It has been decided: Knight BigHorn

[Open-sights]

Hey fellas,
It's Jeff again. I posted a few months back about being drawn for an elk tag on the Merrill Ring Pshhyt tree farm: you might remember the post?  Anyway, I was just about to pull the trigger on buying the Knight Disc Extreme with the western kit based  on all the great things I've read on here, and because of a lot of what Sabotloader has to say. But, a weird thing happened:

My uncle and I are talking, he says he has a friend that just passed away, and he was getting into muzzleloading.  Long story short, we contact the widow, she has a Knight Bighorn in the box and plastic, never shot, unused.  I ask to buy it, she wants to give it to me, I refuse and make her take $200 cash. Basically, I got a brand new Bighorn for $200.  I still feel badly for only giving her $200. 
So, this is not EXACTLY the rifle I wanted, but it's close enough and it's a Knight. I've read lots and lots on Woodleigh bullets, hornady bullets, sabots, loads, etc. 

Here are my two question:
1) If you have shot and quickly killed an elk using a Knight Bighorn, what was your load. Please respond only if you have specific firsthand knowledge of this specific rifle and using it to kill an elk.
2). Experiences, issues, anything you'd like to add about the Knight Big Horn.  Good or bad.  Sights, lock time, cleaning, anything. 

Thanks in advance for the wealth of knowledge you guys all contribute on this board.  Promise to repay the favor if I harvest an bull this October with specific info and pictures.  Let's hope I didn't just jinx myself! 

[steeleywhopper]

two pyrodex pellets and these barnes bullets shoot awesome from both my Bighorns.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/barnes-spit-fire-t-ez-290-grain-50-caliber-flat-base-15-rounds?a=1583072

[Firedogg]

Keep an eye on the ramrod. Mine stripped the threads on the end that screws out to extend it and als o pulled the end insert out if the rod itself. I don't think it's a big issue with them but I suggest getting a good sturdy range rod for your practice sessions to lesson the strain on the ramrod.

[Sabotloader]

Hey fellas,
It's Jeff again. I posted a few months back about being drawn for an elk tag on the Merrill Ring Pshhyt tree farm: you might remember the post?  Anyway, I was just about to pull the trigger on buying the Knight Disc Extreme with the western kit based  on all the great things I've read on here, and because of a lot of what Sabotloader has to say. But, a weird thing happened:

My uncle and I are talking, he says he has a friend that just passed away, and he was getting into muzzleloading.  Long story short, we contact the widow, she has a Knight Bighorn in the box and plastic, never shot, unused.  I ask to buy it, she wants to give it to me, I refuse and make her take $200 cash. Basically, I got a brand new Bighorn for $200.  I still feel badly for only giving her $200. 
So, this is not EXACTLY the rifle I wanted, but it's close enough and it's a Knight. I've read lots and lots on Woodleigh bullets, hornady bullets, sabots, loads, etc.

Here are my two question:
1) If you have shot and quickly killed an elk using a Knight Bighorn, what was your load. Please respond only if you have specific firsthand knowledge of this specific rifle and using it to kill an elk.

Not from a Big Horn but from different knights.

Dynamit Noble 1075+ cap
Powder 110 gr. T7-3f
Sabot: MMP 457-458/50 Orange sabot
Bullet: both a Bloodline 458x300 gr. DOA  0r
Bullet: Lehigh .458x305 gr. (45-70 rifle bullet) in a HPH 24 sabot black
And before the Lehigh/Bloodlines a .458 Nosler Partition in the Orange sabot.

Bloodline 300 gr. DOA


Lehigh 305
 

2). Experiences, issues, anything you'd like to add about the Knight Big Horn.  Good or bad.  Sights, lock time, cleaning, anything. [/quote]

I have two MK 85's, a Knight Wolverine and had one Big Horn - all of these are plunger guns and really did not have a problem with them they are a pretty simple rifle.

Thanks in advance for the wealth of knowledge you guys all contribute on this board.  Promise to repay the favor if I harvest an bull this October with specific info and pictures.  Let's hope I didn't just jinx myself!

[Soady]

Don't feel bad on your windfall offer. I had a similar experience when I purchased my Bighorn. The guy had a dream hunt planned with buddies for muzzy elk. He discovered he had prostate cancer two months prior to the hunt so he focused on his health, posted his Bighorn and all the accouterments for $250 at the Sportsman's Warehouse BB, I called right away and purchased the rifle and gear in Top Foods parking lot. All he asked was do the rifle justice and kill an elk with it. Still waiting for that day with many past close encounters! I can honestly say the deer drop like a sack of potatoes when hit with the 300 grn Hornady XTP powered with 85 grns of FFF Triple  7 using a musket cap ignition. I have no doubt that the same will occur with an elk.

I would imagine the wife knows in her heart her husband would want that rifle to go to a fellow hunter so do that Bighorn and the gentleman proud ......hunt that Bighorn for all it is, and bring the widow some prime cuts from whatever game you harvest for years to come. After all she is a hunters widow and she deserves the support. 

[Open-sights]

Thank you for all the good advice.  Since all my previous muzzleloader experience was with flat nose 495 grain Powerbelts, I've never tried putting a true sabot down a barrel.  Do you use a special starter and ramrod accessory that keeps the bullet noses from deformation? 

What do most of you guys use for powder. I have some Pyrodex RS, BUT LOOKS LIKE LOTS OF FOLKS LIKE TRIP 7.  What gives?  School me.

[Wose]

Hey man.

I put a Williams Peep sight on my Bighorn.  WWW.gunpartscorp.com had them for the cheapest.  I didn't have to change my front sight, but your mileage my vary.

I get 1" to 2" groups out of mine using either 2 50 grain, or two 60 grain "magnum" triple 7 pellets ignited by musket caps. The group open up to 3 to 4 inches if I use three 50 grain pellets, and my chronograph says I'm really not getting that much more velocity.

I have used Hornady XTP bullets designed for the .44 magnum in 300 grains, and Hornady 350 Grain interlocks in .458 (designed for the .45-70) with appropriate sabots and get good groups with both. I got good results with Hornday SST's. I don't use them anymore as I feel like I don't need that high of a BC bullet for the ranges I'm shooting, which is 125 and in.

I use this bullet starter:

http://www.amazon.com/CVA-BPI-Powerbelt-Bullet-Starter/dp/B000R9T3XO/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437768754&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=cva+trophy+bullet+starter

And it works fine.

I did find that the comb height of the stock was a little low for me. I put a stock pouch on similar to this:

http://www.triadtactical.com/Triad-Stock-Pack.html

This helped.  I may put a little strip of foam rubber on the top of the comb of the stock, then put the pouch on over that next time I shoot, as I feel like my eye will align a little more naturally if it was a smidge higher yet.

I've not killed an Elk with my Bighorn yet, as I've not muzzleloader hunted for elk yet. They just opened a general muzzleloader elk season in my unit, so that's what I'm doing this year.

Maybe the widow who sold you the rifle would appreciate some game meat, now that he husband isn't there to provide it?

[usmc74]

Killed my first muzzy elk last year.

Knight Bighorn, 290 Barnes TMZ, 110 gr T7, 3F powder, RWS musket cap.  68 yd shot on bedded bull, he just rolled over and died.

Mine has the Williams peep and front fiber optic per Sabotloader's posts.

I shoot really good groups with the 300gr SST, but stopped using due to conflicting terminal stories, I changed to the barnes.  They were also accurate.  The recovered bullet was a picture perfect 6 peeled back petals.  I was so impressed, I have over 100 of the Barnes now.

I stopped using my pyrodex because it seems much more corrosive than T7