After a long hiatus from shooting my muzzleloader I went to the range yesterday to try out some new sabot/bullet/load combinations and on the second shot of the day I screwed up big time. I had shot my first load and ran a couple of patches and was in the process of reloading when the fellow at the next bench interrupted me to ask a question. Let say that this range was packed to the max for the first time since I've been going there (over 10 years) and I thought about just turning around and leaving when I pulled up but I really wanted to shoot a few rounds. I had poured my powder down the muzzle and started the bullet with my starter and just used the long end when the fellow interrupted me. He had a question and I explained what I could about what ever it was, then I sat down at the bench, primed the rifle, took aim, and WOW what a punch. That rifle kicked like heck. I was shooting 95gr Triple7 ffg, 300gr .45 XTP, and a Crush Rib Sabot. It caught me by surprise and I just sat back and tried to think of what had just happened. I counted my premeasured loads to make sure I had not double loaded and I hadn't so since there was so much commotion I just packed up and headed back to the house. It was only then that I realized what I had done. I had not seated the bullet all of the way down over the powder. As far as I can tell my rifle is not hurt, its a CVA Kodiak 209 Magnum, but I'm considering sending it back to CVA and having it checked out. It just goes to show what can happen when you lose your concentration.