I've got a few questions

[BowHunter252]

I bought a .54 TC Renegade about a year ago. The guy said it was already loaded. About 6 months ago I put a cap on a tried to fire it - nothing happened. I haven't messed with it since then. What is the best way to get the old sabot and powder out of the barrel?

I would like to start casting for it for hunting and target shooting. Can anyone recomend a fairly inexpensive mold that would work well for this? Can I use round ball or sonical type bullets? Should I use a patch or just lube the bullet(conical)? Is it even possible to lube the bullet and not use a patch?

Thanks!

[Limey]

Bowhunter,

I'd recommend you get a a gizzmo called a ''Saf-T-Unloader'' and appropriate sized adaptor for the nipple on your gun......neither item is too expensive.

Check out www.midwayusa.com for this tool.

I've used this bit of kit and in my humble opinion it's the most useful accessory a muzzle loading shooter can have.....believe me, until you experience first hand what it can do you will not believe how powerfully and easily it will unload a muzzle loader.

Safe shooting,

Limey

[docone31]

It sounds like you gotta pull the bullet.
There might or might not be powder in there.
Take the ramrod, on the end is a threaded section. It is 10/32 thread. Get a stainless steel 10/32 machine screw, actually a couple of them just for hars. Get some stainless steel sheet rock screws. Cut the head off the machine screw, and sheet rock screw. Go to a muffler shop. Have them weld them together, cut end to cut end. It is simple, when I got it done, they laughed and didn't charge for it. The 10/32 part goes in the threaded ramrod end. Lower your ramrod into the bore, when it bottoms, start screwing the screw into the ball, or whatever in the bore. Screw it tight. Take your exposed ramrod end, and pull! Out comes the ball, or whatever. Dump whatever powder falls out. Usually, the person loads the ball, and not the powder. I got my wife a rifle with a ball stuck in the bore.
I am kinda partial to the R.E.A.L. casting from Lee. Good all around casting.
T/C makes a fine rifle.

[Maven]

"I would like to start casting for it for hunting and target shooting. Can anyone recomend a fairly inexpensive mold that would work well for this? Can I use round ball or conical type bullets? Should I use a patch or just lube the bullet(conical)? Is it even possible to lube the bullet and not use a patch?"

BH252, Unless you have an oddly dimensioned bbl., you'd want to try a .530" diameter round ball with a .015" lubed patch first as per Thompson/ Center's recommendation. If it's not the original T/C bbl. (e.g., a Green Mtn.), try a .018" - .020" lubed patch. As for conicals, the Lee REAL is a good choice as is the T/C Maxi-Ball. You can often find used Maxi-Ball, REAL and round ball molds on E-Bay and other auction sites for fairly reasonable prices. Btw, round ball's are generally undersized for the bore, thus requiring a patch to get a proper fit and accuracy. Unless you're using teflon impregnated patches, you'll need to use a patch lube. Where do you get this stuff? Try these:

www.dixiegunworks.com (not for molds)

www.trackofthewolf.com (not for molds)

[DanWalker]

If you don't want to spend money on an unloader, or are worried about struggling with a bullet puller, you can just uncrew the nipple the cap goes on, and trickle some powder through the touch hole. Reinstall the nipple. Cap the nipple again, and try to fire it again. Doesn't take much to get that load out of the barrel.

[frontier gander]

i highly recommend that you do NOT put any powder into the nipple, theres no telling what kind of powder is in there. If its smokeless and you prime that nipple and fire it, you can end up killing yourself. Buy a ball puller, its only a few bucks. Use a small hammer and tap the end of the ramrod to start it and then start screwing it into the projectile. Once its in good, pull hard. You may want to put a little penetrating oil down the barrel first and let it soak so it comes out easier.

[waksupi]

If you go with the CO2 discharger, check your local bike shop. Same thing, half the money. Get a ball inflater to go with it, cut the tip flat, and let 'er fly!

[bobk]

T/C really stands behind their products. I picked up a Grey Hawk at a gunshow, had a load stuck in it. I called T/C, they said send it back to us. They paid the postage, pulled the charge, and refinished the barrel. This was all free, you understand. I'll sure support them, and recommend them to others. This also solves your problem, without you doing anything unsafe, or boogering up your bore.

Bob K