It was a very nice day today so a few of us went out for therapy.

The highlight of the therapy session was shootin the new to me TC Black Mountain 50 and I am still grinnin...

This was my first muzzleloader rifle experience other than shooting Birdwatcher's flintlock at Quemado a few years ago.

Played with ball and various lead and different powder loads.

Fun...

This could be addictive

Gonna enjoy developing various loads for it.

After therapy today...

The sky was bluer, the trees greener (evergreens), and life was just a little bit better...

It becomes very addicting once you get started and things go well!

Oh, you're going to get hooked no doubt!

What's the twist on that T/C; 1-48" or 1-38"?

a fast 1 in 28 twist.

Patched round ball gets a pretty light load to keep it fairly accurate.

The big chunks of lead should fly pretty well with it.

Big chunks of lead also recoil heavily.

See if you can find some very heavy .50 slugs (400+ grains, preferably 450+). Back them with about 80 grains of FFg or FFFg and see what happens. They'll likely shoot well, if you can stand up to it.

Shot some 370 gr maxiballs over 100gr ff that wasn't bad.

Found a box of misc 50 cal stuff at a consignment store so got to try an assortment of lead goodies.

The TC is a magnum rated for up to 150gr for most loads but have read that accuracy falls off when over 100-120gr.

Over 100, you're just making more smoke and getting kicked harder.

PM me an address.

I bought a top of the line "in-line" muzzle loader, and used it a couple of years until I got bored.


5 years later I built a Lyman GPR, and used REAL black powder, and cast my own lead balls. A good friend gave me bear lard to lube my patches...

DAMN shooting a proper smoke pole is fun !!!

Here in PA flintlocks are the law for primitive season. I find keeping it simple and clean makes for the best outings. I swab with a damp patch between shots, and clean the flint/flash pan every 5 shots or so. I run some wet patches before I leave the range so the major cleanup is a lot easier at home. I also keep all my stuff very organized in a tool box with drawers. I generally have spares of everything. I find this really cuts down on frustration. You can probably get decent light loads with a patched ball. Not good for hunting, but good economical practice.

Kinda' like being a kid again isn't it?

That is an understatement.

Just walking into the woods lowers my blood pressure. Shooting a nice rifle, it gets real good then.