Very difficult to load new Knight Bighorn

[conwaydave]

Last year my son and I purchased new Knight Bighorn's. I was, and am, new, to shooting ML's. But felt with all my research we were ready to shoot. We went to a shooting range, and with the help of rangemaster familiar with ML's, we loaded our guns. Right from the start, it was very hard to start, and to load our sabot's. We did shoot our guns, and did go hunting, but it is very hard to push the bullet down. The rangemaster with a micrometer, checked the dia. of bullets. We confirmed correct bullets for 50. cal. I watched another ML shooter load his gun with ease. I called Knight, and they said I "could" use some bore butter, even though it is not intended for my gun, which I knew. But they did say I can try using a FLITZ a couple times down the barrel. Has anyone else had this problem with their new knight? And where can I find a FLITZ?

[jrebel]

What bullets / sabots are you using??  I have heard some front stuffers don't like certain sabots.  Maybe try a different sabot and/or bullut.

[CP]

I had the same trouble with mine when I first got it.  I was going to send it back to Knight but I called their customer service and the tech sent me a bunch of the orange EZ load sabots.  That took care of the problem.  I can’t use the regular black Knight sabot for .45 cal bullets but the orange Knight works great as does the red Hornady and the green (for .44 cal bullets).  Some barrels are just tighter than others.

[conwaydave]

Yea, I just went back a year on this page and read a whole bunch of stuff about the difficulty. Yea, I was using the TMZ spitfire in 290 which a lot of people recommended, but did not read enough later about loading them. mmm, when you say Knight sent you... did you buy their bullets or did they send you something else? Is this a way, so you have to buy their bullets?

[CP]

Yea, I just went back a year on this page and read a whole bunch of stuff about the difficulty. Yea, I was using the TMZ spitfire in 290 which a lot of people recommended, but did not read enough later about loading them. mmm, when you say Knight sent you... did you buy their bullets or did they send you something else? Is this a way, so you have to buy their bullets?

Knight just sent me several dozen sabots, free of charge.  They have (or at least had) very good customer service.

[arrowflinger]

You could try the Barnes T-EZ bullets.

[CP]

Knight has given you a load of crap for advice.  Bore butter will screw up your accuracy and you should not have to lap a new barrel.  Your bullet isn’t the problem, it should be .451 dia.  Try some of these:

http://www.knightrifles.com/ez-load-sabots-M900126

After a few shots it will get easier to load.

[jrebel]

You could also try:

http://www.outdoorgearbarn.com/p-9243-tca-8252-superglide-sabots-50452-50.aspx

You can buy just the sabots and put your own bullet in them, or you can buy the bullets as well.   They come is many different grains.  I personally like the 300 grain bullet.  The load really easy in my front stuffer, TC Black diamond.  I would imagine the would work in any .50 cal.  I shot my cow elk last year with these and she didn't go anywhere.  The bullets seem to work great.

Good Luck

[conwaydave]

Thanks for the help, just got off the phone with Knight, and they are sending me some of their orange EZ load sabot's to try out. I guess I will put my bullets in them and try them out. Not sure if I'm in love with the TMZ spitfire so much that I will do this all the time. Probably will think about moving to another bullet for elk hunting. There are so many recommendations on this site, it's hard to decide, but it is nice to have help. Thanks

[shorthair15]

if you can get the barnes to work they are a great buller for elk. dont need to use bore butter. talk to sabot loader he has tons of loading data on the knights. do a search of loads for the bighorn. im sure sabot loader will chime in soon.

[Sabotloader]

Last year my son and I purchased new Knight Bighorn's. I was, and am, new, to shooting ML's. But felt with all my research we were ready to shoot. We went to a shooting range, and with the help of rangemaster familiar with ML's, we loaded our guns. Right from the start, it was very hard to start, and to load our sabot's. We did shoot our guns, and did go hunting, but it is very hard to push the bullet down. The rangemaster with a micrometer, checked the dia. of bullets. We confirmed correct bullets for 50. cal. I watched another ML shooter load his gun with ease. I called Knight, and they said I "could" use some bore butter, even though it is not intended for my gun, which I knew. But they did say I can try using a FLITZ a couple times down the barrel. Has anyone else had this problem with their new knight? And where can I find a FLITZ?

It would be my suggestion not to use 'Flitz' on the interior of the barrel.  A very product for the outside of a Stainless barrel to clean and give back the natural look.

If you wanted to use a bore polish on the indside to remove contaminates or machining marks use JB Bore Paste.  That product will probably work better for you.

Might look at this video.... The Kroil oil is not really necessary nor is the special device althought it does help.  You would need a good bore oil and tight fitting patch on a loading jag.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=13084/guntechdetail/Using_JB_Bore_Paste_and_Kroil_with_the_VFG_Bore_Pellets

Noe of this is probably necessary with your rifle - It is probably a matter of getting the right sabot with the right bullet.

[Sabotloader]

Yea, I just went back a year on this page and read a whole bunch of stuff about the difficulty. Yea, I was using the TMZ spitfire in 290 which a lot of people recommended, but did not read enough later about loading them. mmm, when you say Knight sent you... did you buy their bullets or did they send you something else? Is this a way, so you have to buy their bullets?

You are not the only one that stuggles with some of the Barnes selections and getting them down the barrel.

This link might help you with which sabot from Barnes might work better for you.  Barnes does use MMP to make their sabots, and the sabots you have coming form Knight are probably a MMP HPH-3P-EZ load, which will probably be to loose with most any other bullet than the Barnes bullet in your bore.  The EZ load will have a 3 petal design versus the normal 4 petals.  Normally and with most .451-.452 bullets the Big Horn would be just fine with a MMP HPH-24 sabot.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/muzzleloader/muzzleloader-accuracy/

 

[suga]

   I had the same problem you are experiencing.  I gave MMP a call, and they pretty much got the problem solved.  If you did want to stay with the Barnes, I would recommend going with the TEZ versus the TMZ; which addresses this problem. My 

[Wacenturion]

What bullets / sabots are you using??  I have heard some front stuffers don't like certain sabots.  Maybe try a different sabot and/or bullut.

That would be the first thing I did.

[Wacenturion]

Hornady SST's...250 or 300 gr. with 100 grains 777.  Get the German made caps #11 or musket caps.  I prefer the musket.  Both are much hotter than some of the others.  Been using them since the 70's....always go bang.

[SteelheadDC]

I struggled for years with the same problem with my T/C 50cal not wanting to give up sabots.  They still shot great just a pain to load, after breaking my fourth bullet starter in the dark, in the backcountry and putting some splinters in my hand I was done.  I switched at the recomendation of a friend on here to powerbelts and have never looked back, they load so much easier and shoot good.

[Jburke]

I had the same problem with my T/C black diamond express.  The barnes tmz-ez's made it much easier to load.  As were the T/C shockwaves.

[sled]

  I had the same prob with my knight.  After about ten to fifteen no problems.  I also have heard bore butter or anything else is bad.  I was told it allows the sabot to slide through the rifling instead of griping and twisting it.  I shoot everything out of mine now without a prob.