This TC Black Diamond has been somewhat problematic. The gun got very cruddy when fired more than two or three times. Have never got it to shoot really well until today. This is the first time
this gun was fired using musket caps.


Range: 50 yards
Gun: TC Black Diamond; 22" barrel
Scope: Burris 4X Short Mag

Powder: 100 grains of 2F JSG
Bullet: 240 grain .430 XTP
Primer: CCI musket primer
Sabot: Crush rib

Fired the first round and the bullet hit 4" above the bull. The second shot hit a little lower. Made some bold scope adjustments and fired again. The bullet hit a little higher than i wanted. Lowered it by a click or two and proceeded to fire ten shots without swabbing the bore.

Two bullets went through the hole on the far left. This was confirmed by looking at the backer which is a plastic Army target. .44-45 caliber bullets leave about .25" holes in that Army target. The five shots just above the bull are in a group that measures about .5-.6" Those shots are the 2nd, 3nd, 8th, 9th and 10th.

The guns gets much less cruddy with musket caps. The nipple is the plain old TC musket cap model. It does not have the long extension with the two extra holes. This can of JSG was opened well over two years ago.

can't complain about that one bit. Good shootin

You really got them stacking in there Falcon. I find it interesting that the musket caps reduced breech fouling. I'm wondering if the JSG powder had anything to do with that. Have you used JSG in it before?

I have used APP 2f in my Black Diamond XR which I shoot off with 209 primers. It did real well. I have some JSG so I might have to try that. Your rifle was really making a hole there. My BD is that way. Once it is on, it is on.

Me thinks the only powder it has used is Goex Pinnacle. i know that it has never been loaded with Pyrodex or 777. Now that Pinnacle is no longer being made, i have to stock up on 2F and 3F JSG.

The musket cap nipple i used is not the TC Flame Thrower nipple. The
Flame Thrower nipple has three flash holes and it allows too much blowback. Much of the crud problem problem with the Black Diamond is because of those Flame Thrower nipples.

I agree, their filthy breech is a real turn off for a lot of people. I just clean it all up at the end of the day. So they stopped making Pinnacle did they? I will have to start looking around and see if I can get my hands on some. I always kind of liked that powder.

If you do switch to musket caps as i did years ago then give the rws caps a try.CCI are flimsy and prone to fall off a clean nipple. RWS are built a little more rigid and grab the nipple and don't let go till you slide it off.

Nice looking groups

You got me curious about old targets I shot with the Black Diamond. I also realize I have owned this rifle a long time. This was shot with bullets I cast out of pure lead. They were from a LEE mold and actually weigh 423 grains. I always figured they would make a heck of a deer load.

Cayugad, that is some really fine shooting. Yep, a 423 grain bullet would knock the snot out of a big hog too.