range report .50 cal TC Renegade

[catfishtony]

Thompson Center Renegade
I have a .50 cal with a 1 in 48 twist.

todays powder was FF 777 loose powder form

Hornady Lead ball 50 Cal .490/177 gr.+-...
RB ? type and weight very old bulk lot hand made
and must be a mix alloy kinda shinny still after all these years.

patches- blue/white .018" Thickness Pillow Ticking precuts.
cleaning cotton patch ---2"x2" loose weave thin patch solid white 100% cotton.

remington #11 primers very old ones from the late 80's maybe early 90's light green charge card.
i have hung onto this lot as it has never failed me hunting in wet weather or below 20 deg days.

yep i am left handed lol


50 gr, 2f 777 PRB heavy patch .018 weapon shot ok for the first time in many many years 30 passes


i played around here and there let the gun sit after each shot
plus did a wet patch of Thompson Center The Original #13
because i had it in the box quick up/down fast swab clean and dry patch after each shot.
i adjusted the powder load a few times up/down ranging from 50-60 gr.
until i ran out of old pillow patches and started to use the cleaning patches
i was amazed as these and a .490 ball set right in with thumb then ran home
rather easy to rest on powder but i did have to cut the ring off as the patches are so large.

now i have a task at hand to clean and unload.
the wife called from the front end of the farm asked if i was ready to go for the last time.
we made our last load of house goods. i walked back around to the gun range
swabbed the old girl out ran a dry patch home removed it from the jag set it down
picked up the range rod and dry patch and RB then ran it home
that is when my HEART SUNK ! as i saw my seat ring on the rod vanish!!!
in my heavy minded thinking this is my very last shot on the farm
i NEVER dumped a load of 777 powder down the shoot.ROOKIE LOL.
Funny how of the couple a hundred pounds of steel i have i chose a front loader
i guess a man some times runs home to where he cut his teeth in life.
all in all it was a good hour or so my eyes are not what they use to be.
but Give me therefore this mountain, which the Lord promised

 

[hawgslayer]

Great report and good shooting. Can't wait to get mine out to the range and work up a load. Tomorrow I'm trying out my T/C PA Hunter 50 cal. If time permits I'm going to get the Renegade dirty also. Hope mine keeps them .54 lead balls as close as yours. :yeah:

Ray........ :wink:

 

[catfishtony]

well i got the old girl shooting again,
took a round solid wood ball and ground up the 2f 777 to almost dust
removed the nipple and tucked the dust down the pipe hole maybe 5-7gr tops.
gave the old girl a few wraps with the palm put the nipple back on after needling out the threads
i had used a ball puller a times but all i got was lead filled screw threads so i packed it back down real good
them tamped a cotton 2"x2" over patch on 20 grains of 4f duck tape the rig down set the trigger and used a string
she reported off with a clean roar swabbed her down reloaded a 30 gr charge and cotton patch all clear now.
just to make sure i removed the nipple blew down the bore and it seamed clear at this point plus i found old patch and new solid white ones. so did a light 40 gr load patch and ball taped it back down all is well.
popped off a few hand full of loads at 50 yards looks like im ready to go again come jan 4th-7th for late muzzy season.
praise the lord.

 

[ShawnT]

Glad to here you got the stuck ball out. I'm sure we have all done it at least once. :wink: Hope you get one with the rifle. It looks like a nice one.

You said Late Muzzy season 4th-7th... That sounds like the Ohio Late season. You a Buckeye Boy too?

 

[catfishtony]

yes i am, going this time to vinton county first few days in the big woods. then back home in warren.
it has been a long dry season so no holds barred if it is brown it goes down time of year.

 

[ShawnT]

yes i am, going this time to vinton county first few days in the big woods. then back home in warren.
it has been a long dry season so no holds barred if it is brown it goes down time of year.

Small world, I'm from Gallia County. We had a couple days of wet stuff for the regular gun season. But I am back in NY and can't get there for MZ season. I here ya, can't eat horns. Guess you could try to make soup out of them. :lol: Good Luck from one Buckeye to another!