Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

I have recieved a Knight T-Boltin atrade.I swapped one of my old bows for a it.

Is this gun any good?

Is there a 209 conversion?

Good load to start with?

I got some pyro pellets in the trade also. I may try loose powder also.
Anyone have experience with this gun? I'm still shooting my old .45 TC Hawken, so I'm new to inlines.

I dont like the fact thatthe T-Boltuses musket caps cause I cant find them around here, but I got a few hundred in the trade, so I have enought to last me a while.

The barrel looks pretty grungy...would you use a brush and bore solvent?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Yes use a brush and a good cleaner. Also remove the breech plug and clean the threads of the plug and inside the threaded part of the barrel. If the guy didnt clean it, you more than likely didnt get a good trade. Hopefully the barrel and threads arnt pitted to bad. I personally would take the entire rifle apart and inspect each part closely and clean everything and put it all back together. Also remember to lube the breech plug threads.

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

If it ends up beingruined It'll be allright. I was really giving the guy a bow and he felt like he had to return the favor.

I'll clean it tonight and see what it looks like.

He was still shooting it last season but got an Omega for this year. Maybe he knew he was getting the Omega this year and just got sorry anddidnt clean the old T-Bolt after last season.

Thanks,

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

There is a 209 conversion from Knight. You would probably need to call them. My step-Bro has it in his two T-Bolts.

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Cool on the 209 as I havent been able to find one online. If after I clean it, if it shoots worth a hoot, I'll get one after I run out of these musket caps. Thanks,

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Holley,

It sounds like you have a nice rifle. Time will tell if it is a shooter.


It is a Knight Rifle with a Green Mountain Barrel. I would guess it is a very good rifle.

From what I have read, one is offered through Knight. Like Underclocked said.

80 grains of powder and a 240 or 300 grain XTP. You could also try some 250 grain Shockwaves, or Knight Red Hots.

I would take and clean the rifle top to bottom. I think you can down load a manual from the Knight Web sight that will tell you how. And if the barrel is ruff looking, by all means take a brass bore brush and some solvent and scrib that barrel out real good. If you have some J-B Bore Paste I would actually use that and really scrub the bore. After that if you're not going to shoot it, put a good coat of oil in the bore to protect it.

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Thanks for all the great info guys. I picked up some JB bore paste last night along with a few other supplies. I have the gun taken down right now, and I'll be cleaning it this eveing. My fingers are crossed.

I dont think I mentioned one very important detail. The barrel is stainless. I know stainless can be ruined too, but hopefully it wasnt left cruddy for too long.

And I have one more question. I couldnt find the cleaning manual on the Knight site...howshould Iclean the trigger group?

I'll be shooting on Sunday

Thanks again!

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

If the trigger on the T-bolt is anything like the Disc or the Wolverine, it is held in place with one smallbolt. After you pull the main T-bolt/striker from the breech, remove the stock. Take the bolt out that holds the timney trigger in place. What I do is go to the kitchen sink and get some hot water running. Put a few drops of some dish soap all over it and then hit it with the sink spray attachment driving the soap all through it and then rinsing it clean in the hot water. After that I take some brake cleaner, or carburetor cleaner (NAPA brand). Attach the straw to the cleaner that comes with it. Then OUTSIDE, start to shoot that cleaner into all the parts of the trigger you can reach and see (watch so that stuff does not get into your eyes). This will drive any gunk, dust, and most of all dry out any water that is in there.

After that I go to the air compressor and with a pressure attachment, blow forced air in and through the trigger assembly. This again is to insure that the trigger is clean and now very dry. After that a few drops of gun oil into the back side works (a little goes a long way). Wipe the outside off with the oil patch and put it back.

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Stainless barrels can be very forgiving, but once they stain, they can be a devil to take back to a nice shine. J-B Bore Paste is what I use on a stainless barrel. I have also used Brasso cleaner, but like the bore paste better.

One other thing I forgot to mention.. with the trigger you do not need to do this every time you shoot. Normally a simple wipe of the fowling along the top of the trigger area will be all that is needed. I clean my triggers about every third or fourth trip to the range. But do make sure you do the maintance or one day you will discover that the bolt is locked up and the rifle will not cock the hammer.

Also when you are done cleaning the rifle, and putting all the parts back together, the breech plug goes in first, then the trigger is put back on the barrel before you slip the bolt assembly back into the rifle. Other wise it does not seem to catch and work properly...

Keep us posted how well the rifle shoots... Good luck.

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Well I just finished cleaning the T-Bolt from top to bottom. The barrel looks perfect. I cant believe it came out this nice. shiny and smooth without a hint of corrosion. It must not have sat for too long.

I love this trigger...very crisp, no creep, or drag, not heavy at all.

I had a Bushnell Elite 3200 3 x 9 x 40 waiting to go on another gun, but I stuck it on the T-Bolt instead.

250 grain XTP
250 grain Shock Waves
250 grain Barnes Spit-Fire TMZ Expanders
295 grain Powerbelt Aerotips

Loose Pyrodex RS FFG
Pyrodex pellets

Gonna test it out tomorrow morning (uh thus morning..time to go to bed). I hopeit shoots and I canfind a decent load. A couple of friends are gonna come over to my range and sight in their muzzleloaders also. I just got finished with a new heavy lh/rh bench and were looking forward to trying it out.

Thanks for the help guys,

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Good to hear it cleaned up well. The knights I've had with Green Mountain barrels have leaned toward liking heavier charges. Definately play around and see what this one's personality favors though. Good luck and let us know how she shoots.

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Thanks for the info. The guy who had it shot 150 g pyro pellets and 240 grain XTPs, but not cause they were the most accurate. That what he bought when he got the gun and he never tried anything else. Never even tried working on the load. I'll start at 80 and work my way up. If the gun likeshot charges I dont mind. I shoot a .300 WinMag and a single barrel 10 gauge...I dont mind recoil.

We were going this morning, but got delayed...theyre coming over around one.

Range report when I get back.

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Had fun today...the T-Bolt is definately showing promise.

Best groupso farwith shockwave 250sand100 grains Pyrodex select. 1 1/2" average 1 3/4" At 110 grains charge, the nexttwo groups opened to an average of 2 1/2"

The 250 grain Barnes Spitfire Expanders were still getting tighter @ 120 grains charge. Solid2" groups. Had to quit for a stinking party my wife hoodwinked me into [:@] Cant wait to up this one and see if it gets any tighter.

The XTPs shoto.k. @ 80 grains, but Ionly had a few and ran outand couldntcontinue testing. Two groups averaging 2 3/4"

I didnt get to shoot the PowerBelts yet.

Will continue testing next saturday unless I get time one evening this week.

Thanks again for the help,

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Sounds like you got a darn good deal after all. Do you mainly want to hunt with sabots? I really like the way the 385 grain great plains conicals shoot out of my rifle. They dont cost much, $8 for 20 of them. Thats just another bullet i'd try out.

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

Hadnt even considered it. I only shoot maxiballs out of my TC Hawken. The next time I'm doing a bullet run I'll check them out. I'll need to do one before I go to the range again. Thanks,

Holley

RE: Expert Advice? T-Bolt
 

My opinion on bullets is in the following ORDER and WHY:

Best Barnes Spit-Fire TMZ expander, they mushroom well and have 100% weight retention, they are great IF they shoot well in your gun. Cost is a buck each.

Next best 250g SW, for close shots (<75-100 yards) shoot for the shoulder blade, since they tend to NOT expand on close shots.

Next best XTP, tend to loose their weight on close shots < 50 yards. Ususally kils the deer on close shots since the lead usually penetrates into the chest cavity with the jacket busting up. Good all around inexpensive bullet. A better choice is the Speer Gold Dot, it is bonded to the lead and won't seperate.

295g PB, if you shoot them over 1400 feet per second, they fragment and you get a wounded deer. No should hits or they fragment. Perfect bow shots are fine with this bullet. Great shooting, great loading. If you want the "negative on PB", without a war read this:

http://www.the-gleasons.com/powerbelt_page.htm

Just pretend your shooting a "long range" bowand wait for a bow shot with PB bullet and you will be fine. Unless you have great vision, limit your shots to <100 yards even with a scope, since you could hit the shoulder blade, and you will wound the animal you will NOT kill it, since there is not enough of the PB to get into the chest cavity into the Lungs. Of couse this is from the school of hard knocks and this my opinion only, other hunters love them, other hunters do well with them.
Chap Gleason