I was asked by a friendto help their son figure out how to shoot a black powder rifle. The young man also asked me what he needed to buy, as this is his first and only rifle. He used to watch me shoot many years ago when he was much younger, and I guess must have been impressed with black powder rifles. I told him I would be glad to help out.

We scheduled our shoot for today. My impressions of the rifle were very good. The Beartooth was light weight and actually well balanced. It locked up nice. The hammer was good. The trigger pull was not excessive by any means. Granted it did not have the fit and finish of a Knight or Thompson Center rifle, but overall for the money, it looked like it would be a very good little rifle.

He was shooting Remington Kleenbore Primers, Triple Se7en FFg, 240 grain CheapShots, 240 grain XTP's, and 245 grain Powerbelt Aero Tips. All the loads were shot with 80 grains of powder, which I felt for his first time out, was plenty for the young man.

It was warm but very windy. For that reason I suggested we shoot only at the 25 yard line to see what projectiles grouped well and get the sights somewhat on. The T/C Cheapshots did real well. They grouped very nice. The XTP's could have been better but this was at the end of the day and he was complaining about a sore shoulder. I really did not think there was all that much recoil to the rifle at all. The Powerbelts did exceptional. He shot a three shot group, all shots touching, dead center bull. Needless to say the young man was very pleased with that.

I told him to bring it over to the house on a not so windy day and we would shoot some more. Overall, I can see why the Beartooth owners like their rifles. If I had a young man around that needed a rifle, I would consider on of them for him.

Does any Beartooth owners have some other loads I could suggest this this young man that he might find acceptable in his rifle?