.429 bullets in .50 cal muzzleloader

[TheSkyBuster]

Being a hand loader and a .44 magnum fanatic I have a wide assortment of . 429 handgun bullets laying around.  I ordered some sabots and plan on trying them out in my knight bighorn, and knight wolverine.   I have been using a 300gr SST pushed by 2 50gr pyrodex pellets.  Those bullets preformed like FMJs on my blacktail this year so it is time to try something different. I have killed a few deer with XTP's and GDSPs out of handguns with way better results.   Who has experience?  Am I better off going with .452 cal bullets and sabots?  My purpose is for hunting deer and elk at under 200 yards.

[JKEEN33]

I use the xtp's in my bighorn. Shoot great and have killed everything I have shot with them. I order the sabots and save a lot. I'm sure others will tell you different, but it has worked great for me.

[TheSkyBuster]

I use the xtp's in my bighorn. Shoot great and have killed everything I have shot with them. I order the sabots and save a lot. I'm sure others will tell you different, but it has worked great for me.

Thanks JKEEN33,
what bullet weight and powder are you using? 

[JKEEN33]

Triple 7 FFG and I have used both 240 and 300 XTP's with 100 grains. Both shot well. I hunt with the 300. My dad likes the 45 XTP's. To use these, you just change the sabot. Both seem to shoot well, but I too reload for 44 and have a lot laying around. I originally used the Pyrodex pellets when I first got into muzzleloading, but switched over to loose. I use a #11 cap.

[GoexBlackhorn]

I use the 44-cal 300gr XTP. Good choice for deer or elk....Harvester crush rib sabot and 90gr of powder.

[Smokepole]

I have been using .452's with Crush Ribs.  Works great, but I'm interested in using 44's, since I reload a lot of 44 mag.  It is easy to get these bullets mixed up.  If I had the right sabots, I might even try some hand cast Keith bullets, just for fun.  Hmmm. 

[GoexBlackhorn]

PRBulletdotcom still makes the Keith Nose sabot/bullet in 50/45 cal (275 + 330gr).

Talk about a sabot/bullet that thumps them DRT.....lol

[Soady]

I prefer the .452 XTP Mag 300 gr and a Harvest crush rib sabot with 777 fff 85gr in my Bighorn. Primer is a DN #1082 musket cap.  It is an extremely effective and accurate combination taking most any deer or elk.

[CP]

I've found that 300g -  .429 bullets are more accurate in my Bighorn than any .45 cal bullet. 

[TheSkyBuster]

I finally made it to the range,  300 gr XTP with a harvester sabot pushed by 2 50 gr pyrodex pellets.

[TheSkyBuster]

First shot,   Clean bore @ 50 yards. 

[TheSkyBuster]

Next I moved the target to 100 yards and fired 3 additional rounds through the Bighorn.   2nd 3rd and 4th holes (top circle).   Next I pulled out my scoped knight Tbolt (22" barrel) and fired 3 more shots (bottom circle).  With the same load.



 

[TheSkyBuster]

Overall I am very impressed with the accuracy I got from this load through the bighorn.   This is as good as I can shoot with open sights. Keeping the same zero is way cool as well.   I'm under impressed with the accuracy on the scoped rifle.  I have shot one hole groups with this gun before.  I will continue to experiment with both.    BTW I am using CCI musket caps in the big horn, and federal 209's in the scoped T-bolt.