Muzzleloader Load

[Archerysniper]

Here's a spot for us to compare different loads,powders and bullets.

For me I have been shooting 3 50 grain triple seven pellets a hornaday 250 grain sts sabot and winchester 209 primers out of a T/C omega inline.

I have never put a scope on it and use it thru the whole gun season be it rifle or slug zone it don't matter to me. It is my favorite gun in the safe and feels like a extension of my body when I shoulder it. Nothing better then the smell of pyrodex and trying to see thru the cloud to keep a eye on the deer after the shot. I have been shooting this rifle and load for 8 years and taken 18 deer with it.

I have tried different loads and powders and keep coming back to this load. I also have tried the loose powder and shot a little tighter groups with less powder however it is not enough improvement to offset the ease of the pellets.

I spent a summer after noon at the range a few years back to work out the perfect zero for both long and short range. All the shooting was done open sights and off my caldwell lead sled.

I pull the breech plug and swab the barrel with a water patch then a dry patch and finish with a bore butter patch grease the breech plug and reload for another shot. With doing it this way I have been able to shoot 2" groups at 150 yards.

As far as my perfect zero with all the shooting and tinkering,I have found for me it's 3 inches high at 50 yards this has put me a touch high at 100 yards and a touch low at 150 yards. Which is about perfect for my hunting situations. One day I might be up in Squaw Lake hunting a thick ceder swamp and only able to shoot 30 yards and the next I will be in the back yard hunting over a `100 acre corn field.

Also I have a few tips that I have learned and have helped greatly over the years. I have only had 1 time it did not go off that was at the range and I forgot to run a dry patch after the wet one and never had a delayed shot. Yes it's a in-line and not a cap and ball with exposed nipple which really helps and too some not a true blkpowder.

#1 load your gun and mark your ram rod so you can tell the load and bullet are seated all the way.

#2 Don't actually ram or tap the load once it's seated,if you do you can miss form the bullet or with powder pellets crush them causing accuracy problems.

#3 If your hunting in the cold don't bring your gun into a warm building it will cause moisture to condensate which can make your powder fail to ignite.

#4 Use lots of breech plug grease,if yours ever gets stuck you will know why I wrote that

#5 On my Omega the rear block comes down to remove the breech plug and install your primer. I rub a light coat of breech plug grease where the block and barrel come together,this will keep moisture from getting into your primer and powder.

#6 Always make sure your flash hole is open on your nipple if it get's plugged it can cause a delayed ignition or failure too fire.

#7 Put a piece of tape over the end of the muzzle to cover it and keep debris out.

#8 Get some speed loaders and extra primer holders,this will speed up reloading time.

#9 If you don't have tape over the end of your barrel and use a sling point it down while carrying it or hanging it it in the stand,this will keep debris,snow and rain from going down the barrel.

#10 If you have shot it clean it as soon as possible black powder is corrosive and will damage the inside of your barrel.

[fr0sty]

I use 2 50 grain 777 pellets with a 250 gr TC shockwave sabot in my omega z5. I have never experimented with anything else.

The front fiber sight on my ml fully covers the targets I use at 100 yards. Aiming that way, my shots are nicely grouped and about 2" high.

[TruthWalleyes]

I'm using 2 pellets of Triple 7, 209 primers, and 300grain platinum powerbelt bullets.

Shooting a CVA Wolf, i found that using 3 pellets of powder wasn't burning completely so i switched back to 2 pellets.

Looking at a muzzleloader with a longer barrel this year for improved accuracy and better burn rates so i can use more powder for better balistics.

BTW, Good Thread!!

[flipper]

Muzzleloading is a passion for me. Every gun has its own favorite load and the only way to find it is to shoot.

I shoot only loose powder and I shoot real black powder probably 70 percent of the time. For me it is the most consistent. It is kind of dirty but I feel your gun needs to be cleaned after shooting anyway so that doesn't bother me a lot. Some guns get very acceptable accuracy using the pellets but I shoot a lot and the pellets are a lot more expensive to shoot than the loose.

Soft lead conicals or roundballs are my main projectiles depending on the gun I am shooting. Again they are much cheaper to shoot, (especially if you cast your own), and the accuracy is exceptional. They will do the job on any large game you are hunting.

Some of the saboted bullets will shoot great as well. Speer Deep Curls in 250 or 300 grain and .452 are fantastic and economical too. You will have to buy your sabots separately.

The main suggestion I would have to anyone getting started is to practice a bunch before season. The more you shoot your weapon the better it will perform for you.

[mskyfshntchr]

T/C Omega with 2-50 gr. pyrodex pellets and T/C Cheap Shot Sabots.

"#8 Get some speed loaders and extra primer holders,this will speed up reloading time."

On my Omega it has the rubber butt pad. The butt pad has some triangle shaped cut outs for compression when shooting. Those triangles make great primer holders. They fit nice and tight and are easy to get to in a hurry.

[Sturg]

I have 3 inline muzzleloaders. Got my first one in the mid 90's. I started with loose powder and eventually tried the pellets. The pellets are convenient. Last year I switched back to Blackhorn loose powder. Cleanig the barrel is much easier. I found the loose powder allows you to fine tune the loads. I'm pleased with 90 grains of powder and the 250 grain Hornady SST sabots.

It was mentioned in the #6 tips above to clean the flash hole in the breech plug. For the TC's, a 1/8 drill bit turned by hand does a marvelous job of cleaning it. I was surprised by the carbon build up and how hard it is but the drill bit takes it right out.

[harvey lee]

I shoot the exact same load as ARCHERYSNIPER.

[NAMASafetyDirector]

T/C Encore with 3 pyrodex pellets and 250gr. TC Shockwave sabot. Never had to track one and never had one walk away! This is one bad to the bone combo for Thompson Centers!!!

[zepman]

Question for you muzzleloader guys...How far of a shot would you be comfortable taking without a scope on the gun?

Taking mine this year along with my shotgun...may hunt some more edges than normally and possibly anticipate a shot longer than 50 yards.

So...how far is too far?

Thanks

[Archerysniper]

Zep that's a great question,the awnser is as far as you have practiced and feel confident with. I know I might get bashed but 2 years ago I took a doe at 183 yards and last season I took one a touch over 200. With that said I practice a lot a know what me and my gun can do,it also helps to have young eyes.

[zepman]

Thanks...based on that response, and loading 3 pellets of Triple 7 and a 250 grain TC Shock-Wave...I'll feel confident out to about 150 yards....no further.

[TruthWalleyes]

Question for you muzzleloader guys...How far of a shot would you be comfortable taking without a scope on the gun?

Taking mine this year along with my shotgun...may hunt some more edges than normally and possibly anticipate a shot longer than 50 yards.

So...how far is too far?

Thanks

I've got a peep sight with a custom made front sight to simulate what you might see for sights on an assult rifle. The front sight is a small post, narrow, and square on top. Aim Small, Miss Small. I'll shoot that one out to 200yds if the situation is right. Problem is, the last 10 minutes of shotting hours is generally too dark for the peep.

With the normal sights you see on muzzle loaders, the bright green thingies...i won't shott past 50yds with that junk! You need to practice to be sure your accurate at those long distances.

[Froggy4371]

I shoot a Pursut LT with 2 pellets of 777 and a 240 grain Hornady XTP .44 cal pistol bullet out of my 50 cal muzzy. I have played around with a 300 yard shot at home but not in the field. My longest shot that I have taken was 186 yards and dropped it NOW! I know my Muzzy and shoot it well. I can put 2 inch groups together at 205 yards. Mind u I have custom sights.

Took me about 50-75 combos to find one I liked and A LOT of Cleaning patches!

Have fun and good luck.

Froggy

[Neighbor_guy]

My Omega likes this the best; 130gr of 777 pellets and a 250gr FTX in a Harvester easy slide.

I am getting 2" freehand groups at 75yard, and POA=POI from 25 to 75 yards. At 25 yards I am putting all of my shots in the same hole.

I tried the .44cal XTP with various loads, but couldn't find one that shot consistant.

[DRH1175]

My omega loves 300 grain speer .45 cal handgun, TC superglide sabot with 90gr Black Horn loose powder and Win 209 shotgun primer.

[featherslayer 1]

I use 3 pyrodex 50gr with a 180 gr sabot, i have 2 cva optima magnum. this is a fabulous load, and it is very fast. It has little to no drop from 50yrds out to 200. If you have a chance give it a try and you will be shooting that load from now on. HAPPY HUNTING AND GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

[fishattacker]

Just bought a Tradition Vortek. Shoot 100 grains of American Pioneer Powder and 250 grain T/C Shockwave with superglide sabot. Also used bore butter. Shoots nice groups at a 100 yards.

Killed a deer on Thursday morning with it. Bullet went through cut one lung in half and other had massive damage.

[FISHINGURU]

I got my Omega shooting well with 3-50 grain Triple Seven and the 270 grain PowerBelt Platinum Series bullet.

Was thinking about trying the 250 grain Hornady's, anyone have experience with the 250 grain Low Drag Sabot? I've heard it's the cats meow.

[Archerysniper]

Was thinking about trying the 250 grain Hornady's, anyone have experience with the 250 grain Low Drag Sabot? I've heard it's the cats meow.

Thats what I run through mine the sts low drag 250 grain and man do the purrr

[jay83196]

I shoot same load and gun as you archsniper, glad you like it I did well sighting it in never shot a,deer yet with it heard the bullets do great on deer, you agree? Do you use the sabot with the stick going through the hole on the powder pellets or without ( not sure what hornady calls them) does it matter?

[harvey lee]

Zep that's a great question,the awnser is as far as you have practiced and feel confident with. I know I might get bashed but 2 years ago I took a doe at 183 yards and last season I took one a touch over 200. With that said I practice a lot a know what me and my gun can do,it also helps to have young eyes.

You hit the nail on the head there. With all of my rifles or ML, I try to shoot each one alot to know exacty what each gun or myself is capable of.

I hate wounding or for that matter missing a der due to lack of practice.

To be honest it really bothers me when I am talking to someone and ask them what there scope is zeroed for and they say they think about dead on at 100 yards. Either you know or you really should go out to the range and check.

[Archerysniper]

I shoot same load and gun as you archsniper, glad you like it I did well sighting it in never shot a,deer yet with it heard the bullets do great on deer, you agree? Do you use the sabot with the stick going through the hole on the powder pellets or without ( not sure what hornady calls them) does it matter?

I shoot the ones without the sticks and as far as putting deer down they do a great job most deer I have hit either drop on the spot or I watch them fall,the farthest I have had one go was 400 yards and don't know how he made it that far he had a fist sized hole for a exit wound and took out one lung.