Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders I Think I'm Set to Start.

I found a TC Impact with a decent trigger, and mounted a scope on it.Scope is high enough to work the hammer comfortably, and the rig shoulders and points well.

I also ran a couple of patches through the barrel and lubed the breech plug threads.

Had loads of advice from guys I work with. 777, Pyrodex pellets, BH209.

Barnes, TC, and Precision Rifle saboted bullets were all recommended by various guys.

I picked up some of Remington's 209 inline primers. Anyone used them? They are listed on the package as a 209 shotgun style primer. Same package says not to use them in shotgun shells?

At least 2 guys have told me not to expect to much from the rifle "until the barrel settles down". Deer season is in 2 weeks and I intend to hunt.

Any advice?

Got to call BS on the" barrel settling down" mine shot great right out of the box. If I can do 2" groups at 100 yards with 73 year old eyes and FO sights, there isn't anything wrong with the barrel.

Do not use the Remington ML 209 primers for BH209

OK thanks...

I picked 777 pellets to start with as they are simple and supposed to be easy to clean.

Also chose the 200 gr TC bullet and the 250 precision rifle. Both on the recommends of different friends.

Feel free to recommend primers, powder and bullets. I have a lot of different stuff to choose from.

Try 2 pellets under each brand of bullet and see what happens. Then, try 3.

If you're using T7, run a cleaning patch (with solution) after each shot, then a couple/three dry patches. That won't be a clean barrel, but it will be cleaner. That also let's you take the time to let the barrel cool a bit.

What would be acceptable enough accuracy for you for this season?

I personally wouldnt waste the 3rd pellet.

Also, the barrel settling down is for new rough bores IMO.

Which Precision rifle bullets did you get? I had 2 different bullets from PR, and while I liked them just fine mine were very nice soft lead. I woudltn want to push them at 3 pellet velocities and hit something up close. Actually, I did that twice, but thats another story.

I had 250 grain .40 caliber Qt polymer tips and something similar without the polymer tip. Both acuracte, flat shooting for a ML, and killed perfectly fine from 50 - 150 at 80-ish grain velocities. I'm a heart-lung guy. They arent should-shooting bullets IMO.

300gr Harvester Scoprion PT Gold in the black crush rib sabot
BH 209 73.5grs weighed, 105gr by volume
CCI 209M or Fed 209A - do not use the Rem primers with BH209

Go straight to BH209 and forget the pellets. I load from 100 to 110 grains by volume in different rifles. Harvester Crush Rib sabots with 260 PT Gold shoot great and perform well on deer. Use a magnum 209 primer and keep the flash channel clear.

Realistically, I'll kill deer as far as I can keep bullets on a 6" plate with a sapling rest. I should have a feel for what I can do with this rifle in a week or so.

The PR bullets I have are the .40QTs as well. They are pure lead with a plastic tip. guessing they are quite expansive.

Haven't noticed the harvester bullets at the places I frequent.

Hodgdon claims that, for T7, cleaning can be done with water only. What solution do you recommend?

Nice little rifle. I'd use 2 pellets, and the Rem primers will be fine for those. No need for 3 pellets.
Be sure and swab between shots, T7 will produce a pronounced crud ring.
You can use water to clean, I use TC #13 bore cleaner in my rifles that don't use BH209. Works just fine. In any of my rifles w removable BP, I push a dry patch through the bore from the breech before I start cleaning. Knocks down the heavy fouling, then I clean from there.

Good luck with your new rifle

I used 777 in a sidelock, and dry-brushed the bore in front of the chamber between shots. Worked fine for a good many rounds. You can feel when the crud is clear.

Be sure to grease that breechplug well. Doesn't hurt to break it loose after a few shots and re-tighten it either to break the crust.

IMHO, the only reason to run heavy charges for deer is if accuracy is better, or if you plan longer shots. So far, my Knight has taken 5 deer, including a couple big bucks, with 80gr loads. All have been pass-thoughs, except the buck I took Saturday, that was hit head-on. Never found the bullet and fortunately, nothing messy was hit.

Hell no!

My cleaning solution for all the stuff, including BP, is 1/3 Murphy's oil soap, 1/3 hydrogen peroxide, 1/3 91% isopropyl. Works great, no stink, and also cleans the Hell out of stainless kitchen sinks.

I used to use 2 T7 pellets and moved to 3. I didn't really see any difference. 2 pellets is fine especially if you're using a lighter weight sabot.

As far as bullets go, I use 295 gr. Copper Power Belts. Hollow points and Ballistic Tips shoot about the same, so I mainly shoot HP, they're cheaper.

I can usually get 7 to 10 shots before I have to swab it out. But from a testing and accuracy standpoint, I would swab it out after every shot or two.

I use TC bore cleaner. It's water based, but I'm sure it'll clean it a lot better than plain water. Hoppes makes a bore cleaner that's not water based and works good too. Years ago when I used to shoot a musket with black powder, I used to put the barrel in the sink and pour hot soapy water down it, but there's better ways to do it no a days.

The difference between a regular 209 primer and a muzzle loader 209 primer, is that the ML version doesn't have as much "pop" to it. They say that a regular primer can push the load forward before ignition. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I've used both and didn't see any difference.

I'm gonna have to try this.

Windex works about as good as any commercial or home grown cleaner for BP, 777 or Pyrodex. BH209 instructions says to use a regular center fire rile cleaner like Hoppes,etc.

If using sabots or Powerbelts with the plastic skirt , it is advisable to clean with one of the plastic solvents on the market every once in awhile

I generally spray Windex down the barrels after cleaning and then patch dry. A little oil after that to keep things from rusting, and it's all good.

Your wife will love what it does to the stainless kitchen sink.

Take the small parts out of the rifle (breechplug, etc.) and put in a small plastic jar. Pour this solution over it and let sit. Clean the rest of the rifle and whatever else you need to for a while. Take the parts out, boiling water over them to clean off, wipe down and you're good. The crud just comes right out and off.

Works GREAT for cleaning the crap out of multi-tools, too.

For any water-based cleaning, Ballistol mixed 1-4 or 1-5 with water works well. Steel won't rust in a 1-10 Ballistol mix, so 1-4 is more better.

After wiping out with the solution, patch dry and then swab well with straight Ballistol. Any water solution you may have missed with the dry patches will mix with the straight stuff and protect your bore. This is how I kept my flintlock pristine after other methods came up short (in my hands, anyway).

The solution also makes a good patch lube at the range, helping to keep the bore clean between shots.

My head wouldn't explode if I found out that some of the commecial water-based cleaners were simply a version of the Ballistol mix. Sure look and feel similar.

At the range I use car windshield fluid with a pinch of Dawn dish washing liquid. It does not freeze. At home, Dawn and hot water with the occasional spray in foamy sabot remover. I guess that foamy stuff is good at removing plastic in the groves. I dry and use a barely damp patch of Remoil. I always use real black powder. If I am just using patch and ball, no plastic remover. I have a mini green light designed to be dropped in muzzle loader barrels. It really shows cleanliness and barrel quality.