Getting an inline to perform

[Drchesler]

First a little background. This might get wordy so I appreciate you reading through:

After weighing the straight wall cartridge laws that came into effect several years ago in Ohio and comparing the ballistics of all available options, I decided to go with an inline muzzleloader as my do-all deer rifle. I could not see spending the same money twice to have a set up for both muzzleloader and gun seasons when there was no significant advantage posed by going this route. I spent quite a bit of time reading this site, as well as Toby Bridges’ site, and purchased a TC Impact SB topped with a vortex 3-9x40 several weeks ago.

I attempted to sight in the gun at 100 yards and could produce no better than 6-8” 3-shot groups. For reference, I shot my Tikka .308 during the same range session while cooling the TC’s barrel and consistently produced my usual 1 MOA groups with that rifle.

My load was as follows:

100gr (volume) of Blackhorn 209, 300gr Hornady SST in the supplied Sabot, and CCI MZL 209 primers.

I now realize the primers used were not appropriate for the powder I selected. In fact, I feel fortunate to not have had a hangfire. I have not been able to source any magnum 209 primers, but did get my hands on a box of STS and a box of W209. Should I continue experimenting with Blackhorn using the standard primers I acquired?

For my next range session, I have purchased both black and red crush rib sabots. I bought a jug of FFG Triple 7 in case the primers I have on hand are no good for Blackhorn 209.

I also have 50 300gr Deep Curls, several packages of 300gr Shockwaves in the supplied sabots, as well as 300gr Hornady XTPs. The red crush ribs are nearly impossible to load with any of the above bullets, and the black crush ribs seem to load way too easy. What sabots would you recommend I order that would give me a fit somewhere in between? The ones supplied with the Hornady XTP and Shockwave bullets seem to have the right fit. Can you tell me what they are?

 

[Travis299]

We have had excellent results in 3 Accuras using the Barnes 250 gr T-EZ bullets with the dark blue sabot and 2 pellets of T7.

 

[Drchesler]

We have had excellent results in 3 Accuras using the Barnes 250 gr T-EZ bullets with the dark blue sabot and 2 pellets of T7.

The Barnes bullets sound interesting. I’ll add them to the list if I can’t get any of these to group.

 

[MrTom]

Try plain black sabots, not crush ribs. My Impacts both wanted the non-crush rib variety. Both of my Impacts have done best with 300 grain XTPs and Deep Curls when pushed a bit harder with 77 weighed grains [110 by V] of BH209 powder. I have run them up to the max for 209 powder and they did real well but the recoil.....well.

I never cared for the Shockwaves in any of my in-lines. I have not run any of the Barnes Expanders or XPBs thru either of the Impacts but may play with them this winter to see how they do.

The Impacts are generally an accurate weapon with most anything put down the barrels, are easy to maintain and basically trouble free guns. One thing I did note with both of mine is that they had to be shot quite a bit to get the barrels "shot in"....upwards of 100 rounds in each gun before real accuracy came around. I say buy a mess of cheap shot sabots and use that T7 powder and go plink after dialing the scope in using this less expensive stuff. Don't fret about accuracy right away. Shoot some stiffer loads and some lighter loads. Have some JB bore paste on hand and after giving the gun a good cleaning as per normal, run about 100 passes with a bore swab or patches lathered up with the Jb, then run a couple dry patched thru until clean. Sometimes even new bores can have little things inside that need to be polished out and the JB bore paste will easily and safely do that. AS in other threads here, clean that breech plugs flame channel immediately in front of the primer pocket after every 12-15 shots too as that can have negative impacts on accuracy if it it carbon fouled too bad.

 

[MSalyards]

I shoot the Accura also. #00 gr Deep curl in a Harvester black crushrib sabot . I pushit with 84 w gr of Blackhorn fired off with a Fed mag primer. I used to use a win 209 primer and 77 w gr of powder but switched up this year. Just a personal preference.

 

[Drchesler]

Yes, I feel very lucky that I didn’t have a hangfire. I can’t find magnum primers anywhere. I do have 2 boxes of standard primers. I guess I’ll stick to Triple 7 until I can find magnums.

 

[GM54-120]

The ones supplied with the Hornady XTP and Shockwave bullets seem to have the right fit. Can you tell me what they are?

Those might be MMP HPH-24 sabots. HPH-12 is the other likely sabot and those are a bit larger.

Does the number on the bottom of the sabot look like its "etched" or "stamped"?

 

[GM54-120]

Yes, I feel very lucky that I didn’t have a hangfire. I can’t find magnum primers anywhere. I do have 2 boxes of standard primers. I guess I’ll stick to Triple 7 until I can find magnums.

The Impact SB plug should be fine with a STANDARD Win209. Just dont use MZ/MZL 209 primers. Keep the flash channel clean with a 1/8 drill bit and free of any solvents/oil IN the plug.

 

[Drchesler]

Those might be MMP HPH-24 sabots. HPH-12 is the other likely sabot and those are a bit larger.

Does the number on the bottom of the sabot look like its "etched" or "stamped"?

The supplied sabots are black with numbers like the ones on the blue sabot from your photo.

 

[Drchesler]

Try plain black sabots, not crush ribs. My Impacts both wanted the non-crush rib variety. Both of my Impacts have done best with 300 grain XTPs and Deep Curls when pushed a bit harder with 77 weighed grains [110 by V] of BH209 powder. I have run them up to the max for 209 powder and they did real well but the recoil.....well.

I never cared for the Shockwaves in any of my in-lines. I have not run any of the Barnes Expanders or XPBs thru either of the Impacts but may play with them this winter to see how they do.

The Impacts are generally an accurate weapon with most anything put down the barrels, are easy to maintain and basically trouble free guns. One thing I did note with both of mine is that they had to be shot quite a bit to get the barrels "shot in"....upwards of 100 rounds in each gun before real accuracy came around. I say buy a mess of cheap shot sabots and use that T7 powder and go plink after dialing the scope in using this less expensive stuff. Don't fret about accuracy right away. Shoot some stiffer loads and some lighter loads. Have some JB bore paste on hand and after giving the gun a good cleaning as per normal, run about 100 passes with a bore swab or patches lathered up with the Jb, then run a couple dry patched thru until clean. Sometimes even new bores can have little things inside that need to be polished out and the JB bore paste will easily and safely do that. AS in other threads here, clean that breech plugs flame channel immediately in front of the primer pocket after every 12-15 shots too as that can have negative impacts on accuracy if it it carbon fouled too bad.

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll see about picking up some of the standard black sabots, cheap shots, and the bore paste. I have noticed that the loading effort gets easier/harder at different points in the barrel. Maybe shooting it in and polishing with the bore paste can smooth that out.

 

[GM54-120]

The supplied sabots are black with numbers like the ones on the blue sabot from your photo.

Then its HPH-24 if the number looks stamped. If you cant find that sabot, the Harvester EZ-Load smooth sabot in "short" or "long" is the closest match. The blue sabot that come with Barnes T-EZ bullets is also a HPH-24. Its just dyed blue.

 

[cook]

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll see about picking up some of the standard black sabots, cheap shots, and the bore paste. I have noticed that the loading effort gets easier/harder at different points in the barrel. Maybe shooting it in and polishing with the bore paste can smooth that out.

Just out of curiosity, why are you wedded to sabots?

 

[Ninering62]

Just out of curiosity, why are you wedded to sabots?

Not understanding what "wedded to sabots" means? Annnnnd thats a 3yr old dormant thread, but we are known to comment on & resurrect them in here aren't we.