What to shoot in MK85

[Dick W.]

I have a MK-85 that I bought new when they came out. I have upgraded it to shoot 209 primers. I am looking for the best combination of powder and bullets to get some pretty decent accuracy. I am not having much luck. I have shot Shockley gold powder both 90 and 100 grains with power belt bullets in 215 and 235 and cannot get a decent group. It is real bad and I am about to throw it to the moon.

 

[Anonymous]

You can throw it in the mail to me! LOL

First off I would float the barrel to make sure it is not touching the stock
except at the lug.
Then I would get rid of the Shocky powder and get some Pyrodex rs or 777 2fg if you whant to shoot the powerbelts start out with 70gr or 75gr of powder by volume not to go over 80gr by Volume.
If you don't mind shooting a Saboted bullet try a .44cal .430 240gr or 300gr in a XtP with a harvester Green Crush Ribbed Sabot With 85gr to 90gr of Powder not to go over 100gr By Volume.

Or like I said at the top !!!!

 

[2fas2c]

I agree with lungbuster. 100 gr. 777 and a 250 gr. SW gives me sub-1" groups at 100 yards all day long. Just make sure to keep the barrel clean. At the range, get in the habit of swabbing between shots. You won't regret it.

 

[Critter]

My LK-93 likes 90 grs of FFg 777 and a 250 Shockwave in the Superglide sabot.

 

[fliowa]

My mk 85 loves 100 grains of 777 loose (ffg) and a 250 grain shockwave. I sighted it in to be dead on at 150 yds. Its about 3 to 3.5 inches high at 100.

 

[PA RIDGE RUNNER]

I don't own the 85 but do have a Bighorn which if memory serves me is very similar. I did not convert mine to the 209. I still use musket caps to ignite. I only use loose powder. I found 80 gr of 2f gooex and a saboted bullet from 230 to 300 gr mostly XTPs shoot great. Change the powder load and the accuracy suffers. Since I am an advocate of short range shooting and keep my shots at 100 yds and under I am very pleased with my setup. I have killed at least 4 deer with either the 240 or 300 gr xtp and am very pleased with performance.

 

[n8dawg6]

this is a 3-shot group i got at 50 yds w/ my mk-85 loaded w/ 80 g. t7 ffg, 250 g. xtp, black mmp sabot.

 

[Dick W.]

MK -85

First of all I want to thank everybody for their replys. I bought some 777 powder last night and I am getting some bullets today. I am also looking into my stock bedding. I always take the stock off of this gun to clean it. I don't know if that is a mistake and will effect the accuracy or not. Maybe somebody can let me know about this.

 

[fliowa]

dick w What year was your mk 85 made. The first ones produced had a 1 in 48 inches rate of rifling twist and then in 1987 they went to 1 in 32 twist. A couple years later they went to the 1 in 28 inch twist.

 

[n8dawg6]

mine is a very tight fit in the stock, i have not had any problem w/ shifting impact. i do have to take the barrel completely off the stock to clean it, though, unlike my disc elite, which can be easily cleaned w/out ever removing the barrel assembly.

 

[Dick W.]

I bought one when they first came out in 85. I used it for several Canadian Muzzleloader only moose hunts. It was a big jump from a Renegade.

 

[fliowa]

I bought one when they first came out in 85. I used it for several Canadian Muzzleloader only moose hunts. It was a big jump from a Renegade.

You have the 1:48 twist which was best suited to handle the bore sized conical bullets. Knight switched to the 1:28 twist which is preferred to handle the newer sabots. You may want to try some powerbelt bullets and see what kind of groups you get from them. Some people love them some don't. I have used them on game with success.

 

[Dick W.]

I have used some of the power belts and not had any luck, years ago I tried XTP bullets with sabots and they didn't do real well either. I could only get it to pattern well with Mazi Hunters. I am real dumb to this but is that what is considered conical bullets?

 

[fliowa]

Conicals are basically lead bullets that don't use a sabot /plastic sleeve. Thompson Center (maxi ball) , Buffalo Bullet Company, and Parker are suppliers of conical bullets. Power Belts are more of a modern conical but use a " gas seal" behind the bullet. I am not sure what a" Mazi Hunter" is but if it was a lead bullet with no plastic sleeve then it was a conical. If you want to shoot the newer bullets that use sabots you would be better off getting another gun with the 1:28 twist barrel.

 

[Dick W.]

I have to agree with you. I have tried a lot of sabots and power belts with all different loads and nothing but conicals will give me a decent group. I probably could have just about bought a new gun with all of the money I have spent on shooting this gun. I may just put it in the cabinet for a loaner or spare and buy a new one.

Thanks for the help, it reinforced what I figured was wrong.

 

[Franksauto]

I have a MK-85 that I bought new when they came out. I have upgraded it to shoot 209 primers. I am looking for the best combination of powder and bullets to get some pretty decent accuracy. I am not having much luck. I have shot Shockley gold powder both 90 and 100 grains with power belt bullets in 215 and 235 and cannot get a decent group. It is real bad and I am about to throw it to the moon.

I have a MK-85 I bought years ago. I too converted mine to the 209 ignition. I shoot 100gr (2 50gr) pyrodex pellets and a 295gr Powerbelt. That is the best load for my gun. I tried several different loads but that one shoots the nuts. There are 6 bullets in that one hole at 75 yards.
Good luck
Frank