Against the Grain

[smokepole06]

What advantage have you seen on guns like the SideKick that can go 150grs. I have been told that alot have found even though their rig is capable of more, they found better accuracy with 100 or less, Pyrodex mainly. Should I feel powder envy for only having a 24" Huntsman that shoots 100. I really do not see why I should, maybe you can convince me otherwise, you know just in case I just like getting the mess kicked out of for the fun of it.

[bikerbeans]

SP06,

I have bought a couple of inlines that are rated for (3) pellets but I have never shot one of them with a max load.  I start working up a load at the bottom end an usually find the accuracy going away by the time I get around 100 grains.  This is with loose powder, Pyrodex until 2 years ago and now just BH209.  I never found a bullet/sabot/pellet combination that would shoot much better than 3 or 4 inches @ a 100 yards with the pyrodex pellets, so I gave up on them except for plinking round balls with 1 pellet.

I think that primarily all you are going to get with a 150 grain charge is more recoil and probably less accuracy.  As long as your Huntsman is doing what you want it too with 100 grains or less then I wouldn't worry about it.  However, if you feel the need to expand your Handi collection then by all means go out and find a Sidekick. 

If you just want to rough-up your shoulder then I would reccommend a 45/70 BC reamed to 45/120 and shoot a Blackpowder cartridge with a full load of Goex, no filler and a 535 grain postel.  Also, don't use a recoil pad that way you can fully enjoy the curved steel buttplate.

BB

[MSP Ret]

I have always achieved my best accuracy out of a ML using a less than maximum load. Usually around 80% +/-5% of max has given me my best accuracy. Using the .50 caliber ML's I shoot loaded with 80/82 grains of Pyrodex there is not a deer in the good old USA that could withstand a well placed shot and survive. Hit them right with that load and it's "meat on the pole". I see no advantage of using a max load of 150 grains, for deer or black bear at least, now Grizzley or an angry Water Buffalo, up close and personal, that might be a different story....<><....

[carbineman]

With a 200 grain Dead Center bullet I load 80 grains of Blackhorn 209 in my 24" sidekick and am pleased with the accuracy results. To use Blackhorn 209 you need a different breechplug though.

[Busta]

What advantage have you seen on guns like the SideKick that can go 150grs. I have been told that alot have found even though their rig is capable of more, they found better accuracy with 100 or less, Pyrodex mainly. Should I feel powder envy for only having a 24" Huntsman that shoots 100. I really do not see why I should, maybe you can convince me otherwise, you know just in case I just like getting the mess kicked out of for the fun of it.

For some reason, this site resizes pictures just enough to make the writing hard to read, so sorry for that.

I have had a 2003 24" SS NEF Huntsman (7/8" Breech Plug) since March 2003, I later bought a 2004 24" SS NEF Sidekick (7/8" Breech Plug), and finally a last year (2008) model 26" SS H&R Sidekick Magnum with the 5/8" Breech Plug. The following pics show the Recommended Loads for the rifles, remember that these are recommended loads for best accuracy. The 24" barrels are capable of shooting more than 100 grains of powder, some powders better than others. It was never a safety issue, more of a burn issue. Yes a 26" tube is capable of burning more powder, but most magnum 120 grain loose powder charges burn before reaching the end of a 24" tube anyways.

With all that said, my 24" Huntsman is my favorite muzzleloader of a dozen that currently reside in my safe. It shares some pretty good company, 3 Whites, 5 Knights (just sold one), 3 H&R/NEF's, and 1 T/C. I have "pimped" my Huntsman out with custom / modified parts (stocks, breech plug wrench, 6 different breech plugs, ramrod / jags, sights) to make it my favorite, it sure didn't come that way from the factory.

Here is the 2003 24" Huntsman recommended loads dated 02/2002, remember the 26" barrel was not out until 2004. Disregard the .45 caliber information, they never moved that one past production unfortunately.



Here is the 2004 24" & 26" NEF Sidekick recommended loads dated 04/2004, remember this is with the 7/8" Breech Plug. The 2008 26" H&R Sidekick Magnum with 5/8" breech plug uses the same Owners Manual.




But to answer your question, NO you shouldn't feel powder envy! Read the load warnings in your Owners Manual, the maximum LOOSE POWDER charge is 120 grains for the MAGNUM rifles, 150 grains is only for pellets.

[quickdtoo]

For some reason, this site resizes pictures just enough to make the writing hard to read, so sorry for that.

Right click the pic, choose save image as and remember where you save it, then open the saved image, it will be easier to read. 

Tim

[Busta]

For some reason, this site resizes pictures just enough to make the writing hard to read, so sorry for that.

Right click the pic, choose save image as and remember where you save it, then open the saved image, it will be easier to read. 

Tim

Tim,

I already have the easier to read version, or did you mean for the rest of the guys?

[quickdtoo]

That's for everyone else. 

Tim

[smokepole06]

Based on the previous posts, does anyone have any experience with a 2004 -2005 Huntsman 24" with over 100 grns?

[Busta]

Based on the previous posts, does anyone have any experience with a 2004 -2005 Huntsman 24" with over 100 grns?

What year is your Huntsman? The letters in the serial number will identify the year of manufacture. NT = 2003, NU = 2004, NV = 2005. They also used the 7/8" breech plug through 2004 and on accessory barrels into 2005 until inventory was depleted IIRC.

Do you have an owners manual? IIRC, the Huntsmans changed there recommended loads when the 26" barrels came out in 2004, and this was for both the 24" and 26" barrels, just like the Sidekick. I am positive that someone had posted that information before on this site, but it was several years ago.

Just go by what your Owners Manual says, and you should be just fine.

[Busta]

This is what it says for a 2006 24" Huntsman barrel from the barrel program. I would assume that by the fall of 2006 that this would have the 5/8" breech plug, but the breech plug or barrel length had nothing to do with loads for the 2004 and later Sidekicks, they were all capable of the magnum 150 gr pellet and 120 grain loose charges. This information is identical to my 2004 Sidekick Owners Manual.



http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,99159.0.html

Some more information from 2005 on Huntsmans.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,64443.0.html

[kevinsmith5]

70 grains of Pyrodex under a 250 gr sabot puts three shots touching at 75 with consistency for me (usually in a vertical string though, not sure if that's me or the rifle). Just got set-up to use B209, if I can't duplicate that load 's peformance I'll stick with Pyrodex and live with cleaning. Can't imagine that load NOT killing a whitetail around here in the heavy brush I hit in BP season. More powder would probably just degrade accuracy.

[Swampman]

My standard load for all my inlines is 80 grains of Goex 3F or Pyrodex.  It shoots through deer and it's very accurate.  I see no need for more power.