TC Bone Collector
03-10-2010, 09:22 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 581
TC Bone Collector
Hey guys! Have always look at your posts just never regs. to reply or post somthing. But I have a question, what would be my best load for my new TC Bone Collector. Keep in mind that I need something that will take deer, elk, black bear, and God willing a Bighorn Sheep(If I get drawed). I use to own a Pro Hunter, but sold it. Just wasn't the gun for me, didn't like the barrel swaping and wanted just an inline muzzleloader. In my Pro Hunter I used 115 grains of Blackhorn 209 and 300grain Hornady XTP Bullet. I love the 300g XTP bullet! I could take a frozen milk jug filled with water and make crushed ice at 100 yards. But I've noticed that the Bone Collector barrel is thinner than the Pro Hunter. What would be my best powder charge? Most of my shots will be between 100yards to 200yards. I was thinking of 100 grains, but I was wondering if anyone out there had the same rifle and what load they were using. (Yes, I know that every rifle is different and will shoot different loads. Just wanted a base when I go to sight it in this weekend.)
03-10-2010, 10:14 AM
#3
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
Decide on what bullet you want to shoot and then start working on the range. Start at 90 grains of BlackHorn and start shooting groups. Work the load up to a point that either the accuracy falls off, your shoulder falls off from the recoil, or you reached the max you rifle can handle. Some where in all that testing will be a very tight group for that bullet and your rifle using a max powder charge. That would be the load I use.
03-10-2010, 12:00 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
I shoot a Triumph and it handles many loads well;
the 200gr Lehigh and 200 gr Shock Wave with 120 gr of Blackhorn 209 are very good mine will group under 1.5 inches at 150 yds. I normally sight them for 175 yds which is point blank for 3" up and 3" down, the 40 caliber 200 gr XTP works well also but only with a 90 gr load.
The 250gr bullets the Shock Wave and the FTX are the most accurate all the way out to 250 which is as far as I can shoot because of range limitations. I use 115 gr Blackhorn with them
The Gold Dot 250 and the Lehigh 250 are excellent game stoppers and I can get an inch at 100yds with them and they shoot quite well out to 175. I normally sight them in for 150yds. They shoot best with 110 gr Blackhorn.
I go to the 300gr Gold Dot for Elk and bigger game with 120 gr Blackhorn and can get a minute of angle.
the 200gr Lehigh and 200 gr Shock Wave with 120 gr of Blackhorn 209 are very good mine will group under 1.5 inches at 150 yds. I normally sight them for 175 yds which is point blank for 3" up and 3" down, the 40 caliber 200 gr XTP works well also but only with a 90 gr load.
The 250gr bullets the Shock Wave and the FTX are the most accurate all the way out to 250 which is as far as I can shoot because of range limitations. I use 115 gr Blackhorn with them
The Gold Dot 250 and the Lehigh 250 are excellent game stoppers and I can get an inch at 100yds with them and they shoot quite well out to 175. I normally sight them in for 150yds. They shoot best with 110 gr Blackhorn.
I go to the 300gr Gold Dot for Elk and bigger game with 120 gr Blackhorn and can get a minute of angle.
03-10-2010, 01:02 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 581
So the Triumph is pretty darn close to the Pro Hunter. Cause I was using 115grains of BH209 and it was giving me 1.5'' group at hundred. I still might try 100grains and just work my way up. Shoot a group of three every 5 grain increment and see what works. I want to stick with the 300 grain XTP, I know that its a heavy bullet. But once it hits a deer, its game over. I use to hunt with a .450 Marlin lever action(Guide Gun). I love that gun, nothing like hear the loud "THWACK" on a deer. Still have the gun, but liking muzzleloading more and more. Wanna buy a flintlock sometime next year. Sorry got of topic. Well I will let you guys know what I find out this weekend.
03-10-2010, 04:39 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Posts: 3,732
50calty
This past season i killed 3 deer with the 300g xtp. It is a fine bullet for deer, and they do put the hurt on them critter. The deer them xtp killed are tastin' mighty fine right now. Tissue damage was mighty much. However, if i were going Elk hunting, the 300g xtp would not be my first or second or third choice to use hunting. The 300g Speer Gold Dot, which has been renamed Deep Curl, is a much better choice for Elk. They cost just a very little more than the xtp, but are a very much more stouter, which is what is needed for Elk. Elk are brutes compared to deer.
I haven't been able to find any Deep Curl bullets in stock any where as of yet, but as i write, Powder Valley does have the 300g Gold Dot available. They are priced just a couple dollar more per 50 than xtp, but for that difference one is getting a way more bullet.
If you are not familiar with the size of them Elk brutes, here is a video that kinda might illustrate their size.
This past season i killed 3 deer with the 300g xtp. It is a fine bullet for deer, and they do put the hurt on them critter. The deer them xtp killed are tastin' mighty fine right now. Tissue damage was mighty much. However, if i were going Elk hunting, the 300g xtp would not be my first or second or third choice to use hunting. The 300g Speer Gold Dot, which has been renamed Deep Curl, is a much better choice for Elk. They cost just a very little more than the xtp, but are a very much more stouter, which is what is needed for Elk. Elk are brutes compared to deer.
I haven't been able to find any Deep Curl bullets in stock any where as of yet, but as i write, Powder Valley does have the 300g Gold Dot available. They are priced just a couple dollar more per 50 than xtp, but for that difference one is getting a way more bullet.
If you are not familiar with the size of them Elk brutes, here is a video that kinda might illustrate their size.
Last edited by ronlaughlin; 03-10-2010 at 04:53 PM.
03-10-2010, 06:06 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 581
ronlaughlin,
Yeah I killed a Cow Elk in a late hunt when I was younger here in Montana. Used a .270 Winchester too. I just really want an all around bullet and so far its been the 300grain XTP. My aunt in Wyoming use to kill elk every season with a .243. I think Ill be fine with the XTP. Its all about the shot placement. Thanks for the info though, might have to pick up a box and see how they hold up. (I use a frozen milk jug fill with water) Those XTP's will turn it to crushed ice and still blow the milk jug atleast 2 feet in the air. The bullet stays intact and mushrooms very nicely. I do use the gold dot bullet for my .357 S&W. From what I've seen they do about the same damage. Maybe the 300grain would be different.
Yeah I killed a Cow Elk in a late hunt when I was younger here in Montana. Used a .270 Winchester too. I just really want an all around bullet and so far its been the 300grain XTP. My aunt in Wyoming use to kill elk every season with a .243. I think Ill be fine with the XTP. Its all about the shot placement. Thanks for the info though, might have to pick up a box and see how they hold up. (I use a frozen milk jug fill with water) Those XTP's will turn it to crushed ice and still blow the milk jug atleast 2 feet in the air. The bullet stays intact and mushrooms very nicely. I do use the gold dot bullet for my .357 S&W. From what I've seen they do about the same damage. Maybe the 300grain would be different.
03-10-2010, 07:10 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Posts: 3,732
When our son was getting close to the age of being able to hunt, we purchased a .244 for him. To see if it would be OK for him to use on Elk, i carried it hunting before he was able to hunt. I killed 4 Elk with it. One just outside Missoula, and 3 around Wisdom. He later killed his first Elk with it in the Little Belts. Then he 'stole' my 7 mag, and i had to find another rifle to hunt with. Neither one of us wanted to hunt with the .244. What to hunt with nowaday is not an issue; i use a 50 caliber.
We still hunt the Little Belts, and i will spend 2-3 weeks there this coming season. He will turn 45 this fall; he now carries a .350 remington. I carry my muzzle loader up there during the elk/deer season. It is fun for me to scope my rifle; we can only use iron sights during our muzzle loader season here. Hunting Montana is something i look forward to each year.
We still hunt the Little Belts, and i will spend 2-3 weeks there this coming season. He will turn 45 this fall; he now carries a .350 remington. I carry my muzzle loader up there during the elk/deer season. It is fun for me to scope my rifle; we can only use iron sights during our muzzle loader season here. Hunting Montana is something i look forward to each year.
03-11-2010, 05:55 AM
#10
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Montana
Posts: 581
Where do you hunt at on the Little Belts? My wife is from Harlowton, so I usually hunt around Judith Gap, Jellison, HayMaker Canyon, etc. Last year was awful. All the elk was on private. Must have seen 800+ all on private. Some really nice bulls too. What a small world to met someone online that hunts in the same area.