I am shooting a 245gr Power Belt with 100 grs ofPyrodex RS ffg loosepowder at this time. It shoots about 2 inch groups at 100 yds with this load right now. I am not impressed. The bad thing about it is that my new Nikon Omega scope is useless with this load.

Well it sounds like the Triple Se7en is your problem. Have you considered a different powder? Even Pyrodex with three pellets might not produce the hard crud ring and allow you a second and even third shot without swabbing the barrel. Of course a lot of people do not rush the second shot and they swab, even out in the field.

If clean burning is what you're after then you might want to look at some Pinnacle E-Z load sticks, American Pioneer Sticks, or Black Mag 3 powder. These will be clean burning and should give you some excellent performance. Black Mag 3 is rumored to be more powerful then 777. I shot a couple pounds of it off and really liked the stuff. Just the cost bothered me.

I can sure understand your frustration when you have that kind of investment and it does not perform the way you feel it should. Also have you contacted Thompson Center with this problem? They might have some information that will help you. One last question is, are you positive you are cleaning the bore clean of all oils before loading? If you mentioned this fact I missed it in your post and apologize....

You wanted to shoot three pellet-only loads - but don't want to spend the time to swab with large patches and a bore brush after every shot.

Well.... now you need to make a decision on either switching to Pyrodex pellets to alleviate the 777 crud ring or magnum loads of loose powder to match the energy & velocity you were getting with pellets-- or sell the "gimmick" scope & mount it with a normal scope-- or sell the entire Pro Hunter/Omega scope outfiit you just purchased.

It's your call!

Yes, I am totally positive that I have everything out of the barrel after cleaning the last thing down my barrel is a perfectly clean dry patch and I in inspect the barrel with a light. My gun shop has also done this because he also thought there would be some fowling in the barrel. There isn't. I have not tried the Black Mag 3 yet, but I have tried both ffg Shockey Gold and the Shockey sticks anddid not like the inconsistencies with my groups. Every bullet that I have had down the barrel has been tight at the breech besides the Power Belt and they arenot grouping at all for me with 150 grs of charge, which does not justify my purchase of the Nikon Omega scope. I plan on calling T/C after hunting season just to spend another $50 in shipping back and forth. Hopefully, they can tell me something over the phone. I read on another site about the hole on the one guysbreech pug of his Pro Hunter clogging up. May be that could be inducing a crud ring with all of the powders that I have been using. I use a pick to clean out my plug but I have never used the drill bit that he recommended to clean it out. I have just been soaking it in the new 777breech plug cleaning dish and then picking it until I had no trouble seeing light through it. I don't know may be I am just grasping at straws trying to find something here. Until then I guess the 100 grains of Pyrodex RS loose and 245 grain Power Belt will have to do.

I should have read your first post better. I over looked that you were shooting 150 grains. And thats a lot of powder for the 245 powerbelt. 2" at 100 yards is about right. I used to shoot 150 grains pyrodex rs withthe same bullet and thats the group i used to get with open sights. You could try the 295grain powerbelts, those may tighten the groups a little. Or maybe even the 338 grain powerbelt. I really wouldnt complain about 2" groups tho, thats good enough for hunting. I'd just be happy with the powerbelts thatallow you a quick second and third shot.

hoytman57,

Sounds you've been watching too much Sunday night TC Extreme (is that what it is called?) They sure make it look easy, don't they? Have you ever noticed that they only shoot once? Have you ever seen them reload and need to shoot again? I'd bet they'd have a horrendous crud ring to deal with if they had to. Shoot, I'd bet that techs sight in specially constructed (not typical off the shelf pro-hunter) rifles for the "old man". Heck, I'd bet the "team" carries 2 maybe three spare rifles all precisely loaded with weighed charges.

Ever notice how the average bass at a lake is 2 1/2 lbs (looking like they've been eating lead shot)? But when you get there they weigh just like they looked like they weighed on tv? A measely 15 0z?

Seriously, muzzleloading, IMO, is a very satisfying way of hunting, althoughit isnot without its challenges. I hope you don't get discouraged. I suspect that you have a fine rifle there. One thing I would consider, were it mine, is this.

I would work with SST's or Shockwaves. I would use a charge which gives consistent results (precise 100 yard groups)with them(Lots of guys here will help). Then Ifind where the zero's are for the BDCreticle in my scope. Then I'd knowthe useful range of my Rifle, load, scope combo. So maybe it will be a 200 yard rifle instead of a 250 yard rifle. I'd planmy hunting around that limitation and begin to enjoy the great rifle I just purchased. But that is just me.

3 pellet loads could still be used, but one is going to have to accept the difficulties they present.