.52 cal loads

[Gila]

Just jumped into Muzzleloading. My first MZ Rifle is being shipped as I write this. As most of you who hunt elk in NM know, the outfitters own most of the big game tags here in New Mexico. Drawing a resident rifle bull tag is getting to be almost impossible. I had to hang up the bow because of shoulder issues. A good bull tag here to hunt PUBLC lands goes for 10-15K. Some of the E-PLUS tags are resold 2 or 3 times…

I picked up a Knight Disc Extreme at the blow out price as they are discontinued. I will be shooting #11 percussion caps for now unless I can find a better solution. Going to shoot FTX .325 gr sabots to start with. I am curious about what types of powder to use and how much would work for this knight rifle with a 26” barrel. I am looking for the smallest group at 200 yards. No scopes allowed here in NM. I would like to try some bore diameter conicals but don’t want to pay 2 bucks a bullet….I would rather buy a mold and pour my own. Can I shoot conicals without a patch? Rifling twist is 1:26”. Any help is very much appreciated.

 

[ElDiablito]

I’d use 777. Conicals are nearly always shot without a patch, although, many of us use a wad (wool, poly or fiber) between the powder and conical.

.52 is an uncommonly used caliber so your options for bullets are slimmer than with a .50 or .45.

 

[Gila]

I see that .50 is the way to go for selection of bullets. The .52 didn’t take off. I guess the saving grace is that there are a number of different bullets for the 45-70 which takes a sabot for the .458” bullet. How do you work up a powder charge for BP?

 

[ElDiablito]

Yeah neither of the two sabot manufacturers (Harvester and MMP) offer a .52 sabot. You may have to get them from Knight.

Im not sure what the max charge is in that rifle, probably 150 gr by volume. Most of us start at a reasonable charge and work up in 5 gr increments. I’d probably start at about 90 gr by volume of FF 777 and work up, shooting three shot groups.

Parker Productions make a couple .52 lead conicals but the other two big conical companies (No Excuses and Bullshop) don’t, IIRC.

 

[Halky010]

I've never shot a .52, but man do I love the bloodlines in my .50's. Pretty awesome bullet.

 

[Gila]

Knight has 50% off today on their new rifle model.

 

[ElDiablito]

Knight has 50% off today on their new rifle model.

New rifle model? Or models?

 

[Gila]

New rifle model? Or models?

New rifles…the only models I have seen are the Mountaineers. Through the 2nd I think. The codes are BLACKFRIDAY24 and CYBERMONDAY24

 

[lazydrifter]

Midway USA stocks the new Knight Disc Extreme in .52 cal. Using the code MUSA1224 drops the price to 367.99 with free shipping. That's a heck of a price for a new SS bolt action ML. Sportsman warehouse has the Knight Mountaineer bare primer bolts on a closeout for 59.00 and then order a bare primer breech plug from lehigh or knight and you have a great setup.

 

[Gila]

Received the Knight DISC Extreme in .52 Cal. It was setup for Western hunting. Came with a musket cap and a #11 cap nipples. The no #11 caps don’t really have that much fire, not for the heavy long charges I intend to shoot anyway. Converted to 209 bare primers which is a different bolt and breech plug. NM took away the scopes a couple of seasons ago now so changed out sights to the Williams Western Precision globe sights. I also bought the .019” green fiber optic which I use with another reticle. The new kits have a red and a green spare fiber.

The Knight is very good quality fit and finish. Warranty for life and has a guarantee to shoot MOA. I am really happy with it. I have $725 into it but If or when I hunt a more restrictive Western state I can change out the bolt and breech plug and go hunt. Found plenty of silver and magenta sabots and better selection of bullets for the .52 than I had anticipated. Going to start out with FTX .325 gr and the Red-hots in .375 gr. Ready to sight in and get some tags…

 

[JP3]

I have a .52 Knight Bighorn. I'm shooting the Knight/Hornady 325 gr FTX w 100 grains by volume of 777 FFFG with the RWS #11 caps. I have the factory front site green fiber dot and the Williams FP on the back. From the bench, last time I shot it, I shot a 1.5" group, even though the front site covers most of the target at 100 yds. Never got around to trying the 375 Bloodlines because the 325 shot so well. Sorta wish I'd have put a globe or smaller fiber front site on, simply so I can see it more precisely, but don't have a lot of range time to start sighting from scratch again.

So far, I've killed a deer and a elk with that round. Deer was quartering to. Entered the front shoulder and exited just in front of opposite rear ham from 45 yds. Elk had 2 pass throughs from 80 yds. The deer ran 10 ft, the elk 2.

 

[Gila]

That’s good to know about that load as the FTX will be the primary bullet that I will use for now. The .375 gr Redhots are out of stock until further notice. I decided to switch to the 209 bare primer just because I can. I will be shooting the T7 FFg with T7 Winchester 209 primers made just for that powder. I am going to keep the #11 open air cap system in case I hunt up in the Northwest. Sounds like the T7 powder will give me all of the velocity I need for elk so will sight in with that powder. I think the stock Williams fiber sights are more than adequate, just that my eyes aren’t what they used to be. I installed the Williams Western Precision Globe sight with .019 fiber. I also put an open center reticle in front of the fiber that came with the set. Nice job with the elk and deer!

 

[ElDiablito]

Warranty for life and has a guarantee to shoot MOA.

I hope Knight is in business for more than a few more years….