LHR Redemption Muzzleloader, Part III
With spring finally starting to roll in, we headed back to the field to do a little more LHR Redemption testing. This time, we dropped the charge weight of Blackhorn 209 slightly to 80 grains of actual weight, not volume. We went through the spectrum of Parker Ballistic Extremes, the 250, 275, and 300 grain versions all using the same short black MMP sabot. Rather than suggest that your results “may vary,” it is more proper to just say that your results will vary somewhat, for you'll be shooting a different individual rifle.
We didn't like the way the 250s grouped at all, the 275 grain Ballistic Extremes did better, as before. There is no doubt that the 300 grain Ballistic Extremes are the pick of the litter in this particular rifle, grouping consistently at 1-1/8 inch CTC at 100 yards with no shots that I'd consider flyers. Recoil from the Redemption is what I consider quite manageable, as after 40 shots or so I'm none the worse for wear, not feeling like I've been shooting. We had one misfire, not an LHR Redemption issue but from a well-dented W209 primer that did not function. This isn't the first time we've experienced Winchester primer issues, so it is back to Federal 209A primers for good. The following video shows a condensed version of the Redemption shooting session.
Cleaning the LHR Redemption takes little more than one minute. The forearm
sling stud is removed and that takes the Redemption into its two main
assemblies, the barrel and the receiver / buttstock. The finger removable
retaining collar for the primer adapter really is finger removable with
no tools. Knock out the primer adapter, run two patches of Hoppe's through
the barrel and you are essentially done. It is the easiest to clean muzzleloader
on the market today, something you'll appreciate more and more as time
goes on: I already do.
It was clear from this session that, with 80 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209, this LHR Redemption was at its best with the 300 grain Parker Ballistic Extremes (approximate 100 - 120 yard ballistics as shown above), followed by the 275 B.E. The 250 grain B.E. was a very distant third, not satisfactory compared to the other two. Charge weight can change things in a hurry, but this is what I'm looking for in a full-power hunting load. The Parker 300 produced a generous wound profile in this buck taken at 157 yards, below, and already has record-book moose to its credit taken past 225 yards, so it seems like an extremely effective "hunt most everything in North America" type of projectile.
Associated links:
http://www.lhrsportingarms.com/
http://www.parkerproductionsinc.com/
LHR Redemption Inline Muzzleloader, Part One
LHR Redemption Inline Muzzleloader, Part Two
Copyright 2013 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
