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help with this T/C new englander

spookster
Friend of mine new to muzzleloading picked up a T/C 54cal new englander percussion gun,,,we started with 345 grain? 54cal powerbelt bullets and remington No.11 caps,,with 2 hodgdon 60gr pellets shiny side towards the nipple/breech,,,and all we get is ignition,,,we did get it to fire once with the pellets,,,but it was after 10 trys and 10 very thorough cleanings,,,,we even brake cleaned the whole thing from nipple to muzzle,,,,tryed a new nipple etc >>,,, just wondering if we should go to regular powder and how much to start with,
Thanks
JIM
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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • allen griggs
    Try 90 grains of regular powder.
    A 120 grain load is a bit much.
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  • Underdog2264
    First off, 120 grains is above what T/C recommends for that rifle, 100 gr is about the max. Personally I have never used more than 90 gr. in my New Englander. If you are using the preformed sticks for .50 caliber in a .54 then you will not get reliable ignition. there is an airspace between the barrel and the powder. Loose powder should cure the problem, but first you should never use brake cleaner on a black powder gun. It will actually hurt you in the long run. Black powder barrels are like cast iron pans, If you season them they will become almost non-stick. Cleaning should take no more than hot soapy water and some cleaning patches, or T/C #13 bore cleaner. As for lube, T/C Bore Butter or the wife's Crisco are best. These are NON PETROLEUM based products and will make life easier the more you shoot. Best advice is find some muzzleloaders in your area and ask allot of questions, most of them are glad to help and see new people in the sport. If you can't find any that are helpful, let me know and I will help as much as I can, or find you someone near you that can. Best of luck.
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  • oldgunner
    Good advice from underdog. I'd suggest one more thing..Get a nipple pick and USE it after every shot.
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  • firstharmonic
    TC sidelock muzzleloaders - Hawken, Renegade, New Englander and some others - were made with their version of a patent breech. Among other things, this means that there is a powder chamber at the rear of the barrel that is smaller in diameter than the bore itself. By using pellets, you are actually not getting powder close to the ignition source - the pellets are a larger diameter than that powder chamber and stop before they enter said chamber. Try bulk propellant - Pyrodex or Triple Seven or old fashioned black powder. Good luck.
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  • Mort4570
    Pellets are for inline rifle only,not sidelocks.

    I copied this from the Hodgdon website for you.

    "INTENDED USE
    Triple Seven and Pyrodex Pellets are designed for use only in newly manufactured muzzleloading, in-line rifles of 50 caliber, 54 caliber, and 45 caliber. Use Triple Seven only in a 209 primer ignition system
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  • Winston Bode
    I was always told that you should never use more than twice the caliber of your muzzleloader as a maximum powder charge. For example a .50 claiber max. charge would be 100 grains and a .54 caliber max. charge would be 110 grains.

    Also, you should never use pre-formed pellets of any powder in a sidelock percussion muzzleloader. Get some pyrodex or triple 7 loose powder and you will probably be amazed at how well it works. Also, a max. charge is not always the most accurate. Experiment a little with lesser charges, start at 80 grains and work your way up.


    Contact T/C for an instruction manual for that particular firearm and follow the instructions as far as what to feed it. It may not have the proper twist to work with those type of projectiles. It may take a patched round ball or lead projectile from T/C to make it shoot accurately.

    Bode

    As far as cleaning, just use whatever dishwashing liquid is above the sink and add to hot soapy water.

    Bode
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