# Favorite Round and Powder



## Bgunit68

I'm new to the muzzle loader circuit. We have an extended season in NY for muzzle loader. I figured I would get the easiest gun to use. I bought the TCA Triumph Camo Weathershield. I talked to a lot of people around here about what to shoot out of it. I like the TCA Super Glide Shock Wave 250gr with 110gr Pyrodex pellets. I've tried 100gr to 150gr pellets but like the 110 best. I've tried the Hornady lock-n-load speed sabots but found the Shock Wave to be more accurate. I am always open to new things. I have been a member for over a year now and have learned a lot from people on here. I was just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or if you just want to share what type rifle you have and what you use for ammo. Thanks


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## Chuck Smith

I have a TC omega and am shooting 333 gr. Titanium Power belts with 100 gr. of 777 pellets. (I am using that big of a bullet because that is what I have left over from my bear hunt.) Before this year I was using 295 gr power belts Hollow points. They are a deadly combo. My shots are typically with in 50 yards and I have taken only one shot over 75. So the sabot is not really needed. But I am looking maybe next year shooting the shockwaves. I have only heard good things about them.

Welcome to the sport of muzzle loading. Good luck.
CHuck


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## bmxfire37

that omega is nice.... i have a buck horn, .50 caliber i shoot the hornaday lock n load speed sabot 50.cal sabot 45/300gr. SST-ML round...it gets the job done, isint to expensive, i really enjoy it


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## Savage260

I just started muzzle loading last year. I have a CVA Hunterbolt Magnum, which I bought because it was $140 for a .50 and a .45 cal barrel. Last year I shot a doe with the 270gr platinum powerbelt in the .50 so this year I thought I would try the .45. I see that most people who shoot inline use the .50. Any .45cal shooters out there? if so what are you using??? Right now I am shooting 223gr platinum powerbelts with 100gr triple 7. My biggest problem is getting the barrels clean. I use water, and TC #13 bore cleaner, but they never seem to stop dirtying patches. Any ideas? Thanks!

Laite


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## bmxfire37

perhaps useing a 12 gauge wire brush to losen it up?


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## Aythya

I use the old mountain man standard in my 50 cal Hawken. 100 gr of black powder and a patched, round ball.


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## bmxfire37

how does that ball work? similar to a sabot...or worse? or what?


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## Savage260

BMX, I have tried the brush, I even bought a "special" .50cal brush (not sure what was special about it). I can run patch after patch with water or the #13 and then run dry a few dry that will eventually come out clean, but when I run another wet patch it will be dirty again. I am thinking about buying some barrel foam, has any one tried that?


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## bmxfire37

i recon the foam would just...foam...then leave a residue...its a pain not haveing an open breech... lol


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## Savage260

10-4, I figured that might be the reply to the foam. Any other ideas?


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## bmxfire37

i dont know... any way of takeing off the barrel? like mine comes off easy.... but its jsut impracticle to do to clean it....maybe the foam and a small 50.cal sponge?i really dont know


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## Savage260

The thing is pretty easy to get at. The breech plug comes out quickly and easily, and the barrel comes off with 1 bolt(not sure how solid that is, all my rifles have 2-3) I will keep trying. Doesn't seem to affect accuracy. Thanks for the tips!


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## bmxfire37

no but im a prick when it comes to cleaning my gun.. im sad now i got a 870 12 guage.... monday on opening day i sat out in the pouring rain for 10 hrs total ( 6 in the am and 4 in the pm ) and now its got light stains on the barrel that wont come off!


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## Savage260

I think I took care of that cleaning problem. I had to resight my .45cal this morning and the plastic rear sight couldn't hold up in the cold, it broke off some where in the snow. I took the gun and both barrels to my local store and traded it for a .50 cal Kodiak Pro Mag. Hope I won't run into the same problem with this one. Now I need to find my buck!!


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## darkgael

I'm looking forward to the late Flintlock season here in PA. The rifle is a .50 cal Lyman GPR. The load that I use for general shooting is a PRB and 85grs. FFFg.
One thing to remember with PRBs is that they are relatively light for their bore size (.50 cal = 180grs.+/-) and lose energy rapidly. I'll keep my shots at 50 yds and closer. At that range, the bullet is not terribly different than a .44 Mag pistol( the PRB load has ME=1300ft.lbs, down to 433 at 100yds.).
Though I have seen men shoot hand sized groups offhand at 100yds, I can't (Yet) so I'll keep it close.
Pete


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## honkerslayr

I shoot a CVA optima pro and shott 195 grain powerbelts with 150 grains of 777. It seems pretty deadly also because i have a bushnell red dot scope mounted onto it to. The .45 with lighter grains actually shoots pretty flat.


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## Plainsman

I like the shockwave also, but after trying all the pellets I am back to Pyrodex Select. Grain for Grain across the chronograph it gives me at least 100 fps more than any pellets. My greatest dislike of pellets is the foul the bore faster. I get five six shots with pellets and loading becomes hard. I can shoot all day with loose Pyrodex and never clean my rifle.
I will not argue that they are handy, but if you use speed loaders I can't tell the difference in speed of loading. I use the TC speed loaders that will hold 150 gr, but my load is 120 gr behind a 250 gr shockwave.

My old Hawken doesn't have a direct line of fire to the powder, so I use Pistol Pyrodex and reduce the load 10%. I have the factory barrel, and a Green Mountain barrel for the Hawken. In the Green Mountain barrel I have taken a few deer with 70 gr of Pistol Pyrodex behind a round ball. If memory serves me the velocity was around 1650 fps.


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## wirehairman

darkgael said:


> I'm looking forward to the late Flintlock season here in PA. The rifle is a .50 cal Lyman GPR. The load that I use for general shooting is a PRB and 85grs. FFFg.
> One thing to remember with PRBs is that they are relatively light for their bore size (.50 cal = 180grs.+/-) and lose energy rapidly. I'll keep my shots at 50 yds and closer. At that range, the bullet is not terribly different than a .44 Mag pistol( the PRB load has ME=1300ft.lbs, down to 433 at 100yds.).
> Though I have seen men shoot hand sized groups offhand at 100yds, I can't (Yet) so I'll keep it close.
> Pete


I shoot a .50 cal Lyman GPR sidelock and run 80 grains of Swiss FFFg and PRB for hunting. I shot four deer this year, ranging from 35 to 93 yards, and had a complete pass through on all of them. I don't think you'll have any trouble with penetration on a shot out to 75 yards, or even 100 if you're confident in your shooting.


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## muzzy

.54 caliber patched round ball over 100 grains of loose powder. I've probably shot over a dozen deer with this and can't ever remember recovering a ball. They flatten out like a pancake and really knock a hole through something. I take short shots though. Nothing cheaper to shoot than cast lead balls and they have been killing animals since guns were invented.


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## Bgunit68

How've you been Plainsman? Now that softball season and Rifle is over I'll have a little more time to come on here. I look forward to the Politics forum. You running yet? Look like my man Fred isn't doing so well in the polls...yet?


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## Plainsman

I'm doing ok. I thought I would have a lot of time after I retired, but the honey do list is long. That and I am more involved with the church. When it gets nice I will perhaps put more time into the canned hunt measure in North Dakota than I will fishing.

I like Fred, but he is't a ball of fire. Currently for me it is a near toss up between Huckabee and Romney. I would guess the political form will light up in the next couple of months.


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## boondocks

laite319 said:


> I just started muzzle loading last year. I have a CVA Hunterbolt Magnum, which I bought because it was $140 for a .50 and a .45 cal barrel. Last year I shot a doe with the 270gr platinum powerbelt in the .50 so this year I thought I would try the .45. I see that most people who shoot inline use the .50. Any .45cal shooters out there? if so what are you using??? Right now I am shooting 223gr platinum powerbelts with 100gr triple 7. My biggest problem is getting the barrels clean. I use water, and TC #13 bore cleaner, but they never seem to stop dirtying patches. Any ideas? Thanks!
> 
> Laite


One thing thats very important with muzzleloaders is to clean them right after you are done using them. The powder is very corrosive. I won't even leave it a few days without cleaning. If the powder residue is left in the barrel for an extended period it eat pits into the barrel. When that happens the residue will build in these pits making it very hard to get a clean patch. When it gets bad enough it will effect your accuracy.


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## barebackjack

70 grains of Goex FFFG black powder (the real deal) sitting behind a .530 ball and pillow ticking patch greased with moose snot.


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## Danimal

Depends on which ML I am shooting....

.54 cal Lyman GPR it's 80 grains of Goex FFg behind a .535 roundball and bore buttered pillow ticking patch. OR 80 grains of Goex FFg behind a 425 grain Great Plains bullet. OR 80 grains of Goex FFg behind a XTP sabot. I know it sounds wierd, but they all shoot about the same for me (and my eyes). I haven't taken a deer with it yet, maybe in the next two weeks... (if I get a hall pass)

With my .50 Apex......(bad weather gun or use it during firearms season)
I've taken 4 deer with it, 3 with 200 grain shockwaves (#1 with 80 grains of 777 pellets, #2 & #3 with 100 grains 777 pellets.) The fourth deer was shot with 250 grain lock-n-load over 100 grains of 777 pellets. The lock-n-load is harder to load, accuracy is about the same as the shockwaves, but the devestation was much better. The blood trail (in snow) was 2 feet wide!! It looked like something out of a horror movie. She ran 25 yards and slide about 5 yards.


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## jdpete75

.45 TC Omega. I load 105gr 3F Triple7 and top it off with a 195gr BP Dead center and sabot.

BTW I have 2 maybe 3 boxes of .45 50gr pellets free if anybody wants them. They are about a year old but the price is right


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## NDTerminator

I shoot a T/C Triumph camo/weather shield.

My primary load is a 300 grain 44 caliber Hornady XTP, 50/44 Harvester Crush Rib Sabot, 100 grains loose ffg Triple 7 powder, and a Winchester Triple 7 Primer. Haven't gotten around to chronographing this load yet but it's nasty accurate...

I personally feel that loose powder loads are more accurate and foul less than pellets. Loose powder is also more economical than pellets. There's no question pellets are handier, particularly for hunting, which IMO is their only advantage...

I love Triple 7. It doesn't stink, fouls less than BP or Pyrodex, and cleans up with tap water dampened patches, or even better/faster with Windex dampened patches.

Chris, get yourself an airtight container, put in some clean dry patches, cover them with Windex or generic window cleaner (97 cents a bottle at Walmart in DL), and let them get good and soaked. When they are, pour off the Windex and squeeze the patches against the bottom/sides of the container to get rid of the excess. You want the patches to be damp but not dripping. Now seal your container and you have a supply of patches to clean up Triple 7 fouling...

Run Windex patches until they come out clean, a couple dry patches, then a patch with a small amount of Breakfree or Cleanzoil to finish up & protect the bore.. About a 5 minute job on my Triumph, even less if I'm running a patch every two shots at the bench. BTW, remember to run a dry patch just before you load up next to remove any excess Breakfree from the barrel.

Windex dampened patches clean up Triple 7 fouling so fast and easy it's unreal. You might want to mix up some boiling water, rotten eggs, and charcoal dust to spill on yourself so that you know you are cleaning a ML!


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## Savage260

I have never heard anyone using windex. I will give it a shot, although my Kodiak pro with the stainless barrel has not given me any problems so far. Thanks for the tip Sgt!


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## weston

i shoot a 50 cal flint lock in PA the load i use and it is a nice little load is the 250gr TC. shock wave sabot with pyrodex Rs loose powder it will kill a deer no problem with grate expansion :sniper:


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