My 10 Year Wait for an MK-95 .54cal is Finally Over!

[ShawnT]

Today My Wait for an MK-95 .54 caliber is Finally over! artyman: 8)

I recently told a couple of you in Pm's that this has been coming for 9 years. Well I got to figuring it up today and turns out it was 10 years coming. I have had 3 of them during that time get bought out from under me by last minute snipe bids, or Buy Nows! :evil: Last Thursday I got a PM from WV Hunter letting me know he saw one on another site and remembered I was looking for one ad should check it out. I thought ya ok it's probably just another .50 cal, but just had to look. Well I almost crapped myself when I saw it was a .54 and said like new and the price was very good. It had also been listed for a month with no replies! :shock: I Pm'ed the guy on that site and was waiting to here back. Then I got another Pm from WV Hunter that the rifle was now listed on Arms List with a Cell number. I was able to reach the guy in Wisconsin while he was out working on tree stands. I asked a few of the usual questions most of us ask when buying a used ML. He said it was "Like New" but I still ask about bore rust/pitting, and he said "Oh No Not This Rifle"! I told him I wanted it and to email his address, and within an hour the MO was on the way. I have been almost bouncing of the walls since I sent the Mo last Friday. :lol:

THANKS AGAIN WV Hunter! :goodman:

Today when I got home the brown truck had dropped it off. artyman: I could not wait and instead of doing company paperwork, I completely disassembled it for a good inspection. He was right, as it looks like it has been shot VERY little and been properly cleaned when it was, mostly just had some dust on it like it had been sitting a while. There was some brown stuff here and there that made me think rust, mostly around the iron sites when I removed them, but a patch wet with kroil wiped it all off! :yeah: The Stock is an older camo pattern that I had not seen on a Knight (I'm thinking it might be TreeBark) and I think that there were not many MK-95s released with them. I have only seen them with black composites, so this is a nice change. The Bore looks like a mirror from end to end. It also has a Timney trigger just like the 2 Mk-95 50's I have do. I have cleaned it a little, since it was so clean, swapped out the silver weaver bases (don't care for silver scopes and bases on my hunting rifles) and installed a set of Blued ones, then added a Leupold 3X9X40 Vari XII. It is ready for its first range trip and I can't wait but it is supposed to blow up a wind in the 30 mph range here this weekend. :evil: I hate to chase patches, targets and rags all over the range, but not sure I will be able to stand it.

So since we all like pictures, Here is the Big Brother to my Mk-95 50's!





I LOVE THIS one!

 

[sabotloader]

ShawnT

AWESOME - it is nice to get something you have striving for...

 

[ShawnT]

ShawnT

AWESOME - it is nice to get something you have striving for...

You bet, the wait just made it sweeter.

The best thing is that these rifles fit me like a glove and this one is no different. They fit and feel better and any ML I have ever handled. 8)

 

[flounder]

That looks GREAT! and that was super of WVHunter to help you out. Nice when things work out so well.

 

[JHM]

Congratulations on a nice rifle. I have a 54 cal. MK 85 coming next week. I am interested on how your load development goes. I have two fresh bags of MMP 50X54 sabots. I am going to try some Rainier .500 335 grain bullets. Cant find any 325 grain Speers. I have not decided on Swiss black powder or T7.

 

[WV Hunter]

Glad it worked out for you buddy! She looks sweet. :yeah:

Can't wait for some range reports :mrgreen:


(and hey, if you decide you don't like that stock...I got a new black one to trade you - LOL)

 

[ShawnT]

Congratulations on a nice rifle. I have a 54 cal. MK 85 coming next week. I am interested on how your load development goes. I have two fresh bags of MMP 50X54 sabots. I am going to try some Rainier .500 335 grain bullets. Cant find any 325 grain Speers. I have not decided on Swiss black powder or T7.

JHM,

I plan to start with the same loads that work in my MK-85 .54. 100gnV Pyrodex, MMP Purple .500X54 sabot with the Speer 325 and Rainier 335. I have a few more Rainiers so most likely start with those. The only change will be the use of a CCI Large Rifle primer in place of the CCI Mag #11 cap.

 

[ShawnT]

Glad it worked out for you buddy! She looks sweet. :yeah:

Can't wait for some range reports :mrgreen:


(and hey, if you decide you don't like that stock...I got a new black one to trade you - LOL)

As long as he had it listed it just must have been meant to be mine. :lol:

Sorry dude but, the more I look at that stock the more I like it. 8)

I just looked at the serial numbers on the 3 I have now.

My First .50cal ("old Faithful" bought new in 97') is 19xx
The Parts/Rescue .50 I got in August is 18xx
This .54 is 13xx :shock: 8)

 

[Hornet22savage]

Nice find man.

 

[pjsoden]

Congrats Shawn,
She's a beauty! By the way, that camo is the original Mossy Oak Camo.
I bought 2 camo stocks from a former Knight employee for my MK-86,
one is the same as yours and the other is the original Advantage camo.
Now get out and shoot that Baby!

 

[ShawnT]

Congrats Shawn,
She's a beauty! By the way, that camo is the original Mossy Oak Camo.
I bought 2 camo stocks from a former Knight employee for my MK-86,
one is the same as yours and the other is the original Advantage camo.
Now get out and shoot that Baby!

Thanks buddy. I thought it looked a bit like TreeBark but that did not seem quite it either. It is supposed to be blowing out here tomorrow but Sunday is looking better.

 

[GregK]

I had a black / stainless that I bought new. It was serial # 499. It was a shooter but I eventually switched to break actions & didn't use it any more, so I sold it. I always used the Posi-fire ignition in mine. My favorite powder was Black Mag3 & then I switched to BH209 but, I couldn't go over 90 grains (by volume) or it would crack the primer cases. Just curious which combination you'll use or if you'll use the #11 ignition system?

 

[ShawnT]

I had a black / stainless that I bought new. It was serial # 499. It was a shooter but I eventually switched to break actions & didn't use it any more, so I sold it. I always used the Posi-fire ignition in mine. My favorite powder was Black Mag3 & then I switched to BH209 but, I couldn't go over 90 grains (by volume) or it would crack the primer cases. Just curious which combination you'll use or if you'll use the #11 ignition system?

I have 2 .50's that are black stainless. My first one I bought new in 1997 and it was my first inline. Posi-Fire all the way for me! I was shooting 100 grains in my .50s any more and it cracked the cases bad. 100gn may be pushing it a bit. I am out of Bh so it's back to Pyrodex for me, but It always shot good for me and I don't mind swabbing.

 

[JHM]

Is Posi-Fire a breach plug? Whats different about it?

 

[ShawnT]

Is Posi-Fire a breach plug? Whats different about it?

The MK-95 came with 2 ignitions systems, Posi-Fire and standard #11 (plunger and BP just like an MK-85). The Rifle is basically an MK-85 with the addition of a bolt style Disc ignition that is just prior to the release of the first DISC rifle.

Posi-Fire is a complete ignition system change from the #11 plunger style. It consists of a Bolt assembly with firing pin, Hammer and Breech plug. It uses a Speer .38spl Plastic Training case that uses a Large Rifle primer, acts just like the DISCs for more current rifles. The Training case is a Plastic case that you insert a plastic Bullet into and use a larger rifle primer as the propellant, no powder, so you can practice indoors.

Here is a Picture of the Posi-Fire ignition, you can see it influenced the release of the DISC ignition.


This pic shows the Side of the breech plug that the Speer case goes into.

 

[JHM]

I learned something new today. Very informative post. Thanks.

 

[ShawnT]

I was able to get out this morning for a little range time. It was just a little because I am also working on a 22 target rifle that is giving me fits so I had to start with that since the wind was calm. I did get the MK-95 .54 cal sighted in and shot one group. Then had to give up the range for a pistol match. I was on the 50 yard range since they had a Highpower match on the rifle range. Club was busy this weekend. Anyway I had time for 7 rounds but it is looking very good. To paraphrase Duck Commander's Phil Robinson, I am "Happy, Happy, Happy"!! :lol: 8) Load was 100gn Pyrodex rs, .500 dia 335gn Rainier with MMP Purple 50x54 sabot and CCI large Rifle mag primer. First 2 shots are the ones on bottom of target. Sorry for the blurry pic.

One thing I really liked was that the bore on this rifle is VERY smooth. I swab with one Windex wet patch (both sides) and one dry (both sides). Each round felt exactly the same. I think this one is a bit smoother than my primary MK-95 .50 is. I also noticed (due to the discussions lately on barrel makers knight used) That None of my Mk-95s have a Green Mountain Logo on them. My MK-85 .54 does have the GM logo. The crowns on all 3 Mk-95's look just like the one on the GM barrel the MK-85 .54 has. I had always assumed these had GM barrels but now I have no idea, Not that it really matters. Hopefully next Sunday I can shoot it some more then eventually move out to 100yds. I am definitely planning to hunt this rifle this season.

 

[JHM]

Very nice group for the first time out. I am looking forward to more reports.

 

[GM54-120]

Nice!!

I told you those Rainier 335gr 50cals are a good value. If they are good enough for Alexander Arms to sell in 50 Beowulf, they are good enough for me to try. MidwayUSA's pricing is hard to beat too. I think i can still get some locally for close to the same price if they run out.

 

[ShawnT]

Nice!!

I told you those Rainier 335gr 50cals are a good value. If they are good enough for Alexander Arms to sell in 50 Beowulf, they are good enough for me to try. MidwayUSA's pricing is hard to beat too. I think i can still get some locally for close to the same price if they run out.

Yes you did and I agree! They shoot almost exactly to same POI as the Speer, withing 1/2" or so! Thanks for recommending them to me. :yeah: I hope to be back out this weekend if the weather holds to shoot some more. I am really enjoying the .54cal, and that is all your Fault. :wink: :lol:

I've been debating selling the MK-85 now that I have the MK-95, but it shoots so good I am really not sure I can part with it either. :lol: 8)