Ok, an honest opinion here...

[C-Monkey]

I recently bought (or rather traded for) a 54 caliber MK-85. Question is this:

The gun is currently set up for 209 primer ignition. My other Mk-85 (50 cal) is #11 cap ignition, and I've had no problems. I have shot 209's before, and frankly don't like the crud ring created by them. I will be shooting loose 777 FF only. Should I convert the gun back to #11? I already have the necessaries to do so, and I'm thinking a lot less bother to do so as well.

But your input would be appreciated.

 

[Nimrodder]

The blowback will be alot greater with the 209 set up. I've had blowback so bad in a MK-85 with the 209's that the hammer would re-cock itself. I'd convert it back to #11 use.

 

[Franksauto]

C-monkey, I have never had a crud ring in my MK85. Mt Omega has one after every shot.
Nimrodder, same here. Mine sometimes cocks itself or ejects the plastic jacket like an auto loader. I have learned to shoot with my thumb to the side of the pull cock rather than behind so I dont shave my knuckle when the bolt comes back. I did get a heavier spring from Knight and it has helped some.

 

[cayuga]

I never change the design of a rifle unless there is no other way to make the rifle legal. I have two Wolverines. Both of them are #11 caps. A person was willing to sell me a 209 conversion. I refused. My rifles work too well with the #11 caps.

Same as my White rifles. When the people that owned them told me they could shoot all day with a #11 cap and not have to swab... I doubted them. Well you can do that if you want to. Or you can swab. So why change something that works.

 

[tpcollins]

I had the 209 conversion and went back to #11 with a newer bp that had a socket head and the nipple stays intact when removing. What I like about the #11 setup is the passageway runs the entire length of the plug, gets filled with powder, and sits right up against the bottom of the nipple for great ignition.

 

[Busta]

My MK-85 shoots 777 loose powder just as well with the #11, as it does with the 209 conversion. The only advantage the 209 has over the #11 IMO, is that you can use less powder to get equal velocities. I would contribute that to a more complete burn of the powder.

I also used the 209 conversion when I would take my MK-85 as a back-up to Colorado elk hunting. One year I went to put on a #11 cap on my White G-series Whitetail in Colorado, and the guts to the primer were not even in the cap. Good thing I looked before putting it on the nipple. This was from a new tin of CCI caps, and that is the last time I ever trusted those for hunting. Get some RWS caps and you should be in business. Just make sure to push them down tight on the nipple.

 

[Lee 9]

I tried all the different forms of ignition and had the best most consistent results with musket caps. I think that the 209's are a bit much for the powders until Blackhorn came along of course all progressive burning powders require strong ignition in a closed space.

 

[minst7877]

My 54 cal MK 85 works just fine with 777 and #11 RWS caps. And I get no crud ring. When I tried the 209 conversion I got a horrible ring that was nearly impossible to get out in the field. However I will admit that I was trying to use a couple of spit patches between loads and that definately didn't work for me.

DC

 

[Reese]

I briefly tried the FPJ and NPFJ 209 conversions in an MK-85. I used T7 and really saw no advantage using the 209's. It has worked fine and I get better groups using #11. The Rem 40% hotter caps are easier for me to find locally so I use them.

 

[C-Monkey]

All of these responses are exactly what I had suspected, but had to ask just in case there was some real advantage.

I'm switching the gun to #11 caps to sight in with, and am staying with that system. I've never had a RWS cap not go off either, and the tin I have now is older than time.

Thanks to each and every one of you for your insight and suggestions.

 

[scauper]

standard #11 caps, Musket Caps & 209 conversion kit for

I started out shooting BP out of my Knight MK85 with #11 caps, then switched to Pyro-Select. When I switched to T7, I bought a Musket Cap nipple and tried that....it was a pain putting the caps on/off, etc. then got the 209 conversion kit. I don't know what kind of B.Plug came with the kit, the front of plug (powder side) is concave. I hear ya all talking about the FPJ & NPFJ plugs.....what is the difference? I haven't had any ignition problems or blow-back that re-cocked the plunger but enough to sear the bottom of my scope. I picked up some BH 209 and plan on shooting 100 grs Vol with the Barnes 300 gr MZ expanders & the 285 gr Ultimate Slam SBT's to see how that compares with the T7. I will be wearing safety glasses and using a leather cover over the breach area in case the 209 primer blows up the red plastic primer holder that fits over bp nipple.
Has anyone had any problems shooting BH209 out of an MK85 that had the 209 primer adapter kit installed where you use the red jacket that the 209 primer is inserted then pushed over the nipple of the BP?
Again, what is the difference between FPJ & NPFJ BPs....which of these are the plug I got w/209 conversion kit?
Thanks....Scauper

 

[minst7877]

Re: standard #11 caps, Musket Caps & 209 conversion kit

I started out shooting BP out of my Knight MK85 with #11 caps, then switched to Pyro-Select. When I switched to T7, I bought a Musket Cap nipple and tried that....it was a pain putting the caps on/off, etc. then got the 209 conversion kit. I don't know what kind of B.Plug came with the kit, the front of plug (powder side) is concave. I hear ya all talking about the FPJ & NPFJ plugs.....what is the difference? I haven't had any ignition problems or blow-back that re-cocked the plunger but enough to sear the bottom of my scope. I picked up some BH 209 and plan on shooting 100 grs Vol with the Barnes 300 gr MZ expanders & the 285 gr Ultimate Slam SBT's to see how that compares with the T7. I will be wearing safety glasses and using a leather cover over the breach area in case the 209 primer blows up the red plastic primer holder that fits over bp nipple.
Has anyone had any problems shooting BH209 out of an MK85 that had the 209 primer adapter kit installed where you use the red jacket that the 209 primer is inserted then pushed over the nipple of the BP?
Again, what is the difference between FPJ & NPFJ BPs....which of these are the plug I got w/209 conversion kit?
Thanks....Scauper

You have the FPJ (Full Plastic Jacket) plug if it uses the red plastic jackets. Blackhorn creates even more pressure than 777 and is not recommended to be used in plunger type guns like the MK. If you decide to proceed with this you might want to drop down to 70 grs volume and work up very slowly. If the plunger re-cocks you have gone to far. Personally I will stick with the 777 and #11 caps on mine as that is what has given me the best groups. I have had primers come apart and destroy the red jackets in my 45cal extreme in the closed breech. Proceed with much caution.

DC