T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

I'm new to ML-ing this year, and I purchased the T/C Black Diamond XR special from BassPro earlier this summer. For a sight, I mounted a Bushnell Dusk & Dawn. (BP just moved to town this year, so now I have a place to keep all my extra money.)

I've made two trips to the range so far, and had mixed results. In both cases, I shot 295gr Powerbelts (hollow-point) with 100gr of Pyrodex (pellets).

On the first trip, being new, anxious to get some shots off, and such, I was getting ok results. That is, tight groups at 50 yards with open sights. I had the scoped shots within a couple of inches of where I wanted them, again at 50 yds. That's all the time I had that day.

On the next trip, I started off at 50 yds, and wasn't seeing the consistency like before. I was all over the paper. So, I have yet to move on to greater distances until I figure out what's going on.

Reading up, I'm seeing that there may be an accuracy issue with using Powerbelts at or above 100gr of powder, especially with the hollow-points. At this point, I'm ready to move to a different projectile, and I purchased a box of 777 pellets, of which I intend to stick with the 100gr equivalent.

I'm asking for advice on the projectile. I've heard good things about the T/C Mag Express (some came with the gun, but I haven't used them) and T/C Shockwave Sabots as well as Powerbelt aerotips.

I like the way the Powerbelts load, and the general concept of the full-sized bullet versus the sabot. I also like the feel of the shots with 100gr of powder. I'm not convinced that there is a huge benefit to the 'mag' loads. My friend, who has the same rifle (albeit 2 years older), has had good luck with the Mag Express sabots using 150gr of Pyrodex.

I failed to mention that this is a hunting application, so I am mainly concerned with stopping power and accuracy up to about 100 yds (150 max).

Which, in your opinion, seems like the more appropriate path?
Thank you
Rob

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

I have a T/C Omega and have settled on the Mag Express Sabots with 110 grains of 777 ffg powder. These load fairly easy and are plenty accurate out of my gun for deer hunting. If you plan on shooting past 100 yards(rarely do I shoot past 100) you may want to look at the Shockwaves, SST's and the Precision Rifle Dead Center bullets. I ordered a pack of Dead Centers and was really impressed with how easy they are to load and their accuracy. Since none of my local dealers carry the Dead Centers and are not interested in doing so, I decided to go with the Mag Express Sabots instead.

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

I sincerely doubt that I'll go beyond 100 yds, at least this year, given where I hunt and the somewhat limited time I'll have at the range before the season starts.

How heavy are your Mag Expresses?

Thanks for the input.

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

I shoot the 240 grain Mag Express. I would at least give them a try.

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

In my Thompson Center Black Diamond XR there are a number of loads that shoot excellent. Most of the Thompson Center projectiles you purchase that come with bullet and sabot will shoot excellent. If you are going to go outside the T/C line of bullets then get some Thompson Center Mag Express Sabots. It will help on the loading. You still need to swab between shots for the greatest accuracy.

Make a swabbing solution of 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and car windshield washer fluid or windex. Dampen the patch good. And work it up and down the barrel in short strokes from top to bottom so it does not become lodged in the barrel. You can follow up with a dry patch if you like, but again, short strokes.

My rifle shoots the 250 & 300 grain shockwaves excellent. It does shoot the 250 grains better but you would not want to live on the difference. I shoot 100 grains of Goex FFFg. I have pushed these to 120 grains and the accuracy was still very good. The two 777 pellets should be fine.

In the Thompson Center Mag Express 240 grain XTP you might want to back off the 100 grain charge a little. If you push them too hard, at longer distances you get flyers. I shoot them with 85 grains of Goex FFFg.

An excellent hard hitting bullet is the Buffalo Bullet 375 grain SSB. They are a spitzer hollow point. I get them through Cabela's. I shoot them with 100 grains of Goex FFFg and the accuracy is hard to beat.

This was an end of the day shooting experience. I had shot off almost 30 rounds and was tired. These groups were shot at 100 yards with the SSB's.

If you want to go to the full size conical and stop anything that moves, then get some No Excuses Conicals. These monsters weight 460 grains and that pack a punch no doubt. I was shooting them with only 80 grains of Goex FFFg. They are easy to load and super accurate. The best group I got with them was shooting 80 grains of Triple Se7en. At 100 yards they shot a big nasty hole through a pine board.

You have a great rifle there. In order to keep you from having some of the learning problems I had, get yourself a 8" extension for your socket set. Put a 7/16th socket on the end and it is the best and fastest breech plug remover there is. Also get some CVA Slick Breech Plug and Nipple Grease. Use it. It is the best. That stuff from Thompson Center is all right but you can't trust it. The first time I used it I got a stuck breech plug. When shooting on the range, after seven shots, loosen the breech plug with that wrench that came with your rifle. Just work it back and fourth a little. That will keep the breech plug from getting stuck.

I have the same scope you have on your rifle, a Bushnell Banner Dusk to Dawn in 1/5 X 4.5 power with 3.5 inch eye relief. I hope you got at least that kind of eye relief because this rifle will catch you sometimes.....

Do yourself a favor and save some money at the same time and get loose Triple Se7en. It can be tuned better and is cheaper in the long run. If you insist on running pellets pick up some of the 30 grain also so you can make some of the different sized loads.....

Any questions you might have, just ask. Any way I can help, just ask. Good luck with your rifle..

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

Great stuff. Thanks!

The first thing I did (well, maybe not first, but early on) when putting my kit together was to throw in my socket and extension. With the scope on, it takes forever to get that breech plug off.

I also have that CVA nipple grease as it came with the starter kit I bought. No problems so far, so I plan to stick with it.

As for the eye relief...as I said, my friend has the same rifle, but mounted a scope with very little ER, and he caught a couple in the forehead over the past two years. If nothing else, I do try to learn from others' mistakes, so I made sure to get the Banner D&D 3-9 with the 'proclaimed' 6" ER. I don't think I get 6", but it seems to be plenty so far.

I think I'm going to give the 300gr shockwaves a try this weekend, and compare them to the 240gr Mag Expresses I have. Also, I'll be better about swabbing between shots.
Again, thanks a lot. These forums are the best.

Rob

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

Rob

Been a few complaints about the 300s loading difficulty... might want to try the 250s so they load similar to the Mag Express Sabots.

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

I bought some TC Shockwave (300 gr) sabots and hit the range yesterday afternoon. This was a completely new load to me since it was also the first time with the 777 pellets. I wasn't trying to act contrary to the advice given (250 gr vs. 300 gr), but Dick's was the only place on the way home, and they were out of the 250's.

The first thing I did was start fresh with the scope. I think I was making too many adjustments last time, and just didn't settle down enough. This time, I was alone and could take my time. I realized that I was consistently hitting way low and right (at 50yds), so whatever I was doing last time with the scope was wrong. After some macro-adjusting, I was pretty much in the right spot. A little more tweaking, and my last shot was 2" directly above the bullseye.

Moving to 100 yds, I missed the paper the first time. I should mention here that there were approximately 10,000 mosquitos flying about, and I rushed that shot whle being simultaneously bitten on the shin and forearm. (Excuses, excuses)

After some swatting and cursing, I put the next three shots 2-3" low and just to the right of the bullseye. On the last shot at 100yds and then two more at 50 yds again, I used the Powerbelts (245 gr), just to see if there was a difference. The only difference I found was the ease of loading. They're just a lot nicer than sabots going in, but it's not that big a deal.

After reading the forums a lot, I decided that it's a good idea to throw a damp patch throw the barrel after every couple of shots. When I was using the Pyrodex, I could definitely feel the buildup. On the other hand, I was going up to 5 shots between patches with the 777 before I felt much of a difference with loading.

I think the 777 is definitely cleaner than Pyrodex. I see a lot less fouling around the breech. Not that there is none, but it is less. As for being unforgiving (as I've been told 777 can be), I didn't find that to be the case. My groups were pretty good except for the one flyer.

My only complaint, or lesson really, is that you have to work the breech plug back and forth after every few shots, which I did, except after the last one. Since I didn't do it just before I left, it took some effort to get it off when I cleaned up last night.

Next time I go, I think I'm going to stick with the 100 yd shots just to get really comfortable with them on and off a rest. Chances are, this will be my gun of choice when I finally get to hunt. It just feels nice to shoot compared to my shotgun.

Can you tell I'm ready to get out there?

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

If I am at a range anywhere other then my home, say at a friends. And we are going to do any shooting with inlines. If I am not going to clean the rifle right away, or it will take some time before I can get somewhere to clean it, I take a small bottle of M.A.P. which I use for just this purpose. MAP is of course 1/3rd, Murphy's oil soap, alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide.

After shooting, I pull the breech plug and nipple (if that is the case as in my Wolverine) and dump it into the MAP bottle. The rest of the rifle I leave together so as not to loose parts. I then run a few patches of swabbing solution through the barrel and leave it like that.

When I get home the fowling is nice and soft and the barrel cleans easy, and the breech plug and nipple being stainless steel are almost cleaned by themselves. It takes very little to clean them. That way there is no danger of a stuck breech plug in anything and the rifle is easier to clean in the long run.

That turning of the breech might seem like a minor thing on the range but it pays off big time at the cleaning bench..... It sounds like your rifle is really coming around fast. That is always nice to see...

RE: T/C Black Diamond Loads
 

I have a TC black diamond and use it only for elk hunting. I have been blessed to take two elk with the gun. I use 348gr Powerbelts and 90 grains of Clear Shot. This load groups best in my rifle and shoots thru broadside elk. A friend of mine was working up a load for his TC and having problems. He called TC and spoke with one of their technical experts. They advised him to shoot heavier bullets for better groups. Might or might not work for you, and you will get lots of opinions/ideas here. Good luck.