Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: Old Wanderer on December 26, 2008, 10:22:30 PM

Title: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: Old Wanderer on December 26, 2008, 10:22:30 PM: I am new to this board, and to WA, but not to hunting. A month ago I had one of my students (I am in instructor for Boeing), tell me about this Bighorn muzzle loader he bought and he wanted to get something else. I bought the gun, (with only 5 rounds fired in it) and it included a scope, and 20 rounds of sabots.

There is only 1 round I have found to use (that is legal in WA) a Hydra-con 530 gr.

Now I have hunted with my 416 Rigby, and have put several hundred rounds through it, so I know what recoil is....shooting a 530 Gr slug in a 8# rifle is not something I would like to spend a day at the range doing...(I have ordered 100 rounds of this stuff however).

There is almost nothing to be found on any board about the 52....even Cabela's closed out all there ammo for the 52. So in the interest of no re-creating the wheel here is my plan...

1. Go to the range, run 5 shots from 100 gr to 150 gr (10 gr increments) :bdid: and see where it is accurate.

2. Try both 777 and 209 powder...see what the gun likes. (Never found a word about 209 powder and the 52?? :P

3. Remove the scope, and put the front sight on, get a rear peep sight, and re-zero the gun.... :dunno:

4. Use my crono, and try and figure some ballistic tables for this round/loading. :rolleyes:

5. Spend the summer shooting a bit so I am comfortable with this thing. ;)

6. Pick on anyone I can find for ideas on where to hunt this next fall. I ride a lot of dirt bikes / dual sport type bikes in the summer, so a great excuse to explore some back roads to find camp spots, and hike UP to scout a bit. (This old body is harder every year to get it back into shape). :twocents:

Your comments and thought are more than welcome....right now my emphasis is elk, but naturally I will do a bit of deer hunting as well.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: bobcat on December 26, 2008, 11:02:26 PM: That should be a great rifle but too bad it's that oddball 52 caliber. So, you've got 100 legal bullets...I think you might want to buy even more of those, or at least get some of the non-legal and possibly cheaper bullets that you can use just for preliminary sighting in so you don't waste your other bullets. As far as the powder, I think 777 should do good. I'm not sure what you mean by "209" powder? Maybe you're thinking of the 209 primers that some muzzleloaders use?

For elk, are you interested in hunting eastern or western Washington? As you probably know, east is spike only, and west side is 3 pt minimum. There are very few (good) opportunities for hunting cow elk with muzzleloaders although that may change next year.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: stumprat on December 26, 2008, 11:12:33 PM: Try to find a bullet mold.
The blackhorn 209 powder has had mixed results with any ignition other than 209. Triple 7 is pretty damn hard to beat.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: bobcat on December 26, 2008, 11:15:17 PM: Oh, so there is a "209" powder. Never heard of it. But all I use is Triple 7 so haven't been looking for anything else. A bullet mold would be a good option to have.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: Old Wanderer on December 27, 2008, 09:03:41 AM: Well if anybody can find a 52 cal mold, let me know. I searched for one without finding anything...I have the size/luber unit, but again need to get a die for sizing 52.

I will hunt the west side. Probably out on the Olympic Peninsula. I plan on drawing for the multi-weapon tag. I have a Ruger #1 47-70 with a Holographic sight on it. Worked up some loads with the Barnes 300 gr X bullet when I hunted coastal Oregon some years ago. Good to 300 yards...and with those Rosevelt Elk, it would be extremely rare to shoot much over 100. (That little light gun with those hot loads slaps the snot out of you however).

Your comments about the 209 powder are interesting. Only two ways to find out:

1. Buy a can and put some rounds through my rifle.

2. Find somebody that has the same breech plug and ignition and find out how they did. The stuff it $32/can, but read some really great things about the power.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: boneaddict on December 27, 2008, 09:13:34 AM: Lots of elk areas to access with a dirt bike in the Yakima/Ellensburg. Some of its the best elkhunting the state has to offer probably. Not sure what your seasons and units are though as I don't hunt them withthe smokepole. As for deer, I can think of only one honeyhole and I hesitate sending you there as I don't know what level you are with your bike and your age. Out of respect, your age is the only reason I would send you there, but on the other hand, not sure about sending you there and killing you. Let me know in a pm. I also need to check to see if its still open to bikes. They close everything down so much.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: stumprat on December 27, 2008, 09:20:32 AM: I tried the Blackhorn 209 after hearing people rave about it online, but the manufacturer was spot on, musket caps ignite it inconsistantly. I think you'll like 777 if you give it a try. Very easy to clean, all I use for clean up now is Traditions orange solvent and it makes my Bighorn shine.

Did you try Muzzleloaders supply in Puyallup for a bullet mold. They can be great help on hard to find stuff.
Thier # is 253-922-1717
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: Old Wanderer on December 28, 2008, 09:25:13 PM: Thanks for the info Adnahoundsman, I did go there yesterday and talked to them a bit. I have a place to call about a custom mold.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: stumprat on December 28, 2008, 09:27:30 PM: Cool hope it works out. They are good people & if they don't have an answer they know someone that does.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: Slenk on December 29, 2008, 03:27:35 PM: J.J. Tanner
Can build you a mould. Dang good mould at dang good prices.
I have several.
www.jt-bullet-moulds.co.uk
jeff.ballmoulds@talktalk.net

Slenk
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: Old Wanderer on December 29, 2008, 07:54:30 PM: Here is a bit of an update:

Went to the makers of 209 powder, and they put me in touch with Toby Bridges; here is what he had to say:

[bgcolor=#0013ff]I wish I had encouraging news, or a hot tip or two, for you to get your .52 Bighorn shooting well with Blackhorn 209 - using musket cap ignition.

Truth of the matter is, I don't.

Simply put, Blackhorn 209 needs the hotter flame of No. 209 primers for hesitation free ignition. Even with the hottest No. 209 primers (CCI 209M and Federal 209A), the stemmed Knight breech plug results in a lengthy hang-fire.
[/bgcolor]

T[bgcolor=#ffff00]he WA regs : In-line Muzzleloader: In-line muzzleloaders are legal only if ignition uses original style percussion caps that fit on the nipple.
[/bgcolor]

I can hope (just a little) the regs might change this year....If not 777 is not a bad powder, just the 209 is much better. I do not believe it will make much difference for the 1 shot I will need hunting.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: boneaddict on December 29, 2008, 07:55:59 PM: I got your note. I'll get back to you.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: stumprat on December 29, 2008, 07:58:02 PM: Refreshing to get an honest reply isn't it. :tup:
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: Tegantunadog on January 07, 2009, 07:43:48 PM: I have a Disc Extreme in 52 cal and am very pleased with its performance. Yes it does suck that the only bullets we can Shoot in WA are the 530 Grain Lead slugs. But on the other hand, we can only have open sights too. Any thing over 200 yards I cant even see with my open sights. I talked with Knight themselves and a 350 grain is in field testing right know. I pack my with 110gr of Triple 7 FFg and its very consistence.
Title: Re: Bighorn 52 Cal
Post by: Moose Eyes on January 10, 2009, 10:54:39 AM: You can always have some custom bullets made. This guy is great and is well respected amongst blackpowder hunters I know. http://bullshop.gunloads.com/prices.html (http://bullshop.gunloads.com/prices.html)

Also, if I were you I would start with somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 grains of 777 and work my loads up from there. Accuracy is more important than velocity. I took my elk this year with 75 grains of 777 shooting a 495 grain custom conical.