TC Maxi-Ball Accuracy

[Tripplebeards]

The lees pushed with a little force with a light coat of PC. With the thick blue coating that literally looked like uneven, clumped powder on the REALS before baking seated with good force. I use the base of my palm to push the REALS down to get them started. After I feel two "clicks" (I'm guessing it's the rifling pushing through the lube grooves)the boolit stops about a quarter in or so from flush with the muzzel. I then have to use my ball starter with a good hit of the palm of my hand to get the boolit all the way into the barrel. Once it's all the way into the rifling I can see where the lead covered in blue PC pushed around the rifling when its all in the rifling. Then there is a decent amount of resistance all the way down till it stops on the powder charge.

I did try to use my ball starter right off the bat to seat my boolits but I had fliers VS starting them with the palm of my hand. I would assume the seater starts them crooked.

[brewer12345]

Very interesting. When I was hunting with a conical, my follow up loads were always round ball simply because they are a lot faster to get down the pipe. Will have to try some powder coated conicals.

[Tripplebeards]

Anyone have any idea what my velocity is on 320 grain REAL using 60 grains of Pyrodex RS? Guessing it has around a 24” barrel? Just want to make sure the load is enough for deer out to 100 yards.

Once I find some #11 percussion caps i will get back out and make elevation marks on my rear sight for 100 yards and beyond providing it groups decently at father ranges.

[megasupermagnum]

It's more than most handguns, so I wouldn't worry about it. Based on what I've seen, you are probably looking at 1250 to 1300 fps, rough ballpark.

[243winxb]

Should hear a "crack" from the bullet breaking the speed of sound.

[Tripplebeards]

Thanks, that's about what I figured for a muzzel velocity. No #11's to be found anywhere so I'll save the last dozen I have for hunting.

[Tripplebeards]

Just found some #11's at the LGS. CCI's with a 1 tin limit for $11.99. I grabbed one and will play the waiting game with Walmart who has them listed on their empty shelf spot for $4.79. I'm sire I'll run into them some day there. I did pick up 2 packs of TC lubed bore buttons at the same LGS. They were $12.99 per 100 with 35% off. Helped cusion the price on the primers a little.

[R-71]

Thanks for the insight fellas, I’ve only tried the rifle out once and started with 90 grains of 2f.

I looked in some of the gear that came with rifle and there are a couple of preloaded speed loaders that have 117 grains weighed powder.

Next trip out I’ll try a heavier charge and see what I get.

I could easily hunt with the 90 grain charge at my 80 yard limit but would like a little tighter groups than 3-4”.

[brewer12345]

It's more than most handguns, so I wouldn't worry about it. Based on what I've seen, you are probably looking at 1250 to 1300 fps, rough ballpark.

Looks about right based on figures for a 350 grain conical in a 24" barrel allegedly doing 1200FPS with 60 grains according to the lyman black powder handbook. I'd guess that as long as you can be accurate with the load, it should go right through a deer within 100 yards.

I will be hunting deer next month with a 570 ball over 75 grains of OE 1.5F. Inside of the 75 or so yards I would prefer to make a shot, I have no doubts about terminal performance.

[Tripplebeards]

I forgot I was using 54 cal bore buttons in my 50 cal. I read a lot on several forums to use one caliber bigger. Well, I bought 2 bags of lubed Thompson Center 50 cal bore buttons. Hope they work just as good and accuracy stays the same.

[megasupermagnum]

As far as I know, all of those lubed wads from TC, Wonder wad, TOTW, or wherever else are all nothing but plain old felt soaked in the lube of the month. I use felt wads myself in my rifle and pistol, although dry. I started doing it in my pistol, as it completely cured my patch tearing problem. I then started doing it in my rifle, as it allowed me to compact the powder first, before seating the ball or bullet. Now I do it just because I feel good knowing there is a barrier between lubed patch and powder, although during hunting season it is so cold, there is almost no chance of lube running out. Some claimed to get improved accuracy with a felt wad under a REAL or Maxiball. I tried them with both, and saw no difference. You can use them very oversized. You can easily stuff a 5/8" wad in a 50 and 54 caliber, and that's the size I use. I'm pretty sure you could stuff a 3/4" in there with hardly any persuasion. Try multiples at once, not just 1 wad. I've heard plenty of times 4-6 felt wads under a bullet can help overcome a bad crown of the TC QLA muzzle. I never got a chance to try it, as I cut mine off. I only bring it up, because in the case of my pistol with a standard muzzle, a single 1/8" felt wad does little, my patches still tear. Adding a second 1/8" felt wad 100% cures the problem. It is amazing how such a small change made such a huge difference.

[Sixgun Symphony]

In my 48" twist TCs I have found the same. The problem I have with them is that with a hawken curved metal butt plate they kill on both ends. Best accuracy for me was charges of 80 grains and up with a felt wad.

Don't put the crescent butt in your shoulder. Instead, have the crescent butt rest on your arm between bicep and shoulder. That means you shoot with the elbow up.