New muzzleloader... Need help!!!

[bowhnt]

http://ultimatefirearms.com/

check these out. i have one & numerous friends of mine do also. we have harvested animals from 100 to over 400 yrds. no problems with the gun being accurate with the loads they recommend. this is my 3rd type of muzzleloader & the only one i havnt tried to throw off a cliff after fighting its accuracy performance! lol 

but im no expert either. just went thru a big learning curve & found enjoyment in shooting a muzzleloader again after buying one. i have other friends who borrowed this gun & found it unbelievable! good luck!

[Coues Archer]

15 hours ago, rkv09 said:

My current setup is the UML action and stock fitted to fit the 26” Brux barrel with Arrowhead breech plug and a Timey trigger. I went with the Arrowhead breech plug because from what I read, and researched online is that the factory plug isn’t made to use BH209. That’s why BH209 doesn’t list specs to use in the UML nor does Remington for BH209. With using the UML .308 case as an ignition source it can cause headspacing issues from the factory and in fact my original breech plug was damaged from the factory and would even allow the bolt to close with the case. I had to get a replacement before I was even able to fire the rifle. I had the Arrowhead breech plug installed to eliminate all the headache with the UML breechplug and since I was doing that, I also swapped out the barrel. I have always had better accuracy with custom barrels over factory if the factory ones aren’t preforming.  My UML might have been a Friday rifle, I have read good things about them and that is why I purchased it but I couldn’t get it to shoot 1 moa at 100 yards much less at the advertised 300 yards. My 250 dollar traditions muzzleloader was more accurate.  You can convert the beech plug without replacing the barrel but after spending too much time and money trying to find a load, I figured a custom barrel was the ticket.

Not trying to scare you away from the UML, there are plenty of people who have had good experiences with them just mine wasn’t. I have used my tradition muzzleloader on game out to 220 yards and targets to 300. If that’s all the range, you are looking for then I don’t know if you need to spend the money on an UML. I used my UML on a coues deer hunt and was able to harvest a buck at 120 yards. Now if you want a muzzleloader that is basically a single shot rifle out to 500 or so yards then look at an UML or Arrowhead modification. I am also by no means any kind of expert on muzzleloaders, I just have several and like to see how accurate I can get them.  

rkv09 awesome thanks for your two cents!! I’m definitely gonna go with the U.M.L. almost everything I have heard from them is great. I want something I can reliably hit out to 300. I know the stock rifle didn’t workout with you but hopefully I won’t get a factory dud lol. I greatly appreciate the help man. Thank you.

[metau]

Cannot go wrong with the RUML. If you plan on shooting BH209, then you need to get Levi's breech plug. I have no issues with the accuracy of my factory barrel, and that is with shooting 300gr SST's. Picked up some Fury Star Tip 2's and will be working up a load for those. If you do replace the barrel, look at going to a 375 caliber smokepole. Levi can line you out on all you need to know in that regards as well. 

[rossislider]

39 minutes ago, metau said:

Cannot go wrong with the RUML. If you plan on shooting BH209, then you need to get Levi's breech plug. I have no issues with the accuracy of my factory barrel, and that is with shooting 300gr SST's. Picked up some Fury Star Tip 2's and will be working up a load for those. If you do replace the barrel, look at going to a 375 caliber smokepole. Levi can line you out on all you need to know in that regards as well. 

Is the Levi you mentioned with Arrowhead rifles as well or are you referring to someone else? 

[metau]

Yes, he is the owner of Arrowhead Rifles. Used to be Arrowhead Sporting Goods. He makes a solid product and is a pleasure to work with. Was able to drive out to him and he got everything switched out, head spaced, and back on my way within about 20 minutes. 

[Coues Archer]

23 hours ago, metau said:

Cannot go wrong with the RUML. If you plan on shooting BH209, then you need to get Levi's breech plug. I have no issues with the accuracy of my factory barrel, and that is with shooting 300gr SST's. Picked up some Fury Star Tip 2's and will be working up a load for those. If you do replace the barrel, look at going to a 375 caliber smokepole. Levi can line you out on all you need to know in that regards as well. 

Hey metau,

How Much blackhorn 209 powder can the stock RUML handle? Do I absolutely need an arrowhead breech plug to shoot BH209??

[metau]

15 minutes ago, Coues Archer said:

Hey metau,

How Much blackhorn 209 powder can the stock RUML handle? Do I absolutely need an arrowhead breech plug to shoot BH209??

BH209 is not an approved powder for the 700 UML, because of the gas cutting issue. When I was looking into getting mine, I found a few reports of cutting happening inside of 50 shots, with accuracy going to shoot immediately afterwards.  I do not have the conversion in front of me, but i believe 120gr by weight of BH209 is equal to a 200gr by volume charge of black powder, which is the max load for the 700 UML.

[rossislider]

1 hour ago, metau said:

Yes, he is the owner of Arrowhead Rifles. Used to be Arrowhead Sporting Goods. He makes a solid product and is a pleasure to work with. Was able to drive out to him and he got everything switched out, head spaced, and back on my way within about 20 minutes. 

Any idea what he charges to take care of swapping out the plug?

[Dan]

Got a new CVA Optima V2 50 cal.with the Nitride barrel shoots 1"-1.5" with 100 grs by volume blackhorn 209 barnes 290 gr TMZ sabot. With that moa I'm good out to 200 yrds. Don't need sub MOA with a muzzleloader for hunting. If your shooting 2" moa at a 100yrds you POI at 300 yrds is 6" which is in the kill zone of any big game.  At 250 yrds 95% of muzzleloaders have already run out of enough  velocity to open the bullet and energy needed for a clean kill .   The new CVA Muzzleloaders are really nice muzzleloaders. Easy to clean and maintain and shoot as good as any other muzzleloader that cost twice as much or more. If you really want a longrange muzzleloader  (300 yrds +)  be ready to spend a lot of money!!

[metau]

22 hours ago, rossislider said:

Any idea what he charges to take care of swapping out the plug?

https://www.arrowheadrifles.com/

[metau]

10 hours ago, Dan said:

Got a new CVA Optima V2 50 cal.with the Nitride barrel shoots 1"-1.5" with 100 grs by volume blackhorn 209 barnes 290 gr TMZ sabot. With that moa I'm good out to 200 yrds. Don't need sub MOA with a muzzleloader for hunting. If your shooting 2" moa at a 100yrds you POI at 300 yrds is 6" which is in the kill zone of any big game.  At 250 yrds 95% of muzzleloaders have already run out of enough  velocity to open the bullet and energy needed for a clean kill .   The new CVA Muzzleloaders are really nice muzzleloaders. Easy to clean and maintain and shoot as good as any other muzzleloader that cost twice as much or more. If you really want a longrange muzzleloader  (300 yrds +)  be ready to spend a lot of money!!

I was torn between the V2 LR and the UML. And yes, the cost to do a LR smokepole gets expensive very quickly. You will easily spend 4x or more to go the route of the 700 UML vs the CVA.

[DustCanyon]

You were really lucky, or should I say quite talented. I always check my hunting optics before heading out. I know how important it is and I am happy I made it a habit of mine.

[yotebuster]

Just got these pics from my smith for my new build.  I drew a LE muley tag in UT this year and figured I needed to up my muzzleloader game.  It’s a sabotless rifle built by bad to the bone.  Excited to get it here.  

[Titanium700]

I shoot a standard R700 ML that had a breech plug swap from arrowhead too. 

I shoot 110 grains BH209 and a 250 grain Barnes MZ with CCI 209 primers

Have a Leupold 3.5x10 with CDS on it and am good to 325 yds consistently at a 10”x10” steel gong. 

 

[Coues Archer]

So I received my Remington 700 U.M.L. and I fed 200 grains of 777 with a 250gr accutip and out of the box I achieved a sub MOA 3 shot group at 100 yards. I also went 3 for 3 at the 330 yard gong. Long story short... stock Remington 700 U.M.L. although pricey is worth every penny in my opinion. An absolute tack driver!!!! Thanks for all the input guys. Maybe down the road I might convert to blackhorn 209 but if I’m achieving this accuracy there’s literally no reason to change as of right now.