trying to make muzzleloader shooting experience more enjoyable/hard to seat bullets

[nastynate]

Excuse my ignorance... I have a muzzleloader but have put very little time into thinking about muzzleloading.

I have a TC impact ML, I shoot Barnes 50cal TMZ 250 grain sabots, use 2 50/50 triple 7 pellets, and 209 primers. I bought these at the time I bought the muzzleloader and I never tried anything else. Sighted it in and went hunting. The gun has worked just fine on 3 deer, all shot inside of 70 yards. The gun is just a pain to use.

My main problem is the bullets are insanely hard to seat. Lots of elbow grease, etc to get it down the tube. I just thought that was something you had to deal with, but went with a friend recently and his are way easier to seat. Maybe I should change things up? Problem #2 is probably just inherent with muzzleloading, but gotta clean a lot after every shot. Wondering if anyone has suggestions for what bullets to use to make seating the bullet easier (or am I doing something else wrong)? Do I just go start buying other brands and guess and check? Any suggestions or experiences with this? Side note: I'd prefer to stick w/ copper bullets.
Would switching up powder help with the clean up? I've read about and experienced the triple 7 crud ring...

 

[Addicting]

Your bore is probably shot from pitting if it’s clean and that hard.

If you want to try a different copper get the sizing pack from Thor and see if the .498 fits better.

 

[nastynate]

Your bore is probably shot from putting if it’s clean and that hard.

If you want to try a different copper get the sizing pack from Thor and see if the .498 fits better.

It was pretty damn hard to load the very first time right out of the box. I just thought that is what ML shooters had to deal with. I don't think it's got harder to load, but I don't think (/hope its not) pitting. I'll check out that Thor sizing pack.

 

[Addicting]

Hornady has the bore rider FTX. It’s not copper but an excellent bullet and by far the easiest I’ve ever loaded. Killed 2 elk with it so far and no comparison to my previous 20 years of muzzleloader hunting.

 

[Cattleman]

I know these don't have the best reputation but i use the white hots powder and 270 grain platinum aerotips from Powerbelt in my CVA ACURA V2 LR. Can shoot it 3 or 4 times before it starts to lose accuracy and needs to be cleaned. So easy to load my 10-year-old niece can do it.

 

[Perlodid]

Have you tried the barnes T-EZ bullets in your impact? I have found them to be easier to load in tight bores (which a lot of TC muzzleloaders have) as they advertise compared to the TMZ. I also used to use a TC impact and the T-EZ's were great in that. Still not effortless to load, but noticeably easier than some other sabot combos. Cleaning every shot or at absolute minimum every other shot was required for me as well.

 

[SaskHunter]

I'd switch to Barnes T-EZs and BH209 for powder. Voila, problem solved.

 

[nastynate]

Thanks all! I'll check out the Barnes T-EZs. So... as a muzzleloading novice, the fact they market easy to load bullets confirms this is a problem for many. Are bore diameters or bullet diameters not as precise in ML as they would be in a typical rifle? Is there a tradeoff somewhere (e.g are the easier to load bullets any less accurate)?

 

[Sheltowee]

Thanks all! I'll check out the Barnes T-EZs. So... as a muzzleloading novice, the fact they market easy to load bullets confirms this is a problem for many. Are bore diameters or bullet diameters not as precise in ML as they would be in a typical rifle? Is there a tradeoff somewhere (e.g are the easier to load bullets any less accurate)?

There is no SAAMI-spec standard for muzzleloader bores-- they can commonly run anywhere between .500-.504. Try the Thors, as was mentioned above. You should be able to load the proper-fitting Thor with very moderate pressure.

Triple 7 also has a reputation for burning a bit dirty and leaving a crud ring. I've had very good results with Blackhorn 209 out of my muzzleloaders-- easily 5-7 shots without cleaning, could likely push it north of 12-15 if I needed.

 

[Bambistew]

As mentioned try different bullets or sabots. Harvester makes some diffierent sized sabot cups. They shouldn't be that hard to seat, you will also run a chance of F'n up your barrel (aka bulging it) if they are too hard to seat.

I shoot full size conical (No Excuses) and have no issues with tightness even after a couple shots.

With 777, I run a spit patch or a windex patch if I shoot more than 2 times. I can get two off before the third is too tight to stuff.

BH209 helps with the "crud ring" you'll get near the breach with 777. I however can't justify spending 5x as much on powder to have less "fouling" after one shot. I just saw some at Cabela's yesterday. $80 for 10oz. 777 and pyrodex and 777 was $30 for a pound. Also give pyrodex a try, it burns much cleaner than 777, but not as hot. I'm not sure why its not recommended more, I've had good luck with it. Same with pellets (if they are legal where you are) they are hit or miss on accuracy, but burn quite hot.

 

[targetpanic]

Mt TC Omega was a PITA to load. I used to put a thin coat of bore butter on the sabot before loading it. THis helped some, but the 2nd shot would barely load and the 3rd shot was damn near impossible without a tree nearby to smash the ramrod off of. I have heard the Harvester Crush Rib Sabots can help w this.
I picked up a CVA Optima from a friend and set it up to shoot 90gr BH209 and Hornady MonoFlex ML or Barnes T-EZ which are both easy to load and are both very accurate. I tried some Harvester Crush Ribs and the CVA did not like them at all. I will be setting the Omega back up to shoot the BH209 and will try the Harvester sabots out of it at that time.

 

[NAHMINT]

I shoot the same 260gr. lead projectile I reload for my .45LC. in a sabot and load them in my .50 caliber SAFARI and LYMAN trade guns
HAWKEN caplocks......easy to load and as accurate as I can shoot....
I shoot 3F Goex ("Cause I have it). I do run my copper bore brush down the barrels every couple/3 shots.......if you are having ANY kind of issues loading RB...mike your bore to know exactly what you have.....FORCING a projectile down the bore means SOMETHING ain't right !!!

 

[David58]

FORCING a projectile down the bore means SOMETHING ain't right !!!

THIS

 

[Redman]

Thor bullets and Blackhorn 209 go together like peas and carrots...or Bourbon and Bourbon....

 

[NAHMINT]

THIS

Had a fellow actually break his wooden ramrod at a BP shoot at a local club...he was trying to seat a rb. using his ''hawk'' and hit it twice at an angle....split the rod... Asked what he was doing and he replied, it HAS to seat, cause I read what size patch to use...pillow tickling....iirc .018-020 . he was trying to seat a .498 rb.....
we removed the cap, put the rod in a vice ,removed it,pulled the ball,yep .498......cleaned the bore, gave him a handfull of .490 rb's some patching material and he was a happy camper!!!!

 

[NAHMINT]

Like most things in life, its a learning experience ,unless one was lucky enough to be brought up by folks who took time to teach the younger ones how to do things.....
I was brought up in the country ,on an island.....no running water,had an artisian well/pump, no electricity.....but lots of time with grandad.....ate perch,walleye, grouse,snowshoe hare.... did not know how good life really was !!! my GRANDAD saw to it that I learned the ''right way''.

 

[BillDoe708]

What state are you in?

 

[NAHMINT]

What state are you in?

I was born and raised in Quebec,eastern canada but spent lots of time in Vermont and Pennsylvania.Moved to British Columbia over 40 years ago.....lived for awhile in Pocatello Idaho.
now everyone knows where I am lol.

 

[BillDoe708]

If you were close by I was going to offer to go shooting and let you try some of my supplies. I'm in. Michigan

 

[ludville1]

I have a T/C Omega stainless/laminate that I bought new many years ago. It is still in excellent condition. In the past, I have used 777 both in pellets and loose powder, along with a few different bullet types. What I am using now is what has worked out the best for me. That being Blackhorn 209 powder (100 grains by volume), CCI magnum 209 primers, and Hornady SST 250 grain low drag sabots. This combination has proven to be fairly easy to load, very accurate, and easy to clean using the Blackhorn 209 cleaning solvent. The downside is the Blackhorn 209 powder is incredibly expensive right now.