HuntingNet.com Forums - TC Triumph and Blackhorn 209

I have a friend who got a TC Triumph camo/weathershield and it came with the Powderhorn 3-10X40mm Ballistic Scope and mounts For his Birthday a few weeks ago. Being a fellow hunting partner and knowing Im a Muzzle Nut he called me to help him sight in the new ML and I said sure. He's not new to ML Hunting just new to everything about taking care of it. In the past I just lened him one of my ML's for hunting and loaded it for him and after he shot (if he did) I'd take the ML home and clean it for the next day. So he's new to the maintenance part of Ml Shooting. We all told him to get his own ML and when his Birthday was comming we advised his wife to get him a ML and she did, being a TC fan we had her get the TC Triumph. When I arrived at his house, with my New ACCURA to hopefully shot for the first time I was supprised to see he had also purchased some (Black Horn 209) for the ML. He said he read in Cabela's about it and it looked like something he'd like as to it said it was eaiser to clean, so he got it. Anyway off to the target we went. When I got there I realized I had NO Powder Measurer, so back home I went. I returned and we proceded to sigh in the New ML. I loaded it with 90gr's of Blackhorn, also when he purchsed the BH he got some Barnes 300gr. Barnes Expanders.Oh befor I shot it I ran a few patches of MX BC through it and then dry patched it just to make sure the barrel was good and clean. Of course the first shot was'nt even on the target at 40yds. I checked the barrel and ran a (windex-patch) through it (thank's Sabotloader for the tip) and there was hardly any fouling, it just looked like some (soot) Afetr a few more shots I was on target. The bullets were actually eaiser to load after the first few shots, and fouling was at a very minimum at most, I was surprised. No I never sighted in the scope for the ballistic lines, just used the center cross-hairs for now. He shot it a few times and the snow was comming down pretty good and it was cold as heck so we went back to the house to clean it as he's never cleaned one. Also I never got to shoot my ACCURA, too cold, but I did get to show it off to him and show him what it had that the TC did'nt. Back at the house we dissasembeled the ML and the (finger removelable BC) was a pain in the but, I personally did'nt like it. Also the BP had what looked like a rubber o-ring on it for some sort of a seal, I wonder how long that will last. The barrel cleaned up real easy, not a-lof of fouling at all in it, again the fouling looked like black soot to me, and it was minimal, I liked that. I used a brush and soapy water to clean, then followed by some TC Bore Cleaner Patches just to be sure it was good and clean, then dry patched it and applied some MX BC for him, I also told him to get some MX. All in all I really was impressed with the BH 209, but not Im pressed with the TC Triumph, sure it shot good groups, but to me it looked cheap, it was too light for me and Im not sure Im sold on the Weather-Shield that coats the Barrel, Im wondering how long it will stay on the barrel. Plus the breech-plug was a pain in the but to get re-started in the barrel, it took me several tries to get it to go back in right, even my friend treid because I did'nt want to mess up the threads so I let him do it and he even had a tough time. We did get it to go in and removed it and out it back in a few more times just to see if this would help as being new, but it was still a hassel for us. Im not sold on the design and neither was he. What he did'nt like was the (extender) at the bottom of the trigger guard, it really hangs down awful low off it. He noticed it when he was carrying it back to the house, he likes to carry the ML under his arm and it kept catching on his jacket when he went to take the ML out from under his arm. He said if he went to shoulder the gun if he needed to in a hurry taht this may cause a problem. He said he wished his wife got him a Oncore insted, but mabey he'll get used to it as he pretty much has to now. And I did rub it in a little about My ACCURA and how it came with the Bargara Barrel and I also got a sling with mine and mine was $200 less. He did say he liked the ACCURA and it looked like a Oncore. Another thing I forgot to mention is to open the ML to get to the breech on the Triumph,you have to push down on the lever, open it, then when you close it you have to push it back upand then lock itin and close it. insted of just opening it and then closeing it. Im not thrashing the TC Triumph, it did shoot good, it's just that it does have it's drawbacks and a few designs that Im not sure were all that great. The best part of the day was trying the BH 209, I might just have to get me some of that! In the near future I'll have a report on the Powder-Horn Ballistic Scope and how it worked for him asIm sure he'll be calling me soon, and mabey I'll even get to shoot my ACCURA.