Mark whiz
Member
OK, I did get to do a little experimenting with the Black Mag 3 today with my 22" Knight USAK rifle.
1st off, I can say it is VERY clean burning. I shot as many as 6 shots before running a spit patch down the bore and the patch was barely discolored at all by the fouling.
Also no sticky breech plug or crud ring to contend with during loading or clean up.
AS far as shooting it goes, I didn't get to run it thru all my bullet choices, like I had wanted to - but I got enough data to establish some general comments. All the testing I did was with the 300gr XTP Mag sabots, using #11 CCI Mag percussion caps.
Generally,in my rifle, BM3 is noticeably less powerful than the 2fg 777 I've been using. This confirms the info I got earlier this week in my cap & ball revolver (which showed that 30gr of BM3 was 14% weaker than 3fg 777).
For Example, my normal load is 80gr of 2fg 777 with that bullet for best accuracy and last month that load chronyed at an average velocity of 1501fps. I started off using 80gr of BM3 and it only clocked in at 1403fps, with wide velocity deviations and 3.75" groups at 80yds. Upping the charge to 85gr yielded 1447fps and a group of 2.65" (the deviations between rounds were cut in half. Upping the charge to 90gr yielded 1474fps with a corresponding drop in velocity deviations and a group of 2.69".
I then tried my "control" load of 80gr 777 and that resulted in a 1.62" group at near 1500fps.
Then I ran out of range time.
Based on what I saw, I think 95gr of BM3 will yield velocity results close to my 80gr 777 load (I'm not so sure accuracy will improve to the 777 standard though).
BTW, that puts BM3 on a par (powerwise) with Pyro RS - since my standard 300gr bullet load with RS is 95gr.
So far, I can't say I see the need in paying $25 for another pound of BM3 at this point. I'll get around 10 less shots per pound with it for $5 more cost and at best accuracy might equal 777. I'm not sure a little cleaner burn is worth that for me...............MAYBE if the price came down and the stuff was more readily available - MAYBE.
1st off, I can say it is VERY clean burning. I shot as many as 6 shots before running a spit patch down the bore and the patch was barely discolored at all by the fouling.
Also no sticky breech plug or crud ring to contend with during loading or clean up.AS far as shooting it goes, I didn't get to run it thru all my bullet choices, like I had wanted to - but I got enough data to establish some general comments. All the testing I did was with the 300gr XTP Mag sabots, using #11 CCI Mag percussion caps.
Generally,in my rifle, BM3 is noticeably less powerful than the 2fg 777 I've been using. This confirms the info I got earlier this week in my cap & ball revolver (which showed that 30gr of BM3 was 14% weaker than 3fg 777).
For Example, my normal load is 80gr of 2fg 777 with that bullet for best accuracy and last month that load chronyed at an average velocity of 1501fps. I started off using 80gr of BM3 and it only clocked in at 1403fps, with wide velocity deviations and 3.75" groups at 80yds. Upping the charge to 85gr yielded 1447fps and a group of 2.65" (the deviations between rounds were cut in half. Upping the charge to 90gr yielded 1474fps with a corresponding drop in velocity deviations and a group of 2.69".
I then tried my "control" load of 80gr 777 and that resulted in a 1.62" group at near 1500fps.
Then I ran out of range time.
Based on what I saw, I think 95gr of BM3 will yield velocity results close to my 80gr 777 load (I'm not so sure accuracy will improve to the 777 standard though).
BTW, that puts BM3 on a par (powerwise) with Pyro RS - since my standard 300gr bullet load with RS is 95gr.
So far, I can't say I see the need in paying $25 for another pound of BM3 at this point. I'll get around 10 less shots per pound with it for $5 more cost and at best accuracy might equal 777. I'm not sure a little cleaner burn is worth that for me...............MAYBE if the price came down and the stuff was more readily available - MAYBE.
