I tested a new .357 Magnum load I cooked up, 158 gn LRN, 9 gn Blue Dot, Federal Magnum SPP. The book listed 1,049 fps, but I'm sure the magnum primer and the good roll crimp helped increase the pressure. OMG! Sharp, hard recoil and very smokey, but a very accurate load. Shooting about four inches high, adjusted sights and it was now shooting dead on. It kicked so hard it wore a blister in the web between my thumb and first finger...ouch! A very accurate load though, so I'm not too upset. Now to get some more dry fire practice in since Jeffersonian keeps showing me up in the accuracy department! *hiss* lol
Jeffersonian let me shoot his Hawken repro for three shots. For not being used to the rear sight, I think I did okay. That's my grouping in the lower left. The target was at 25 yards.
Not bad for having never shot a black powder rifle before, and being unfamiliar with the sights.
I'm now considering getting a black powder revolver, perhaps a Remington repro, but I really like the looks of the Colt repro models... Hmmm...
One thing that made me laugh was when Jeffersonian and I were joking about the "muzzle loader loophole." The point was brought up that "muskets" are all that some anti-gunners think the second amendment covers. The mental image of gang bangers frantically measuring out black powder, and ramming patched round ball's down their rifles with ram rods, while creeping past their target with rap music thumping... Okay, you had to be there...but it was pretty humorous.
After the range is was back to the house and cleaning...damn but that Blue Dot left a layer of soot on my gun! ;-)
