Knight .45 Cal Owners - Question

[Kal-Elk]

What actual bore diameters are you guys seeing when using full bore conicals?

I'm thinking about trying my hand at the .45 caliber game, coming from a .50. The Knight Ultra-Light has caught my eye in particular. That being said, I hunt primarily in California so I need to use lead-free ammo. My prefered options, from Barnes, run at .451. Lehigh offer .451 and .452.

I'd be willing to send some Barnes Spit Fire TMZ's at no cost to Owners willing to do some test fittings.

 

[Sacrvrrat72]

What actual bore diameters are you guys seeing when using full bore conicals?

I'm thinking about trying my hand at the .45 caliber game, coming from a .50. The Knight Ultra-Light has caught my eye in particular. That being said, I hunt primarily in California so I need to use lead-free ammo. My prefered options, from Barnes, run at .451. Lehigh offer .451 and .452.

I'd be willing to send some Barnes Spit Fire TMZ's at no cost to Owners willing to do some test fittings.

I am using the Lehigh .458 sized to .452 in my KUL. Shoots great.


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[Kal-Elk]

I am using the Lehigh .458 sized to .452 in my KUL. Shoots great.


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Are you using the Controlled Fracturing or Xtreme Penetrator? What sorta range and groups you seeing?

 

[Sacrvrrat72]

Are you using the Controlled Fracturing or Xtreme Penetrator? What sorta range and groups you seeing?

260gr Controlled Fracturing.

See below. 200 yards with a peep sight. Would be better with a better shooter pulling the trigger or a globe up front.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kal-Elk]

This is very encouraging! Do you resize straight .458->.452, or do you use intermediate sizing dies?

 

[Sacrvrrat72]

This is very encouraging! Do you resize straight .458->.452, or do you use intermediate sizing dies?

.458 straight to .452


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[sabotloader]

Just a bit about the bullet.... It was designed to fit into 'custom' fast twist muzzleloader barrels that are normally true smokeless 45-70 barrels. These barrels have deeper grooves than do regular ML barrels.

When you are resizing the Lehigh .458 x 260 - you are not really resizing the bullet body - it is solid copper and it is very solid. What you are resizing in the barbs around the bullet.

To get them to fit in in of my Knight 45's, I felt that I needed to reduce the size to a .454 - so I would run them through a simple Lee sizing dye to reduce them to .4535

Then they would move through the crown of the barrel with a little more ease. Since then and with the invention of my 'bump stick' - I really don't even do that anymore. Just set the bullet in the crown, place the the hole in the bump stick on the bullet, give the top of the stick a pop with my hand, turn it over and use the flat side to pop it through the crown.

Hope some of this helps explain...

 

[Kal-Elk]

When you say "barbs," are you referring to the portions that would petal out? i.e. compressing the tip inwards into the hollow point?

Sorry if this is basic, I've never done any resizing.

 

[sabotloader]

When you say "barbs," are you referring to the portions that would petal out? i.e. compressing the tip inwards into the hollow point?

Sorry if this is basic, I've never done any resizing.

I think Lehigh call them the 'drive bands' but they the extruded lines around the outside of the bullet. These barbs are what grabs the lands and grooves of the bore causing rotation and stabilization of the bullet.

If you look at the picture above - it shows that I have inserted the factory bullet in to the crown of the barrel and it resting on the "barbs" ready to be pushed through the crown. When/if you resize you will resize these to a better fit in your ML. The bullet body is really hard and you would not easily be able to resize the body.

Hope that explains - I am not the best user of words! Several English teacher have told me that!

mike

 

[Kal-Elk]

Got it, you're speaking of the raised lines running parallel to each other near the base.

You confirm what I've been reading online while trying to do research, that it's pretty much impossible to size down a monolithic copper bullet (at least the main body). That's why I was hoping to figure out the exact bore measurements, to see what the options were if I get a .45 Knight and still be California-legal.

Looks like I can at least run the Lehighs.

 

[sabotloader]

Got it, you're speaking of the raised lines running parallel to each other near the base.

You confirm what I've been reading online while trying to do research, that it's pretty much impossible to size down a monolithic copper bullet (at least the main body). That's why I was hoping to figure out the exact bore measurements, to see what the options were if I get a .45 Knight and still be California-legal.

Looks like I can at least run the Lehigh's.

Yes - i do not think you would have any problems in a Knight rifle either the older Super DISC's like I have or the newer DISC's, ULite or Mountaineer. You may not even have to resize once you try the bump stick. But... if you have to resize it - it is really not that expensive with a simple Lee press and die.

These Lehigh's are also lead free - think that is important in CA.

The base of the bullet measures:

The ogive

 

[As_west_as_it_gets]

I am in the same boat, doing research to purchase a muzzleloader to use in CA. Our bullet sizing options are going to be tough with the copper. Thanks for posting this. Up until now I thought I could throw any copper bullet through a sizing die.


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[Kal-Elk]

I am in the same boat, doing research to purchase a muzzleloader to use in CA. Our bullet sizing options are going to be tough with the copper. Thanks for posting this. Up until now I thought I could throw any copper bullet through a sizing die.


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No joke man, the first time I fired a muzzleloader I was certain it was gonna blow up in my face. Just wanna make sure I'm doing things right before I start messing around with trying to change the shapes of bullets and whatnot. I'm trying to do as much research as I can before putting down big bucks on a new muzzleloader, only to find out I can only use it out of state.

 

[wind gypsy]

I've got an unfired nitride Knight UL 45 I've been meaning to get listed for sale if you're interested in saving a few sheckles and avoiding any waits. Also have a custom Murphy pic rail for it that is lower profile than any of the standard options.

It's this one. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021818389?pid=885419

 

[teambuffalooutdoors]

260gr Controlled Fracturing.

See below. 200 yards with a peep sight. Would be better with a better shooter pulling the trigger or a globe up front.

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That’s a great group for a peep sight at 200