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Black MZ Brings A New Level Of Performance To Older In-Line Rifles
The rifle in the above photo is the first muzzleloader that I ever topped 5,000 rounds through. It is Knight MK-85 "Grand American" serial number 9186. The rifle was presented to me in 1992, by Tony Knight, for my coverage of muzzleloader hunting in the shooting and hunting magazines. In those days, I was writing 60 to 70 magazine articles every year - and the vast majority were about muzzleloading and muzzleloader hunting.
This .50 caiber No. 11 percussion cap ignition rifle remained my primary hunting rifle for four seasons, and was also my No. 1 promotional shooting rifle for just as long. In early 1995, I topped 5,000 rounds through the Green Mountain barrel, and the rifle was still fully capable of punching 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. My most accurate load in those days proved to be 100-grains of Pyrodex "RS" Select behind either a saboted 250-grain Hornady .452" XTP or 260-grain Speer .451" jacketed hollow-point pistol bullet. Both shot very, very well out of this rifle. For hunting, I often upped the powder charge to 110-grains for the added velocity, flatter trajectory and greater knockdown power. Since fully making the switch to more efficient primer ignition models and loading components, I have only pulled the rifle out of retirement a few times - mostly to check out newer powders or to see how better designed modern spire-pointed bullets perform at the significantly slower velocities of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In late 2011, I once agan dusted off this old friend, gave it a thorough once over cleaning, mounted one of the excellent TB-ML Hi-Lux Optics muzzleloader scopes and began packing the MK-85 to the range with me to test Alliant Powder's new Black MZ powder. The old 100-grain Pyrodex "RS" Select charge would get the saboted 260 grain Speer JHP on its way at an average of right at 1,630 f.p.s.. I immediately found that a 100-grain charge of Alliant Black MZ would get one of the Harvester Muzzleloading saboted .451" Scorpion PT Gold bullets of the same weight out of the 24-inch barrel at a more impressive 1,819 f.p.s. (5 shot avg.).
This .50 caiber No. 11 percussion cap ignition rifle remained my primary hunting rifle for four seasons, and was also my No. 1 promotional shooting rifle for just as long. In early 1995, I topped 5,000 rounds through the Green Mountain barrel, and the rifle was still fully capable of punching 1 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. My most accurate load in those days proved to be 100-grains of Pyrodex "RS" Select behind either a saboted 250-grain Hornady .452" XTP or 260-grain Speer .451" jacketed hollow-point pistol bullet. Both shot very, very well out of this rifle. For hunting, I often upped the powder charge to 110-grains for the added velocity, flatter trajectory and greater knockdown power. Since fully making the switch to more efficient primer ignition models and loading components, I have only pulled the rifle out of retirement a few times - mostly to check out newer powders or to see how better designed modern spire-pointed bullets perform at the significantly slower velocities of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In late 2011, I once agan dusted off this old friend, gave it a thorough once over cleaning, mounted one of the excellent TB-ML Hi-Lux Optics muzzleloader scopes and began packing the MK-85 to the range with me to test Alliant Powder's new Black MZ powder. The old 100-grain Pyrodex "RS" Select charge would get the saboted 260 grain Speer JHP on its way at an average of right at 1,630 f.p.s.. I immediately found that a 100-grain charge of Alliant Black MZ would get one of the Harvester Muzzleloading saboted .451" Scorpion PT Gold bullets of the same weight out of the 24-inch barrel at a more impressive 1,819 f.p.s. (5 shot avg.).
Black MZ Granulation Is Inconsistent...
During earlier testing of Black MZ, I found that with hotter No. 209 primer ignition model rifles, a 100-grain volume-measured charge would get the 260-grain Scorpion PT Gold out of the muzzle of a 27-inch barrel at an average velocity of 1,858 f.p.s. The higher velocity can be attributed to both the 3-inch longer barrel...and the hotter initial ignition. During that test, I shot five rounds across the chronograph...eliminated the highest and lowest reading...then averaged the remaining three velocities. The spread was 29 f.p.s.
I expected a slower velocity from the Knight MK-85, due to the shorter barrel and the milder No. 11 percussion cap ignition. What discerned me most was the velocity spread. Doing as I had done earlier with the primer ignition .50 Knight Mountaineer model, eliminating the highest and lowest of five velocity readings, then averaging the reamining three - the velocity spread with the MK-85 was 42 f.p.s. So, I did it again, and the velocity spread was right at 45 f.p.s.
Click on the photo above left, to enlarge, and you'll see the reason for such a velocity spread when loading and shooting Black MZ with volume-measured charges. Black MZ (on left side) compared here to the granules of Pyrodex "RS". Note the extreme variation in Black MZ granule size.
I expected a slower velocity from the Knight MK-85, due to the shorter barrel and the milder No. 11 percussion cap ignition. What discerned me most was the velocity spread. Doing as I had done earlier with the primer ignition .50 Knight Mountaineer model, eliminating the highest and lowest of five velocity readings, then averaging the reamining three - the velocity spread with the MK-85 was 42 f.p.s. So, I did it again, and the velocity spread was right at 45 f.p.s.
Click on the photo above left, to enlarge, and you'll see the reason for such a velocity spread when loading and shooting Black MZ with volume-measured charges. Black MZ (on left side) compared here to the granules of Pyrodex "RS". Note the extreme variation in Black MZ granule size.
Volume-Measured Charges...
The 100-yard target at right is pretty typical of the four targets I shot while loading and shooting with 100-grain volume-measured charges and the 260-grain Scorpion PT Gold. As often as not, several of the shots would impact very close...and one would be off somewhere else. This spread is right at 2-inches across center-to-center, but still would have taken any whitetail shot at inside of 100 yards.
Using an RCBS electronic powder scale, I precisely set my favored adjustable brass powder measure on the "100" grain mark. Then I carefully filled it with powder from a new canister of Black MZ...leveled it off with a straight edge...and weighed the charge. The first one went 91.2 grains. I then weighed 9 more. The weights recorded ran from a low of 88.2 grains to 92.4 grains - a variation of 4.2 grains. The average of the 10 charges was 90.6 grains. (Note: The brass measure used to volume-measure these charges was checked, set at the same setting, with GOEX Express FFg black powder - and ten weighed charges ran from 99.6 to 100.7 grains...with an average of 100.3 grains.)
If the actual weight of a 100-grain volume-measured charge of Black MZ is right at 90.6 grains, then a 1-pound (7,000 grain) container should give 77.2 shots.
Using an RCBS electronic powder scale, I precisely set my favored adjustable brass powder measure on the "100" grain mark. Then I carefully filled it with powder from a new canister of Black MZ...leveled it off with a straight edge...and weighed the charge. The first one went 91.2 grains. I then weighed 9 more. The weights recorded ran from a low of 88.2 grains to 92.4 grains - a variation of 4.2 grains. The average of the 10 charges was 90.6 grains. (Note: The brass measure used to volume-measure these charges was checked, set at the same setting, with GOEX Express FFg black powder - and ten weighed charges ran from 99.6 to 100.7 grains...with an average of 100.3 grains.)
If the actual weight of a 100-grain volume-measured charge of Black MZ is right at 90.6 grains, then a 1-pound (7,000 grain) container should give 77.2 shots.
Weighed Charges Are The Key To Tighter Groups...
While sitting at the kitchen window, sipping hot coffee and watchng the snow fall outside, it took me about 30 minutes to precisely weigh 20 of the 90.6 grain charges, carefully pour them into plastic speed-load tubes, and tighten the screw on caps. An afternoon lull in the snowfall allowed me to get back on the range for a near two-hour session.
It was amazing at how much more consistently the weighed charges performed. I shot four groups that afternoon. The best can be seen at the left - three shots measuring .730-inch center-to-center. Excluding one group when the standard strength percussion cap resulted in a bit of a hangfire, the two other keepers went right at 1 1/4-inches center-to-center. (More on the cap problem just a little further into this report.)
Before the snow returned, I did manage to get in my usual five-shot chronographing. The reason for the much better grouping was evident in the velocity spread. After eliminating the high and low readings, the remaining three velocities averaged 1,823 f.p.s., and was very close to what I had gotten with 100-grain volume measured charges. However, the velocity spread with the weighed charges was just 24 f.p.s. - about half of what I had gotten with volume-measured charges. (Note: After the hangfire with the standard strength percussion cap, I switched to hotter "Magnum" caps for my chrony work that day.)
It was amazing at how much more consistently the weighed charges performed. I shot four groups that afternoon. The best can be seen at the left - three shots measuring .730-inch center-to-center. Excluding one group when the standard strength percussion cap resulted in a bit of a hangfire, the two other keepers went right at 1 1/4-inches center-to-center. (More on the cap problem just a little further into this report.)
Before the snow returned, I did manage to get in my usual five-shot chronographing. The reason for the much better grouping was evident in the velocity spread. After eliminating the high and low readings, the remaining three velocities averaged 1,823 f.p.s., and was very close to what I had gotten with 100-grain volume measured charges. However, the velocity spread with the weighed charges was just 24 f.p.s. - about half of what I had gotten with volume-measured charges. (Note: After the hangfire with the standard strength percussion cap, I switched to hotter "Magnum" caps for my chrony work that day.)
Hotter Ignition Gives More Consistent Velocities...
I had only received two pounds of Black MZ to test with...and had stretched those two pounds as far as I could. Earlier, I had shot most of one canister while loading 110-grain charges for several No. 209 primer ignition model rifles - a .50 Traditions VORTEK (shown at right) and a .50 Knight Mountaineer. I finished up that canister during my first shooting with the percussion cap ignited Knight MK-85. And with the shooting just detailed, that left me with right at a half-pound of Black MZ to run my last test - cold weather ignition with No. 11 caps.
After the very noticeable hangfire with the standard strength No. 11 percussion cap, I began to wonder about how well the powder would ignite with caps during extreme cold weather hunting conditions. A few mornings later, with the temperature right at 9-degrees, I got the opportunity to find out. Using standard strength CCI No. 11 caps, 8 out of 10 shots with the MK-85 were spontaneous. However...two of the shots fired with just a bit a lag time. I then switched to the hotter CCI No. 11 Magnum caps (shown in photo at top of this page)...and all 10 shots were super spontaneous.
I shot the last of my weighed charges through one of the Traditions .50 VORTEK models, using several milder "muzzleloading" primers - the Federal Fusion and Winchester Triple Seven primers. Ignition was super spontaneous as well. All of this shooting was done across the chronograph. When shooting with the standard No. 11 caps, I experienced a 37 f.p.s. velocity spread...with the No. 11 Magnum caps a 26 f.p.s. velocity spread...and with either No. 209 muzzleloading primer the velocity spread was 19 f.p.s.
After the very noticeable hangfire with the standard strength No. 11 percussion cap, I began to wonder about how well the powder would ignite with caps during extreme cold weather hunting conditions. A few mornings later, with the temperature right at 9-degrees, I got the opportunity to find out. Using standard strength CCI No. 11 caps, 8 out of 10 shots with the MK-85 were spontaneous. However...two of the shots fired with just a bit a lag time. I then switched to the hotter CCI No. 11 Magnum caps (shown in photo at top of this page)...and all 10 shots were super spontaneous.
I shot the last of my weighed charges through one of the Traditions .50 VORTEK models, using several milder "muzzleloading" primers - the Federal Fusion and Winchester Triple Seven primers. Ignition was super spontaneous as well. All of this shooting was done across the chronograph. When shooting with the standard No. 11 caps, I experienced a 37 f.p.s. velocity spread...with the No. 11 Magnum caps a 26 f.p.s. velocity spread...and with either No. 209 muzzleloading primer the velocity spread was 19 f.p.s.
Black MZ Brings A New Level Of Performance To No. 11 Ignition In-Line Rifles
Several million No. 11 percussion cap ignition in-line rifles have been sold in this country since the mid 1980s. What made these rifles so popular was their reliability and deadly accuracy with saboted bullets. However, when one takes a look at the velocities capable with early in-line rifles and loads, they weren't that much different than older traditionally styled rifles and loads. In fact, a .50 patched round ball rifle of the 1970s was fully capable of shooting 2,000 f.p.s. - while the loads most of us were shooting out of .50 in-line rifles back around 1990 were in the 1,600 f.p.s. range.
No. 209 primer ignition...hotter new powders...and much better designed saboted bullets changed all of that. With the newer in-line models and loads now fully capable of 2,000+ f.p.s. velocities and honest 200-yard game-taking performance, many of those old favorite No. 11 percussion cap rifle models have now spent a few seasons left sitting in the gun cabnet.
These are the rifles that Alliant's Black MZ can put back into service...back in use out in the deer woods. The loads shared on this page bring older No. 11 percussion cap in-line rifle performance closer to the performance of today's hotter No. 209 primer models and loads. The Knight MK-85 "Grand American" shown at the top of this page has long been one of my favored muzzleloaders. Now, with a 110-grain charge of Black MZ, I can get a modern high b.c. bullet like the Scorpion PT Gold headed down range at velocities knocking on 1,900 f.p.s. - and with the retained velocity and energy needed for cleanly taking deer-sized game out to 200 yards. With the old loads, most shots at 150 yards were pushing the outter limits.
Toby Bridges, NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER HUNTING
Published 2-12-12
No. 209 primer ignition...hotter new powders...and much better designed saboted bullets changed all of that. With the newer in-line models and loads now fully capable of 2,000+ f.p.s. velocities and honest 200-yard game-taking performance, many of those old favorite No. 11 percussion cap rifle models have now spent a few seasons left sitting in the gun cabnet.
These are the rifles that Alliant's Black MZ can put back into service...back in use out in the deer woods. The loads shared on this page bring older No. 11 percussion cap in-line rifle performance closer to the performance of today's hotter No. 209 primer models and loads. The Knight MK-85 "Grand American" shown at the top of this page has long been one of my favored muzzleloaders. Now, with a 110-grain charge of Black MZ, I can get a modern high b.c. bullet like the Scorpion PT Gold headed down range at velocities knocking on 1,900 f.p.s. - and with the retained velocity and energy needed for cleanly taking deer-sized game out to 200 yards. With the old loads, most shots at 150 yards were pushing the outter limits.
Toby Bridges, NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER HUNTING
Published 2-12-12
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