50 cal muzzleloader bullets

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bigmike22

New member
I just won a new thompson center omega with the thumbhole stock. Its a 50 cal. I have been a die hard 45 cal owner for a long time. I had my choice of the omega or a cva optima pro in a 45. I took the omega. I have had great success with the powerbelts out of my .45. 6 or 7 deer with it in 5 years and all were DRT. I know some of you arent the biggest powerbelt fans in the world and i am always open to new things so i was wondering what bullet and powder combos you guys are using. Out of my 45 cal i was using 100grains of 777 with 275 grain powerbelts. And i also use the remington cleanbore primers. Sometimes i used 150 grains 777.
 
Try a 250gr. Shock Wave/over 110grs. T7. I had the same gun you have,and it was a very accurate load. The deer hated it!
 
I like the 250gr ShockWaves also. But when I couldn't find any this past August I picked up the 250gr copper solids with the plastic tip from Knight. They are Ultimate Slam poly tipped boattails. I drop these down on 90grs of 3f loose Triple7. They actually shot better than the ShockWaves. I went from 1 1/2" at 100yds down to 1" at 100yds. At 50yds three shots always touched. I'm on my 3rd box of them & really like them.HTH
 
Not to steal the thread, but I just got the same gun for christmas in a thumbhole, it's all I can do to get the 200 gr or 250 gr. Shockwave down the barrel, especially after the first shot. I even run a #13 bore cleaner patch and a dry patch between shots. I'm also using the newer super glide sabots. Anybody else having the same problem? It's hard to do load development when it's this hard to load. By the way, I'm using 2 50gr. 777 pellets.
 
I have an Omega also and shoot a 250 gr super glide Shockwave over 100 grs of loose Triple 7. I've never had a problem seating the bullets after switching to the super glide. I've resisted using sabots before because of the problem of difficult loading. I just switched from 245 gr aerotip Powerbelts last year. I killed an 8 point last year with an Encore ML and a 7 point this year with the Omega that I traded the Encore for (plus getting a little cash to go toward a new scope!). I'm entirely pleased with the performance. I hit the 7 pt behind the shoulder at 50 yards and the bullet exited in front of the opposite hind quarter, breaking a rib going in.
 
I think mine may be a fouling issue. I'm going to try loose powder and work up to a low fouling load. I killed two bucks with my Knight shooting the 200 gr. Shockwave Super glides this year. Excellent wounding with shots behind shoulder broadside on both. Both dropped in 50 yds.
 
i hated loading the shockwaves so i switched to the powerbelt and it cut my 3 shot group in half. i shoot the 250gr. over 150gr. 777. my friend is a die hard shockwave guy but after seeing the groups with powerbelts out of my gun he is switching.
 
Never tried Shockwaves....didn't have to. 295gr Powerbelts pushed by 150gr of 777 is very accurate and LETHAL out of my Encore. My friend shoots the same combo out of his Omega and is also very happy with his performance.
I can push 5 Belts down the barrel before feeling much resistance from fouling with the 777.
 
I shoot a savage 10MLII, and use 290g barnes TMZ. I would use the 250g TMZ, without question. With my Savage, I get 3 shot 1" groups at 200yds. 1.5" high at 100 is approx 2" low at 200.
 
"I get 3 shot 1" groups at 200yds."

I assume this is on rare occasions, not regularly? Much more important is what is the worst group you have had at 200 yards.

Jack
 
Hey guys..when you say 150 grains of 777 I hope you mean pellets. 120 grains of 777 loose EQUALS 150 grains of pellets (3 - 50gr. pellets)

If you are shooting 150 grains of 777 loose powder you are pushing the pressure envelope.
 
I shoot the Hornady 250 SST's (same as shockwaves) @ 2800FPS out of a Savage MLII They are very accurate bullets. Sub MOA to 300 yards. You can't go wrong with them.
 
I have only shot 2 3 shot groups this fall when sighting in the gun with the new bullets. Both groups were this size. It could have been a fluke.
 
The omega is a great rifle I have one and couldn't be happier with it's accuracy. I am averaging 1 1/4" 3 shot groups @ 100 yards with open sights. My best so far was a 7/8" 3 shot at 125 yards.I'm loading 100gr. of 777 to push 295 gr. powebelts.

Do yourself a favor and take the rear sight off and replace it with a williams peep sight.
 
Try PR Dead Centers or QTs I've been using them for the last 3 or 4 years now and the performance has been spectacular on deer. The 250 - 265 grainers in front of 120 grains loose 777 and a CCI 400 primer work great in my TC, swabbing the barrel between shots with a "spit patch" I can regularly keep 5 shots inside 1 1/4" at 100 yards from a solid bench.

Bob
 
i am hoping for the same accuracy out of this one as i was getting out of my .45 cal. The 45cal had a 3 inch shorter barrel on it. So i am hoping that the extra length of the 50 will help it a little. With the 45 cal i was shooting 100 grains 777 with 275 gr powerbelt with remington clean bore primers and was easily getting less than an 1" at 100 yards. I was getting about 1 1/2 inch group with 150 grains 777. I am going to shoot it in a week or two and will see what happens.
 


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