[waterbar]

First off, hello everyone, I just ordered my first muzzleoader yesterday, pretty excited about it, I ended up choosing the new TC northwest explorer, I really like the idea of the big ol conicals. This new rifles twist is 1/48 and was wondering what you fellas like to shoot in this twist rate as far as conicals go? Also do muzzleloader barrels really need to be "seasoned" reminds me of a dutch oven.....lol anyway could someone enlighten me please. Thanks for any help you guys can give.

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[cowpoke1955]

There is no need to season modern steel. You only season the old iron barrels they made back in the 1700s and 1800s.

 

[Rangr44]

Hello - I've had pretty good results, using T/C Maxi-Hunter slugs, prelubed with BoreButter1000+, in my 1:48 twist barrels.

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[waterbar]

Thanks guys, just got back from my local sporting goods store with a few items for my muzzleloader so when it arrives I will be ready to shoot it, items I bought were a pound of triple 7 ffg powder, box of maxi-ball 370 grainers, they are huge, super jag, ball puller, patch worm, little deal of gorilla grease, powder measure that goes to 120 gr. a bag of cleaning patches, they were out of #11 caps so I have to find else where. I wasnt really sure if I needed to get a short starter, the new TC suppose to have the qla deal so I kinda thought that would allow me to use the ramrod, correct me if im wrong on that? Also I checked the hodgdon website and the lowest charge for the maxi was 80 for triple 7, does that sound like a good starting load for the 370gr maxi? Also they recommend a wad between the maxi and powder but all the store had was lubed round ball patches, can a maxi be fired sitting directly on the powder or is that a no no? Sorry for all the questions just dont want to blow my face off! Thanks again guys.

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[Idaho Ron]

I don't know why they put a 1-48 twist in that rifle. That was just plain stupid. The 1-48 twist is a poor choice for conicals and for round balls in my opinion. They should have used a 1-28 or a 1-24 twist for conicals in a 50 cal. IIf they went with a 45 with need to do a 1-18 twist .458 so a guy can use 45-70 bullets.I am will to bet My Green Mountain Renegades will out shoot those inlines any day. Ron

 

[cowpoke1955]

You can order the .50 caliber lubercated Ox-Yoke Wonder Wads from Track of the Wolf: http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(dbc0o045kthvbcujjuaiaa45))/Index.aspx . Yhey will also carry the # 11 percusion caps.

 

[cayugad]

Yes, you will need a short starter. If your rifle does not shoot the maxiball well, there are other conicals out there to try. Bull Shop makes a good conical. Also No Excuses makes a good conical. Do not forget the old patch and ball. They shoot well out of a 1-48 for the most part.

I have to agree with Idaho Ron. If they were going to make a conical shooter, they should have went with a 1-24 or 1-28 twist at least. If you really want a conical shooter, keep your eye out for a White Rifle. They have a 1-24 twist, and will send conical bullets like the 460 grain or 500 grain Bull Shop, with extreme accuracy.

Start your conical shooting at 70 grains and work up from there. Also you might want to get a straight line capper. It helps to load the #11 caps when your wearing gloves and even bare handed.

 

[waterbar]

Okay thanks guys.....Im not to thrilled about the twist either, dont know why they did that, oh well all I can do is try it, I wish I could have found a nice used hawkins or something like that but I really didnt know where to look and was a little worried I would have ended up with a rust bucket, anyway I will give it a shot to see what happens, thanks for the responses.

 

[waterbar]

You know when I was first debating on which rifle I should get it was a toss up between the new TC and the Lyman great plains hunter, due to the 1/32 twist, I chose the TC because it was american made and the warranty, something the Lyman dosent have, I do however like the twist of the Lyman, but I wasnt sure if I needed something that long, seemed like it would have been a pain to drag through the brush, anyway Im second guessing my choice with out even shooting the rifle, kinda thinking I should have went with the great plains hunter now, oh well I gotta start somewhere I guess.

 

[cayugad]

You can never tell what that rifle will do. Perhaps the rifling is cut different and it will shoot conical bullets just fine. I have a 1-48 that shoots a maxiball with amazing accuracy. Also you could try some power belts as well. Shoot the rifle, relax and enjoy the rifle. I am sure it will shoot fine. Be sure to post your impressions of the rifle and how it works. Also if you can shoot a few picks of the ignition area and the rifle itself. You have a new rifle, and new model. We want to learn from you.

 

[waterbar]

Yeah I sure will, as soon as it gets here, I will try to give a little report of it , with some pics and what not. Also as I was browsing I found the pr bullets web site, interesting bullets, so anyway I still need to pick up a short starter, a capper, and maybe try to find some of those handy little powder tubes.

 

[cowpoke1955]

I have a .54 T/C Hawkens with a 1 in 48" twist barrel and it shoots great with the 400 grain T/C Maxi Balls and the 380 grain Lee REAL. T/C uses a shallow groove, which is excellent with conicals. The original Hawkens rifles had 1 in 48" twist barrels. Try some .490 round balls. Less lead, less powder, less recoil and still a good deer load. By the way, I have two .54 GPRs, one flint and one percussion, and I don't think they are too long or bulky to hunt the brush. They balance very nicely for off hand shooting. With a .530 round ball, who needs a conical?! Maybe for your next rifle.....

 

[Rangr44]

And, YES - there WILL be a "next" rifle !

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[waterbar]

Yes sir, the man in the brown truck hasnt even dropped off the new TC yet and Im already trying to figure out a way to hide one of those 32 inch barreled GPR's in the closet with out the wife noticing....hmm how am I gonna pull it off at least for awhile anyway...lol....thanks for the input guys.

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[cowpoke1955]

That's always a hard question. My wife bought me the .54 GPR flint kit when I retired, so I'd have something to do. It only took a couple of weeks to complete. Would have been faster, if we had better weather. After you get this T/C, let her know how much you enjoy black powder and you would like to get a more traditional rifle. Buy her some nice presents and take her out for dinner. Down load a lot of information and pictures off the internet and leave them around the house. Mention how you can get a GPR along with a GPH barrel and have two rifles in ome. Maybe try to get her involved in black powder. Boy, what us men don't go through for our toys!...lol. Good luck!

 

[Rangr44]

Mention how you just lucked onto a "package deal' - a GPR and a piece of new women's jewelery

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[waterbar]

Let me know if I got this right....when buying the GPR one has to buy the roundball shooter then buy the hunter barrel? Or could I buy the hunter and get the roundball barrel later? Man I like the looks of those hunters with the optional peep and globe up front...looks so nice, I would surely have to get the optional sites as well.....and since im already way ahead of myself I may as well look into getting some moulds as well, after all I will save money in the long run!

 

[cowpoke1955]

A Great Plains Rifle has a 1 in 60" twist barrel for round balls. The Great Plains Hunter has a 1 in 32" twist barrel for conicals. Both of my GPRs are .54 caliber. With a ball that size, who needs a conical. If you start casting, you'll find you get more balls per pound of lead than you will conicals. You will get more shots with balls per pound of powder than you will with conicals. You will also have less recoil with balls than you will with conicals. The choice is your's. Round balls are just as effective on game out to 100 yards, which is your normal max black powder range. As for casting, you will save a lot of money. The more you shoot, the more you save. Soon your casting equipment will pay for itself. Most of my casting equipment is Lee I purchased from F&M Reloading: http://www.fmreloading.com/ . They have the best prices on the net. For my .54 T/C Hawkens I did pick up a double cavity 380 grain Lee REAL bullet mold. Off of eBay, I picked up a 400 grain T/C Maxi Ball mold. All Lee molds come with handles, others do nor and will have to be purchased seperately. Before you get too carried away, don't forget to wine and dine the little lady FIRST!! Good luck.

 

[MAINER]

It's easy, you buy the GPR for yourself, and give her the same amount of money in cash.

 

[waterbar]

Well a little update....I still havent recieved the TC in the mail yet, no biggie really I have had my mind on the great plains rifle so much lately, I broke down and ordered a great plains rifle from midsouth....54 cal percussion.....I do have plans to purchase the additional 1/32 twist barrel aswell but not right away. I got some .530 hornady roundballs and some pre lubed .015 patches. I hope triple 7 is okay to use in one of these. Also are their any tricks to cleaning the GPR, I thought I read something about the barrel going from say 54 cal to something like 36 cal at the breech? Does that sound right, anyway just had to tell somebody.