Was getting ready for the season.

[Tackleberry41]

Bought a TC break open a while back, may have fired it once or twice just to hear it go bang. This weekend was first time I put some effort into finding a good load.

Does good with powerbelts, and out of the sabots did best with the 300gr shockwaves, not terrible with some cast 300gr 451 in sabot or cast 310gr 429. May mess with the charge up or down so if things improve since they are way cheaper to shoot. Lee R.E.A.L bullets were just a waste of lead. It wasn't a question of groups, but if it would even hit the target. And murder to get them started. Wasted the factory ram rod trying to load them, tho it does seem pretty flimsy. And pretty much useless as you cant really load the rifle with it, I know screw on the end, but alot of fumbling around trying to reload in a hurry.

I guess its just a bit of best thinking the velocity bullet companies are talking about. Clicked on a link to hornady looking at some sabots. And their listed velocity was with a 150gr charge. Does anybody actually use that sort of charge? And that was for a 45 cal rifle w 40 cal sabots.

[johnson1942]

if you really want to shoot that gun cheap and to it accracy potential to 500 yards do this. go to the mmp site and order some orange sabots. they hold a 400 grain bullet .458 diam. instead of 451 diam. same bullets used in a 45/70. shoot 80 grains of powder behind it and wipe one damp and 2 dry between shots. real black is best and as good is black horn 209 powder, no need to wipe with the 209 powder. if you like casting get a cheap lee .458 mold for a short nosed 400 grain bullet. if you dont cast buy some in bulk from some one, with no lube on them. dont use 150 grains behind this kind of bullet as recoil would be way too much and it may be too much for the gun. your gun with 80 grains in it and that bullet will be as powerful as a sharps 45/90. what more do you need? nothing, as it will shoot target very good as well as be a real game taker.

[Tackleberry41]

I already have a 405 and 500gr 458 mold I use in my 45/70. MMP was where I got the other sabots I have, dont remember at the time them having ones for 458. May try some.

Never saw much use in the 'magnum' loading, that TC does not exactly have a long barrel. But that was what it said on Hornady site, based on 150gr charge. I was only running 70gr of 777.

[johnson1942]

the orange sabot from mmp will hold that 400 grain .458 bullet of yours. they also ship postage free. i got a tool box full of those orange sabots.

[Tatume]

You have to look in the HPH section. I use them too, they are excellent!

http://mmpsabots.com/store/orange-hph-sabot/

[Tatume]

P.s., I shot a nice buck Saturday using an orange MMP HPH sabot and a Speer 350 grain bullet. At about 4:00 pm I spied a deer in the tall grass at about 120 yards. All I could see was a gray area in the grass, but I knew it was a deer because I had been hidden in the bushes on the edge of that field all day, and that gray color wasn't there before. I eased my rifle up and looked through the scope, and could see the deer facing directly away from me, head down, browsing. As I watched he stepped and turned to my right, and was now quartering away from me. I eased the safety off. He stepped again and presented a perfect broadside shot, and I fired. From there I couldn't see him, but another deer I hadn't seen popped up, walked over, and went back and forth at the spot where the deer was. Had the deer I shot raised his flag and fled, the other deer would have fled also. So I knew the buck was mine, and was laying there waiting for me. He still had a mouthful of greens when I got to him!

[koger]

My TC Omega will shoot powerbelts good 50yds and in, goes to pot at 100yds! I shoot Harvester brand, Crush rib sabots, and .451 Jacketed ScorionBallistic tip, 260 gr. The sweet spot in my gun, is 95 grains of 2FFG, Winchester primer, and this bullet. Loads easy, stays put, and will shoot 4-5 in a ragged hole at 100yds, with a good scope! I posted my 2015 Buck on here recently, was shot at 150yds with this setup, bullet penetrated nearly 4 feet of deer, meat and bone, mushroomed perfectly, weighed 258 grains when recovered, 260 when shot!! The powerbelts go to heck when they hit the QLA section of the muzzle in new TC rifles. I spent 16 hours, and a lot of powder an swabbing to come up with this load, give it a try at .www.Harvestermuzzloaders.com!

[kcajeel]

Wish I'd known about the orange sabots before I sold my Knight. I bought it many years ago and never could get it to shoot. I tried changing the ignition to rifle primers. Tried pyrodex,triple seven and a couple of other new powders. Lead bullets, jacketed bullets. .451bullets, .452bullets, .429 bullets. But never heard or thought the .458's were out there.
I joined a muzzleloaders club up here in Michigan years later and still had that old Knight in my safe. The guys told me to convert it all back to the #11 primers and shoot black. I did and it wasn't shooting half bad so I sold it. Too much trouble I shoot a TC Hawken in 40 cal now. I've won the #1 plaque for club champion 5 years in a row now with it and black powder. A pretty good combination.

[SSGOldfart]

Shot me your address I've got some black sabots my TC loves out to 100yards,I've got to go into town for a post office run in the morning,if you'll give me your address I'll ship out a hand full or two to you.I'm only running 65 grns of 777,or 2FF black powder.