That is true. I am going to drop the powder charge down to 85 grains next time out. I think that is the rifle's true load.

12-17-2010 12:00 noon

Weather: 17º, over cast, snowing very lightly at times, slight (cold) wind
Distance: 50 yards to target

Rifle: T/C Renegade Stock 50 caliber Green Mountain Stainless Steel barrel. 1-28 twist and 28 inches long
Scope: Simmons Sports Pro 4x32mm
Powder: Goex 3f 85 grains worth RWS 1075 caps
Projectile: .430 Hornady 300 grain XTP with black Traditions Brand sabots & Buffalo Bullet Company 375 grain all lead, SSB in provided sabots.
Swab: Simple Green cleaner




Yesterday I was surprised the rifle was shooting so high. So I wanted to see if it would repeat itself. On a squeaky clean bore it shot 4-1/2 inches high. I was not shocked but then not pleased. I then swabbed the bore.

Next two shots were about like yesterday's results. Three and a half inches high, very tight group. But I increased the weight of the projectile from yesterday, and lightened the powder charge. I thought it might have more effect then that.

So I swabbed the bore clean and made an adjustment to the scope. That brought me down two inches, but I wanted the hits dead center bull I figured. All my shooting during hunting is never further then 50 yards so why not be dead on.

I swabbed again and made way too much of an adjustment. The two hits were an inch low. So again, I made a slight adjustment and it moved it up to the bottom of the bulls eye for the fourth group. And I had one flier. And I knew the second I loaded that it was going to be a flier. 99% of the time it really took some force to push the sabot down the bore and seat it. This time it practically fell down the bore. Why? No idea. But when it hit outside the group it did not surprise me.

I then swabbed clean and made another adjustment. This time a hair too much. The fifth group had me right on the top of the bull. But I could live with this. Also again, I had a light loader and again a flier out of the group. Not much mind you, but still out of the group. Also that was the last XTP I had in that box of bullets.

So I swabbed the bore squeaky clean and got some .451 Buffalo Bullet Company, all lead hollow point, 375 grain SSB sabot/bullets. These normally shoot well in all rifles. So I picked the upper left bull and cut loose. A note, these were almost slip fit in my opinion. Maybe the .451 instead of the .452 made that happen. No short starter was needed. I swabbed for shots 1&2 but then left it fouled and shot #3. Which surprised me as it was a dead bull. It also loaded about how I thought it should load. So maybe I am on to a quick follow up load for this rifle.

Anyway, shooting Goex black powder makes one always think cleaning up is going to be a chore. A water bath, and the second patch was clean. So much for the filthy Goex story for me. I did an alcohol patch after that an it too was clean. The rifle cleaned that fast. 85 grains does not seem like a lot of powder, but we used to kill a lot of deer with a lot less. Its a good load and should work well in that rifle.

That is some good shooting.

Would like to find a nice short conventional muzzeloader; it would have to be a left hander: i don't like that hammer right in front of my shooting eye.