Muzzle loader questions

Hi Everyone

I have a Thompson Center 50Cal Bone collector, Ive used a few seasons now and have taken deer with it and pretty happy other than I don't feel comfortable shooting over 75 yards. I have a bushnell scope 3 x9 not very expensive.

I have trouble sighting it in at 100 yards currently us use 2 pellets of triple 7 and remmington primers. It just doesn't seem to be consistent when sighting in. Does anyone have any tips. I have also tried using Black horn loos powder also in 100 g mixes.

Also its seems I have to really run the wire brush back and forth in the barrel after when I do a good clean. Can I scrub the inside of the barrel to mush with the wire brush before I run the patches through.

I sometimes think maybe a need a better scope.

sometimes you have to find the right combo of sabot and projectile and powder the remington 700ml older one i struggled with it as u have been until a board member (smokeeater) suggested using 300g pills sized .458 with a harvester black sabbot and blackhorn 209 know it shoots 1inch at 100yrds I see your in guelph so Im I give me shout and we can talk not that Im pro by any means

You sacrifice accuracy for convenience when you use pellets. From what I discovered and a lot of others who have spent time on the range trying various bullet/load combinations, most MLs like loads with about 80-85 grs of loose powder. Using 100+ gr seems to cause the grouping to open up. Not a big deal for sub 100yds...but starts to become a problem 100+ .

I'm relatively new to muzzleloaders, so i don't have much advice to give, but here's a thread I started a while back. Later in the thread you will see that I have been having similar problems:
https://www.oodmag.com/community/sho...oader-shooters

Several members gave some good advice.

I ended up changing my scope and changing back to WhiteHots. The accuracy issue seems to be resolved, but I've come across another problem with light primer strikes that I am trying to solve. I hope the info in the link above helps.

My experience has been that the biggest variable in getting good consistent groups is the bullet. My groups can very from 5 inches to 1 1/2 inches depending on the bullet (sabot) I try. I have settled on Barnes Expanders. I get good groups and have shot a few deer with them and they do the job. For powder I use 777....either loose powder or pellets. You need to try various bullets and find out what you gun likes.

Thanks Everyone , much appreciated

The more hotter the load relative to the bullet weight the more your groups will open up. Flat trajectory and accuracy is a trade off relative to the combination, you have to find what works in your combo. As said above 80 grains seems to be the balance point on a 50.

Hi Everyone thanks again for all the response , I have another question
I have a build up in the barrel , I keep cleaning it but is like a small amount of stuff can still be seen down the barrel. almost corriosion like. I clean it regularly. Can I just keep cleaning with the wire brush ? doesn't seem to really want to come off

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Originally Posted by zanman

Hi Everyone thanks again for all the response , I have another question
I have a build up in the barrel , I keep cleaning it but is like a small amount of stuff can still be seen down the barrel. almost corriosion like. I clean it regularly. Can I just keep cleaning with the wire brush ? doesn't seem to really want to come off

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What did you use to clean the gun? All of the BP and their substitutes are very corrosive, if you do not neutralize the salts then you will not stop the corrosion.

What groups have you been getting at 50 and 75 yards?

Many guys out there do not like their groups because they are 2" at 100 yards or 3" at 200 yards, if you are 6" at 75 yards then you are looking at 75 yards as a maximum range for deer, that gives you some play in all directions to kill a deer when shooting for the lungs, you do not need MOA to kill a deer.

Like Fox asked; what are you cleaning the barrel with ?

If it's a crud ring that should have come off with the regular cleaning with a wire brush.

If it's corrosion, then you'll have to move to a product like Hoppe's 9 or Sweets 7.62 to see it you can get rid of it. May take some scrubbing.

Thanks Guys
I've been using the patches then I usually put the Bore butter in the barrel , I will pick up some Hoppe's 9 or Sweets 7.62
I feel likes its corrosion.

It just can't get the a good group always seem to get a flyer like 12" every 3rd shot

What is the cleanest powder ? I think I will go back to blackhorn 209 and start at 80g with 250G hornady and see what happens

Are you cleaning between shots? Your gun will be clean when you shoot that first shot at a deer, this is the theory of swabbing between shots.

Take a shot, swab the bore, take a shot, swab the bore, etc, see if your groups tighten up.

I have a TC Omega with bushnell XLT 3-9 scope. I have found 2 Hodgson Triple 7 magnum pellets (120 grain equivalent) with a 250 grain TC shockwave to be the best of what i have tested. I would recommend getting the TC solvent and foaming bore cleaner. I keep my TC spotless before use. With a clean barrel, I would fire off 5 caps, then shoot 3 bullets with no swabbing. Tight groups, I felt this was most representative to field use. I have shot deer up to 150m with a rest. Up until this year I was very happy with the shockwaves. The 3 year old buck i shot this year, there was no pass through. The bullet was wadded up inside the skin on far side. No blood trail at all. Though the buck died 30m from where shot.