Arrowhead Rifles muzzleloader review thread

[dirtytough]

I got my muzzy from Luke early July.

I got the scope mounted and the Spartan adapter installed in the stock. About that time I realized there wasn’t a dovetail cut in the barrel for a front sight.


I was going to send it back to Luke. But I figured I could drop it at a local smith on my way out of town on vacation. There was a delay in getting it cut but I was finally able to pick it up early August.

I read the directions, loaded it up with smokeless and sent a few shots down range. Worked up to the max and shot a 3 shot group @2798 FPS.





After that I loaded up some BH209 to test. 3 shot group @2550 FPS.







Both groups were shot with the 300 grain NSR bullet from Arrowhead @100 yards.

With both loads the primer modules are coming out clean. There is zero blow by. The bullets load easy like a power belt.

I shot it @415 yards, 515 yards, and 617 yards. First 3 shots beyond 100 yards.

After that I loaded it up with BH209 and zeroed the scope @200 yards. Then I shot @250 and 300 yards with my 200 yard zero. @250 yards the bullet dropped a little less than 3” and @300 yards it dropped 8.5”. After getting that data I called it quits since sweat was running into my eyes.

Depending on how well I can see with the peep once I get it installed, I should be able to hold dead on out to 250 yards.


Rifle details:

45 cal.

Kelbly custom action nitrided with a custom bolt face to hold the primer securely. It also has a custom bolt stop.

26” Brux barrel. Nitrided.

AG composites stock.

Triggertech trigger.

Arrowhead 3 port brake.

I opted to use the 3 piece ramrod so I could add the Spartan adapter.

I’m going to use a Lee Shaver front sight and an NECG rear peep where open sights are required. For states that allow scopes, and load development I’ve got an NXS 2.5-10x42 for it. (Load development was so easy I don’t think I can actually call it that)

 

[dirtytough]

A few pics of the rifle.

Here’s a pic of the bolt face. And it shows the difference of having the custom bolt stop with this pic and the next pic.


Pretty happy with this rifle. It definitely will shoot better than I can.

Regards, Branden

 

[robby denning]

Travis & Luke, including my Encore upgrade barrel, that’s three of Arrowheads shooting very well!!!

Lord willing I’m putting my peep on this week.


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[dirtytough]

Travis & Luke, including my Encore upgrade barrel, that’s three of Arrowheads shooting very well!!!

Lord willing I’m putting my peep on this week.


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Are you having trouble getting sights and stuff? I have been running into one snafu after another when it comes to the open sight department.

 

[robby denning]

Are you having trouble getting sights and stuff? I have been running into one snafu after another when it comes to the open sight department.

no, XS has been a wee bit slow, but got everything here as promised

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Are you having trouble getting sights and stuff? I have been running into one snafu after another when it comes to the open sight department.

I had to add a spacer up front and running xs pic rail on the rear.


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[robby denning]

OK guys, posting this on here too, as I have a separate thread for the Encore 45 Cal barrel swap going too, but figured you'd be interested. I made it back out this morning to shoot at 250 yards. You can tell what I did if you just read the labels on the picture. My first shot I had a little more wind, so I went ahead and shot another round for a 3-shot group.

So I got an 8 inch group or a 3 1/2 inch group at 250 yards. Either way I’m in the vitals.

It’s a little perplexing to be 4 inches low at 250 but 7 1/2 inches low at 200. But remember I’m shooting a peep sight, and as you get further out there can be some optical illusion affecting where the post is apparently held.

Either way I know the gun is not going to drop more than the size of the vitals out to about 250 yards. Good enough for this deer hunter


Decided to shoot at 300 yards because I had light winds (less than 10mph). Pretty excited about this group.

That’s pretty good for a muzzleloader and open sites. 5.5 inch group and 14 inches low. ( all of today’s groups are patterning with the wind.)

So it looks like I’ve got an on-body hold on a buck out to 300 yards, in ideal conditions of course. That’s what I had this morning except for when I first arrived the wind was a little stiff but then it dropped as the sun came up.

That pretty much completes my testing. I might continue to plink a little bit, but this guns ready to hunt


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[sandhillhunter]

Looks good Robby! That'll work on any deer all day long!

 

[Travis Bertrand]

OK guys, posting this on here too, as I have a separate thread for the Encore 45 Cal barrel swap going too, but figured you'd be interested. I made it back out this morning to shoot at 250 yards. You can tell what I did if you just read the labels on the picture. My first shot I had a little more wind, so I went ahead and shot another round for a 3-shot group.

So I got an 8 inch group or a 3 1/2 inch group at 250 yards. Either way I’m in the vitals.

It’s a little perplexing to be 4 inches low at 250 but 7 1/2 inches low at 200. But remember I’m shooting a peep sight, and as you get further out there can be some optical illusion affecting where the post is apparently held.

Either way I know the gun is not going to drop more than the size of the vitals out to about 250 yards. Good enough for this deer hunter


Decided to shoot at 300 yards because I had light winds (less than 10mph). Pretty excited about this group.

That’s pretty good for a muzzleloader and open sites. 5.5 inch group and 14 inches low. ( all of today’s groups are patterning with the wind.)

So it looks like I’ve got an on-body hold on a buck out to 300 yards, in ideal conditions of course. That’s what I had this morning except for when I first arrived the wind was a little stiff but then it dropped as the sun came up.

That pretty much completes my testing. I might continue to plink a little bit, but this guns ready to hunt


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Looks good Robby!

Scoped, I took mine out to 954 yards that other day checking dope. 3rd round hit.

Trying to figure out how to add video to this thread.


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[ENCORE]

Looks good Robby!

Scoped, I took mine out to 954 yards that other day checking dope. 2nd round hit.

Trying to figure out how to add video to this thread.


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Upload it to youtube first, then just share the link.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Good idea @ENCORE

This was 510,710, and 954 respectively.

No I will not be shooting deer at that long of range. It took 3 shots to get on target at 954. The biggest obstacle shooting that far with a muzzy is the bc of the bullet. Even the light wind we had this day pushed that bullet 0-2 moa each shot at that range

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[IA Hunter]

Nice post here!

 

[42769vette]

I had a very interesting day doing load development on my arrowhead.

I’ve never quite seen this, and thought it was pretty cool. All shots are at 200 yards with 68, 68.5, 69, 69.5 grains of H4198. To me the interesting thing is how little effect powder change has on elevation. Doing a ladder test with one of these would be completely pointless. One thing I did learn is, every single shot that would be considered a light flier, was a bullet that loaded easier. I would assume this is due to the barrel heating up, and expanding. But, elevation wise, there is about ½ MOA elevation change (hotter was actually lower) between 1.5 grains of powder which is a pretty big accuracy node, or I’m not in the node, and that’s a pretty gradual rise. If that is the rise, I don’t care if I find a node.



As I got hotter the loads opened up, that could be due to loads not being as accurate, but it is more likely due to me getting tired. Later today I’m doing the exact same test in reverse.

 

[42769vette]

 

[ENCORE]

I had a very interesting day doing load development on my arrowhead.

I’ve never quite seen this, and thought it was pretty cool. All shots are at 200 yards with 68, 68.5, 69, 69.5 grains of H4198. To me the interesting thing is how little effect powder change has on elevation. Doing a ladder test with one of these would be completely pointless. One thing I did learn is, every single shot that would be considered a light flier, was a bullet that loaded easier. I would assume this is due to the barrel heating up, and expanding. But, elevation wise, there is about ½ MOA elevation change (hotter was actually lower) between 1.5 grains of powder which is a pretty big accuracy node, or I’m not in the node, and that’s a pretty gradual rise. If that is the rise, I don’t care if I find a node.



As I got hotter the loads opened up, that could be due to loads not being as accurate, but it is more likely due to me getting tired. Later today I’m doing the exact same test in reverse.

Are you verifying the velocity of each charge?

 

[42769vette]

Are you verifying the velocity of each charge?

Not yet. I have to think it will be a pain hooking my magneto speed to it, and reloading, but once I settle on a charge I will.

A little bit ago, I went out and shot 70 grain's at 200 yards. My cold bore was about 3/4 inch off, but the other 2 were in less than .45 CTC. (bullet holes touching). Counting the cold bore it was about .6 MOA. I think I will just stick with that charge, and run some more tomorrow. To be honest, after about 30 rounds today, my shoulder was a bit sore, so quite shooting, and started prepping primers, and powder.

 

[ENCORE]

Not yet. I have to think it will be a pain hooking my magneto speed to it, and reloading, but once I settle on a charge I will.

A little bit ago, I went out and shot 70 grain's at 200 yards. My cold bore was about 3/4 inch off, but the other 2 were in less than .45 CTC. (bullet holes touching). Counting the cold bore it was about .6 MOA. I think I will just stick with that charge, and run some more tomorrow. To be honest, after about 30 rounds today, my shoulder was a bit sore, so quite shooting, and started prepping primers, and powder.

30 rounds without a great brake is enough.

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING CHARGE IS SAFE IN MY RIFLE, BUT MAY NOT BE IN YOURS. FOLLOW YOUR OWNERS MANUAL OR BUILDER'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

Here's a Satterlee test I did with 8208. Although there's clearly 2 very nice nodes, I settled on 88.25grs, the lighter charge. At 600yds it'll hold .3moa

 

[robby denning]

Awesome great shooting you guys so


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[Travis Bertrand]

Not yet. I have to think it will be a pain hooking my magneto speed to it, and reloading, but once I settle on a charge I will.

A little bit ago, I went out and shot 70 grain's at 200 yards. My cold bore was about 3/4 inch off, but the other 2 were in less than .45 CTC. (bullet holes touching). Counting the cold bore it was about .6 MOA. I think I will just stick with that charge, and run some more tomorrow. To be honest, after about 30 rounds today, my shoulder was a bit sore, so quite shooting, and started prepping primers, and powder.

Yea reloading with a magnetospeed isn’t fun!


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[42769vette]

Yea reloading with a magnetospeed isn’t fun!


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And to be honest, I really don't need to know the velocities. I will be adjusting for longer range off of real world result's anyways. A velocity would be more of a curiosity thing to me. It would be nice to see deviation's, but with the elevation change I'm seeing at 200 yards between all the charge weight's, I doubt the deviation's will me much.