oregon for rutting blacktail deer (oh by the way, someone should fix the spell checker so it doesn't change "blacktail" to "blackmail"....ha ha).

For the life of me, I could not figure out what the little plastic things were that were shaped like a black thumb tack that came with the XS sights. Now I see from your photo in Post #13, that it is the temporary front sight!! My order came with the actual front sight, so I guess I'll just hold on to them...just in case.

Cecil at Precision Bullets just shipped my order of Ultimate 1's. I had to go with the 390 grain because Oregon still has the law on the books that the length of the bullet cannot be more then twice the diameter.

I'm currently working on two muzzleloader set-ups now. The CVA Accura for my wife's Utah muzzleloader mule deer in September, and the Knight Disc Extreme for my wife's Oregon blacktail hunt in November (which she should draw). So far this is her year!

If I draw Wyoming antelope, I'm seriously thinking of hunting with the Accura. I'd just throw a variable power scope on it after the Utah mule deer hunt.
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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Umpqua, great, glad you like the site. Don't install your front sight (the post) into the base until you've got your gun on paper with the temporary sight. If you do, you might find your front sight is too tall or short and if it's permanantly installed (red loctite) you'll ruin it getting it off. The peeps don't have a ton of adjustment (it keeps them compact) so there is a chance you'll run out of adjustment. XS will exchange the front sight for different height for free if not installed.

I thought Oregon dropped that law like Colorado. I quit applying for Oregon with 5 points on the table for reasons like that and nonres quota (sorry, starting another thread here).

Kevin, yes solo hunt.

Flatlander, you heard right with the full lead construction. They really open up. Cecil says nothing outperforms full lead in muzzleloader velocities. Give them a try for your hunt.

I shot a doe end to end with one and bullet had 80% of it's orginal weight and looked like a 50 cent piece when I dug it out of her pelvis.
 
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robby denning

robby denning

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Landowner texted me (who would have thought 10 years ago ranchers would be texting???) and my voucher is on the way. Looking good so far.

If you're looking for a landowner voucher, they have them in hand now.
 
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