Great site! I found it by accident while looking for info on muzzleloaders. I have been reading the ML posts to help me decide which one to get. I recently purchsed a Traditions Vortek UL. I also picked up the Hornady SST 250 gr. and Pyrodex 50/50 pellets. I had a Bushnell Sportview scope in the closet that I mounted on the gun. I am waiting for this triple digit heat to subside before heading to the range. It's just too hot! A friend of mine also picked up a ML. He got the T/C Bone Collector with a Zeiss Conquest scope. We are heading to Ohio this November to hunt in Harrison county. I was born and raised in Cleveland and still have family and friends there. One of my friends has about 60 acres south of Freeport near Smyrna that we will be hunting. I was lucky enogh to get an 8 pointer there 2 years ago and hope to be lucky again. What is the general concensus on the Hornady low drag sabots, the ones with a "tail" on them?
New guy & new Traditions Vortek UL
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welcome to the club JohnR.
I'm assuming you have a fifty caliber? The combo you mention sounds reasonable and will probably work for you. If you are like a lot of us on this site we like to experiment with different combos. Let us know how you do.
daddus
I'm assuming you have a fifty caliber? The combo you mention sounds reasonable and will probably work for you. If you are like a lot of us on this site we like to experiment with different combos. Let us know how you do.
daddus
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Greetings from Vermont and Welcome to the Club.
The load I'm using for my Vortek is the "Traditions" 250 grain SmackDown SST's,
(The Super Shocked Tip (SST) Bullet was designed specifically by Hornady® to perform under muzzleloading velocities)
with two 50/50 Triple 777 pellets by Hodgdon, and Remington Kleanbore 209 primers.
I haven't been able to do much shooting with my Vortek but right out the box at 100 yards this rifle proved to be ready for hunting which isn't usually the case with any muzzleloader.
Good Luck on all your hunts and with your new Vortek.
The load I'm using for my Vortek is the "Traditions" 250 grain SmackDown SST's,
(The Super Shocked Tip (SST) Bullet was designed specifically by Hornady® to perform under muzzleloading velocities)
with two 50/50 Triple 777 pellets by Hodgdon, and Remington Kleanbore 209 primers.
I haven't been able to do much shooting with my Vortek but right out the box at 100 yards this rifle proved to be ready for hunting which isn't usually the case with any muzzleloader.
Good Luck on all your hunts and with your new Vortek.
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8,472 Posts
I would give 777 a try and then take a look at Black Horn powder, right now the king of the hill for in-line black powder rifles rated for 209 primers.
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Hey JohnR welcome to the site buddy.
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8,472 Posts
For a 50 cal you will end up around 90-100grs so start with 80 and increase 5 grains at a time until you get good shot placement. I see no need to go beyond 100 grs.
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You would be happier come cleaning time if you switched to 777 or Blackhorn 209, not to mention your accuracy may improve also.
Good Luck
G
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·I have Traditions Pursuit XLT and have found that mine shoots better with the loose Buck Horn powder.
Hi John
I just found this site also and this is my first post.
I have the Traditions Vortek UL and a Vortek pistol also.
I tried the pellets first then switched to pyro RS for more consistent loads. I got much better groups.
I got tired of having to clean the bore after every shot and switched to blackthorn 209. No more cleaning at the range and the breech plug doesn't get stuck, not to mention it loads very easy now.
I cast my own bullets and have tried conicals, sabots and round balls.
I have finally settled on a 450 grain cast lead .458 bullet in a Harvester crushed rib sabot. I use this in pistol and rifle.
The rifle shoots them minute of angle out to 150 yards. It might do well farther but have never tried it. I get 1557 fps at the muzzle with 90 grains of BH 209. I went up to 100 and groups opened up a bit and recoil was stout.
In the pistol I use 50 grains of BH209 and get about 900 fps. It shoots 2 inch groups at 50 yards. I guess I should add that I put a red dot sight on it.
I have put in excess of 400 rounds through the rifle with no malfunctions.
I know you will like your rifle as much as I like mine.
I drew a ML tag in NM and go hunting in a few weeks. I can't wait.
I just found this site also and this is my first post.
I have the Traditions Vortek UL and a Vortek pistol also.
I tried the pellets first then switched to pyro RS for more consistent loads. I got much better groups.
I got tired of having to clean the bore after every shot and switched to blackthorn 209. No more cleaning at the range and the breech plug doesn't get stuck, not to mention it loads very easy now.
I cast my own bullets and have tried conicals, sabots and round balls.
I have finally settled on a 450 grain cast lead .458 bullet in a Harvester crushed rib sabot. I use this in pistol and rifle.
The rifle shoots them minute of angle out to 150 yards. It might do well farther but have never tried it. I get 1557 fps at the muzzle with 90 grains of BH 209. I went up to 100 and groups opened up a bit and recoil was stout.
In the pistol I use 50 grains of BH209 and get about 900 fps. It shoots 2 inch groups at 50 yards. I guess I should add that I put a red dot sight on it.
I have put in excess of 400 rounds through the rifle with no malfunctions.
I know you will like your rifle as much as I like mine.
I drew a ML tag in NM and go hunting in a few weeks. I can't wait.
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Greetings crawdaddy, welcome to the club and good luck in NM, I hope you come back and share some pics with us when you return from your hunt. :w00t:
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my goal is to push a 250 gr out to 2000-2100 fps using Black Horn.
Sabot I am assuming? I think I have a few. I can try a max load and chrony the results for you if you like. It would be a week before i could do it.
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