gadgetgeekmt

OK guys need opinions. The T/C Black Diamond XR, For all who love it give me your good points. For anyone who has had any problems , Let me know them too. Even if you have a different gun in the same $200 to $250 dollar range you like better state your case for me. Because I think I am going to dive into the ML world as a Christmas gift, so I have alittle time to work this out but I need your knowledge & trials/errors to help me get the most bang for my buck. I do like the Omegas but just alittle out of my price range ( for now ) .

cayugad

GOOD POINTS

I have a Thompson Center Black Diamond XR. I personally feel this is one excellent quality rifle. The over all balance of the rifle is very good. The trigger pull is excellent. The speed of ignition is very fast. The accuracy this rifle of mine has produced is outstanding. The rifle has a free floating barrel. The rifle has a double locking lug system that helps with accuracy. The design of the rifle is very good. The fiber optic sights that come with the rifle almost make it a shame to mount a scope on the rifle. The sights are that good. The warranty of Thompson Center is second to none.

DISAPPOINTING THINGS ABOUT THE RIFLE

The rifle is heavy. More so then the Knight Wolverine. But that also helps with the recoil and balance. This rifle takes longer to clean then say the Omega, Apex, Optima, Pursuit, Kodiak, etc. I take my time when I clean the rifle. I had some problems with the breech plug sticking when I first bought the rifle but I think that was due to my inexperience (this was my first inline). I have not had any problem since I learned to take care of the rifle. The breech plug wrench that comes with the rifle is handy but not the best. There are better and faster ways out there to remove the breech plug.

For the money, this is a great rifle. As you said it is not an Omega but then it does not cost near what the top of the line Thompson Centers cost. Other then taking a little longer to clean then some of the other rifles out there, without a doubt this rifle will shoot shot for shot with any of them.

Triple Se7en

Real nice choice for only $200 at Basspro.com. Another good choice in that price range is the Knight Wolverine II on sale at Natchezss.com.

MOTurkeyTamer

I had the same gun that Bass Pro Shops has on sale for $200, the blued, camoed .50 caliber XR. It turned out to be an outstanding shooter, couldn't ask for better. My main gripe with it was the open breech. The fouling escaping from it just trashed the scope and rings and bases, basically making a huge mess after several shots. I tried the scope protector from T/C, the breech cover from T/C and every thing else I could think of to prevent the exterior fouling, but nothing worked well. I have since traded the gun for an Omega and I have yet to shoot it, but the cleanup looks to be MUCH easier, not to mention the scope and mounts won't get blasted with fouling with every shot like the Black Diamond. So, if you don't intend to do a bunch of shooting, the Black Diamond is a great gun, but if a lot of shooting is in your future (and it probably will be because you'll get hooked), then I'd look into a closed breech type of gun like the Omega to save yourself the agony of the exterior cleanup. Then you won't have to trade it in 6 months like I did and you'll save yourself money in the long run!

P.S.
If you don't plan to put a scope on the Black Diamond, then I would have no problem with it at all. It would be an excellent choice then!

Triple Se7en

How did the scope protector fail? How much powder are you using? How hot is your primers? How hot is your powder.. ie... 777? Did you try a cooler primer, other ignitions that come with the Black Diamond & work just fine with today's synthetic powders (or) FFF's cleaner burning attributes?

Overall, most bolt-actions encounter this problem. It goes with the territory when deciding what style rifle you choose to buy. Many ML manufacturer bolts are worse than T/Cs for expounding fouling on a low-mounted scope. That's why a number of ML shooters who use moderate powder charges use see-thu rings to avoid this problem & still get great shot-groups with a little higher scope.

MOTurkeyTamer

Well, the T/C scope protector did it's job as advertised I guess. But....the protector itself was polishing a spot on the bottom side of the scope from the blasting it was taking from the open breech. Plus, the protector itself had to be taken off and cleaned of all the baked on crud it had on it. It "protected" a small area of the scope, but the scope got fouling on it fore and aft of the protector, including the bases and the rings.

I was using 100, 105, and 110 gr. charges of 777ffg ignited with a CCI musket cap. The accuracy was outstanding with 105 gr. 777ffg and a 250 gr. SST in a T/C Mag Express sabot. I'm a "clean freak" and the external fouling was more than I was willing to deal with after every trip to the range.....therefore the new Omega!

gadgetgeekmt

Do you think you would have had the same blow back fouling on the scope & rings if you were using the 209 ignition ? I really do think I like this gun ,and if I do get hooked? Oh well guess I will be able to answer more questions on here with you guys ...

cayugad

Yes the Black Diamond XR does suffer blow back from the ignition breech area with or without the 209 ignition. I wrap my scope with plastic electric tape and then wipe it off when I clean the rifle. Every so often I change the tape. All muzzleloaders get some blow back. It is the nature of the beast. If the extra time it takes to clean the rifle is a bother then you need to get a break open. Maybe they do not fowl up so bad.

gadgetgeekmt

Cleaning time is no bother. Life is too short to be rushing around all the time. Are the bolt actions considered a closed action gun or just the Omegas,Apex, etcs?

cayugad

The Black Diamond XR is not a closed action breech. The 209 primer is exposed to the elements. They do sell a breech cover that goes over the opening. I personally have not hunted with it in wet weather but last winter spent many a snowy day out shooting it in the yard without any problems what so ever.

I agree with you. The little extra amount of time it takes to clean is nothing to me. This is a great rifle for the price. I got a 9" extension for my socket set and a 9/16th socket with your ratchet will slide right in the back side of the breech and remove the 209 nipple and breech plug slicker then you know what. Because of the extension length, the scope is not in the way. If the rifle is not scoped you could get by with the Thompson Center Deluxe Breech plug wrench. In fact I have a friend who looked at the Deluxe wrench and said he could make me an extension for it so I would not ever even need the socket.