WhiteSmoke

A .45 will be good for deer-sized animals and down. A .50 is good for deer, elk, bear, etc. For hunting loads, I would suggest working up loads using the Hornady HP/XTP (not the MAG version) bullets. I have a T/C .45-caliber Hawken and use 90 grains of Triple Seven pushing the .400 (10 mm) 200-grain HP/XTP in a tan MMP sabot. For my T/C Omega, I use 100 grains of Pyrodex Select and either the 250 or 300-grain HP/XTP bullets in a black HPH-24 sabot. T/C barrels are usually "tight" so I use the smaller 24 sabot. I would bet your bore is not as tight as mine so I would start by using the HPH-12 sabot and go to the 24 if the 12 loads too hard. Killing range? I don't like to shoot over 150 yards but either should be lethal well past that distance with a good hit.

Elk load 300-grain Barnes Expander MZ. They come with MMP HPH-12 sabots. You may have to switch out the sabots to ones that fit your rifle. I have a T/C Omega with a tight barrel and the 12's were just too tight. A HPH-24 sabot works, but I have since gone to the 3-Petal EZ sabot, also from MMP.

Cleaning & storing a ML Maybe it's overkill, but I clean mine thoroughly with PAM, a well-known mixture of peroxide, alcohol and Murphy's oil. After that, I run some Break Free down the barrel and over all exposed metal parts followed by some dry patches down the barrel. After this, I swab with bore butter, leaving the rifling covered with a heavy film of bore butter and the exterior covered with the Break Free.

"misses" I don't like the idea of someone else loading my rifles for me to shoot, but snapping on a dry chamber is a great way to check for flinching. Put a cap on the nipple though or the nipple will be damaged by a dry fire. I would have someone pretend to load the rifle and hand it back to me with just a cap on the nipple. Second comment is to try some shooting sticks when you hunt. Third comment, and this will probably get me into trouble, is to try a different bullet. I have shot Powerbelts before, and they shoot fine, but there are MANY comments in the blogs about Powerbelts not opening up and/or leaving little or no blood trails. You may have hit those deer and had no blood trail to follow. I would suggest switching to one of the Barnes bullets and see how they work for you. They DO expand and are an excellent bullet. You won't find anyone bitching about the performance of a Barnes.

.45 bullet suggestion Try the 195-grain Barnes Expander MZ. It comes with HPH-12 sabots from MMP. You may have to change out the sabots depending on the bore diameter of your rifle. If the 12's load too tightly, go to HPH 24's or 3-petal EZ's for very tight bores. They are all-copper and expand beautifully.

Barnes 250-grain Expander MZ vs. a 250# boarWell guys and gals, I just got back from a three-day hunt near Paso Robles (north of Los Angeles). I was shooting my T/C Omega and using a 250-grain Barnes Expander MZ bullet in an HPH-24 sabot pushed with 100 grains of Pyrodex RS. On the third day of the hunt, I found a 250# boar asleep against a tree at 59 yards. He was almost broadside to me and I put the slug right behind his left shoulder. Due to his sleeping position, the bullet exited (almost) slightly lower and to the rear on his right side. It was a perfect double-lung shot. He ran about 200 yards and piled up against another tree. When we skinned him out, we found the bullet just under the hide on his right side. The bullet cut through the skin on the right side so there was an exit hole for blood to pour out, but the bullet stayed inside the skin. It expanded perfectly! You couldn't have asked for better performance.

Hornady XTP's Whether or not you like Randy Wakeman, here is a great article (with the ballistics chart) on XTP's. http://www.chuckhawks.com/underrated_hornady_XTP.htm

Hornady XTP's I just found the chart I was looking for. The HP/XTP's are designed to work at velocities from 800 to 1600 fps (the 250-grain version) and 800 to 1700 (the 300-grain version). The XTP/MAG's are designed to work at velocities of 1100 to 2100 (both 240 and 300-grain versions). A 100-grain powder load sends a bullet out at approximately 1672 f/s and a 150-grain powder load sends a bullet out at approximately 1879 f/s. These figures will vary depending on the powder you use. I use a 100-grain load in my Omega and use the both the 250 and 300-grain HP/XTP's, depending on what I'm hunting. I just think the HP/XTP's are a better choice for muzzleloaders. The XTP/MAG's are operating in the lower half of their designed range in a muzzleloader while the HP/XTP's are always in their design range. They also put five shots in one ragged hole. I love 'em!

Hornady XTP's Hornady XTP's are probably one of the better bullets shot in muzzleloaders today. There are two versions, the HP/XTP and the XTP MAG. They are basically the same bullet except that the HP/XTP is designed to "work" at slightly lower velocities and is the better bulet to use in a muzzleloader. I use both 250 and 300-grain versions, depending on what I'm hunting. I shoot a T/C Omega which has a "tight" barrel so I use the HPH 3-Petal EZ sabots in it. Depending on your barrel, you can use the 3-Petal EZ, the HPH-12 or HPH-24. All are available from MMP sabots and one of the three should work just fine for you.

Hornady XTP's I believe that Hornady makes two versions of the XTP bullet. There is the HP/XTP and the XTP/MAG. The HP/XTP comes in weights of 185 to 300 grains. The XTP/MAG runs 240 to 300 grains. Somewhere in my desk (I can't find it right now) is a chart of the design ranges for both. Basically, the HP/XTP is designed for lower velocities than the XTP/ MAG. I personally use the HP/XTP, both in 250 and 300-grain weights, as its design is more in line with muzzleloader velocities. It just works better than the MAG in a muzzleloader.

What kind of bullets do I use? My favorite bullet is the T/C Maxi-Hunter, a big, full-bore, pure lead slug. I use two others, depending on where and what I'm hunting. One is a Hornady HP/XTP and the other is a Barnes Expander MZ. Both of these are available in 250 and 300-grain versions.

Bullets without sabots I have used two bullets that fall into this catagory. I really like the T/C Maxi-Hunter and the Hornady FPB. Try both and see which one shoots best in your rifle.

Rifles I have three; a T/C Omega, a T/C Grey Hawk .54 and a T/C Hawken .45

Here's another one for you. It's quick, easy and good. 1/2 cup apricot preserves 1/3 cup bottled Russian dressing 1/2 envelope onion soup mix 6 chicken breasts, frozen (not thawed) Mix the first three ingredients together. Place the frozen chicken breasts in a crock pot and cover with the apricot mixture. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours.

I got this recipe from a cook at Lake Powell. You may want to cut it in half to downsize the amount you make. They have some "heat" to them and taste great. 1 #10 can of Pork & Beans, drained (I use Bush's) 1 cup molasses 1 cup brown sugar 1 1/2 pints K.C. Barbecue sauce 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne 1/4 cup granulated garlic 1# thick-sliced bacon, diced 3 large onions, diced Drain beans and put in crock pot. Add molasses, brown sugar and barbecue sauce. In a frying pan, saute bacon until half done. Add onions and cook until done. Add to crock pot and cook on LOW for two hours.