Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Remington 700 ML smokeless conversion

If one were to buy a shot out Remington 700 varmint and had the barrel rebored to .45 or .50 and had a arrowhead sporting goods primer conversion done would it not make a really decent muzzleloader?

Illinois
Muzzleloader Regulations
Legal Description:
“Single or double-barreled muzzleloading rifles of at least .45 caliber shooting a single projectile through a barrel of at least sixteen inches in length. A muzzleloading firearm is defined as a firearm that is incapable of being loaded from the breech end. Only black powder or a “black powder substitute” such as Pyrodex may be used. Modern smokeless powders are an approved black powder substitute only in muzzleloading firearms that are specifically designed for their use. Percussion caps (shotgun primers are legal), wheel-lock, matchlock or flint type ignition only may be used, except the Connecticut Valley Arms electronic ignition shall be legal to use.”

Very interesting

I believe Illinois opens up smokeless powder use under:

TITLE 17: CONSERVATION
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
SUBCHAPTER b: FISH AND WILDLIFE
PART 660 WHITE-TAILED DEER HUNTING BY USE OF MUZZLELOADING RIFLES
SECTION 660.30 STATEWIDE MUZZLELOADING RIFLE REQUIREMENTS


Section 660.30 Statewide Muzzleloading Rifle Requirements

a) The only legal hunting device is a single or double barreled muzzleloading rifle of at least .45 caliber shooting a single projectile through a barrel of at least 16 inches in length.

b) The standards and specifications for muzzleloading rifles and ammunition are as follows:

1) A muzzleloading rifle is defined as a rifle that is incapable of being loaded from the breech end.

2) The minimum size of the muzzleloading rifle projectile shall be .44 caliber. A wad or sleeve is not considered a projectile or a part of the projectile. Non-expanding, military-style full metal jacket bullets cannot be used to harvest white-tailed deer; only soft point or expanding bullets (including copper/copper alloy rounds designed for hunting) are legal ammunition.

3) Only black powder or a "black powder substitute" such as Pyrodex may be used. Modern smokeless powders (nitrocellulose-based) are an approved blackpowder substitute only in muzzleloading rifles that are specifically designed for their use.

Just a FYI. Safe amounts of powders like H4198 will get a 275gr bullet out of a 45/70 conversion at well over 2300fps. You can easily break 2500fps with sabot loads. These are simple low peak pressure loads. 58gr of N120 for example is well over 2600fps with a 200gr bullet in a sabot. I dont think that load even makes 33kpsi. Small amounts of N110 are faster than max loads of BH209 and rock solid dependable in nearly any temperature.
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Thanks! Im thinking about trying out some 40cal Pittman bullets in sabots in my 45cal R700 SML... Would you recommend N110 over H4198?

If you are not careful with N110 it will blow sabots. It may require more tinkering but if you are happy with lower speed loads its great. Ive seen 1 or 2 guys shooting loads as high as 37gr but most cant get over around 33gr before sabots start failing. Use a wad under the sabot. 4198, Reloder7 and N120 are all good powders for the 45cal and sabots. The load i want to try is around 55gr or possibly less of N120 and the Fury 250gr 40cal. The Fury 250 is shorter than the Pittman 225gr but it has a lower BC. Its also less than half the price and bonded.

N120 was claimed to be somewhat temp sensitive with a 200gr. Fps difference as temps drop was more than 4198. My guess is the heavier bullet will improve the milder N120 loads and even 4198. You will get a better burn with the heavier bullet and give up very little speed.

Thanks! I'll probably run some (and maybe some Furys) with 4198 first and see how it goes.

Beautiful and that's what I'm talking about. A more apt question I mean to ask is what does it like to shoot?