Howdy from Colorado-
I'm a regular for the muzzle loading Elk season here in CO and use a .50 TC Renegade or Hawken.
FWIW - I strongly recommend that you try a variety of the bullets available. I have personally observed that different rifles even of the same persuassion have markedly different preferences about what they'll shoot accurately.
Case in point - my TC Hawken. I have a good friend who also hunts elk with muzzleloader and he had recommended that I try the Buffalo Bullets. I grabbed a box and headed to the range for sight in. Another friend joined us - he had a new in-line and had bought the Hornady Great Plains bullets. Each of us were trying to sight in at 50 yds but we were getting patterns - 6" to 8" range. We're both better shots than that. We tried adjusting powder charges up and down but to no avail.
Before calling it quits - we (both shooting .50's) decided to try the other guy's bullet. SHAZAM!!! In a real quirk - each of our rifles did an about-face and started shooting decent groups (1" to 2" at 50 yds.) I have since worked with my TC Renegade which also likes the Hornady Great Plains, and a TC Thunderhawk which shos its preference for the TC Maxi-Hunter. Before my experience - I would not have guessed that these rifles would show such strong preferences between bullets but I can assure you that now - I try a variety of bullets.
Best regards-
Sky C.
Longmont, CO
I'm a regular for the muzzle loading Elk season here in CO and use a .50 TC Renegade or Hawken.
FWIW - I strongly recommend that you try a variety of the bullets available. I have personally observed that different rifles even of the same persuassion have markedly different preferences about what they'll shoot accurately.
Case in point - my TC Hawken. I have a good friend who also hunts elk with muzzleloader and he had recommended that I try the Buffalo Bullets. I grabbed a box and headed to the range for sight in. Another friend joined us - he had a new in-line and had bought the Hornady Great Plains bullets. Each of us were trying to sight in at 50 yds but we were getting patterns - 6" to 8" range. We're both better shots than that. We tried adjusting powder charges up and down but to no avail.
Before calling it quits - we (both shooting .50's) decided to try the other guy's bullet. SHAZAM!!! In a real quirk - each of our rifles did an about-face and started shooting decent groups (1" to 2" at 50 yds.) I have since worked with my TC Renegade which also likes the Hornady Great Plains, and a TC Thunderhawk which shos its preference for the TC Maxi-Hunter. Before my experience - I would not have guessed that these rifles would show such strong preferences between bullets but I can assure you that now - I try a variety of bullets.
Best regards-
Sky C.
Longmont, CO
