TC Renegade

[hoss]

I found one for next to nothing. Gave $130 for the rifle in 50 caliber with a spare barrel in 54 and an aftermarket brass ramrod... as soon as the replacement wedge pin arrives, I'm off to shoot it.

[Shakey]

That's quite a bargain. My brother has a .50 Renegade & I have a Hawken. They are both great shooters and have accounted for quite a lot of venison.

[bradshaw]

hoss.... Don't recall the twist of the .54 Renegade, but it is fast, somewhere around 1:20". In my shooting of the .54 with 385 to 430 grain bullets, groups go to pieces when black powder or Pyrodex charges exceed 78 or 80 grains. More velocity is not worth the fall-off in accuracy for deer hunting----or practice.

Suspect the .50 may also have a fast twist.
David Bradshaw

[Seasons44]

Jul 22, 2013 18:31:32 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

hoss.... Don't recall the twist of the .54 Renegade, but it is fast, somewhere around 1:20". In my shooting of the .54 with 385 to 430 grain bullets, groups go to pieces when black powder or Pyrodex charges exceed 78 or 80 grains. More velocity is not worth the fall-off in accuracy for deer hunting----or practice.

Suspect the .50 may also have a fast twist.
David Bradshaw

David,

I believe the Renegades had a 1 and 48 twist, my particular 54 does.

Its interesting you saw accuracy drop off after 80 grains or so, both my Renegade and Lyman Deerstalker both shot there best at 110 grains with a 420 grain slug, both a custom mold and a maxi-ball. Recoil is a bit stout pushing the 420 grain slug an average of 1640 fps, but its what it likes.

I been shooting Alliant's black MZ powder and have been truly impressed, cleaner and more consistent than Pyrodex or real bp, In my testing we decided to shoot till we couldn't load the rifle , well we never reached that point and shot 80 plus rounds with out patching. and the barrel was pristine with 4 patches.

[Seasons44]

Here is a maxi next to a custom "WFN" 420 grain ass stomper slug

[Shakey]

My Hawken .50 has the 48" twist and shoots almost everything you stuff in it pretty well.

Patched round balls with 50 gr. of black are good for plinking and quite accurate out to at least 50 yd.

All my hunting loads have been 100 gr. behind either a 370 gr. maxi or 240 gr. .44 in a sabot. Accuracy is about 3-4 in. at 100 yd. and might be half that with a better shooter.

I tried about every powder available up until around 2000. Most of them were cleaner shooting than black powder but I was/am used to a quick swab between shots which pretty much levels the playing field as far as build up and cleaning. However, NONE of the repro powders (that I know of) give as reliable and quick ignition as black. 

[hoss]

Thanks, guys. I haven't had a smokepole in a while: my last was a CVA price point WalMart special with gin-u-wine plastic furniture... a 50, it shot round balls and maxis fairly well with Pyrodex, which was the only powder I could lay hands on. Still have the measure and capper around here somewhere, and I have ordered hotshot and musket nipples for both barrels. (The CVA only worked right with the musket caps.) I am excited: had several dog eared TC catalogs in my misspent yute, and ogled bare patches in the tri color contender and renegade sections. Gun show this weekend and I will procure powder, round and maxi balls (if possible) and next week I'll dial it and start planning a whitetail safari... (perhaps).

[Markbo]

I say.. I say... excuse me... did you say yute?

[hoss]

Yes I did! Yute.

[Seasons44]

Jul 23, 2013 14:40:46 GMT -5 hoss said:

Thanks, guys. I haven't had a smokepole in a while: my last was a CVA price point WalMart special with gin-u-wine plastic furniture... a 50, it shot round balls and maxis fairly well with Pyrodex, which was the only powder I could lay hands on. Still have the measure and capper around here somewhere, and I have ordered hotshot and musket nipples for both barrels. (The CVA only worked right with the musket caps.) I am excited: had several dog eared TC catalogs in my misspent yute, and ogled bare patches in the tri color contender and renegade sections. Gun show this weekend and I will procure powder, round and maxi balls (if possible) and next week I'll dial it and start planning a whitetail safari... (perhaps).

Hoss,

If you can find the Winchester Magnum no 11 caps, I have had less deviation with my velocities, I tested them side by side with the CCI mags, never found a need to go to the musket caps, accuracy was fantastic. Both ignite well but the winchesters burn a bit hotter and longer,

I know I am gonna sound like a broken record but its no gimmick, if you can find Alliant Black MZ you won't be disappointed

[oldschool]

Jul 23, 2013 14:40:46 GMT -5 hoss said:

Thanks, guys. I haven't had a smokepole in a while: my last was a CVA price point WalMart special with gin-u-wine plastic furniture... a 50, it shot round balls and maxis fairly well with Pyrodex, which was the only powder I could lay hands on. Still have the measure and capper around here somewhere, and I have ordered hotshot and musket nipples for both barrels. (The CVA only worked right with the musket caps.) I am excited: had several dog eared TC catalogs in my misspent yute, and ogled bare patches in the tri color contender and renegade sections. Gun show this weekend and I will procure powder, round and maxi balls (if possible) and next week I'll dial it and start planning a whitetail safari... (perhaps).

Hey Hoss, been shooting an old T/C Hawken .50 for the last 20 years. Started out with the T/C Maxi-Hunters, but found the 370 gr Maxi-Ball was more accurate. The Hornady Great Plains bullet (385 gr) has also been very accurate in every rifle I've used it in, but they fit so tightly, it's difficult for me to reload quickly in the field. In the last few years, I've gone back to a patched round ball and get good accuracy and haven't lost a deer yet (cheaper, too!). My T/C .50 likes a .015" patch and the Hornady .490" balls.

While I do use a Hotshot nipple, I've never found the need to go to a musket cap. I do however, only use black powder (FF or FFF). The few alternative powders I've tried always gave me ignition issues in wet conditions. I have had my best results with RWS #11 caps. They seem to be hotter than any of the other brands I've tried.

Have fun with that smokepole!