Traditions Tracker 209

[NicoleN]

Well, I discovered a little bit can make a huge difference. I was using patches marked 0.015 thick and was really having a time pushing a round ball down the barrel. I messed up and loaded a ball with no powder under it and was unable to pull it with the screw tool. I already had a breech plug tool on order, but hadn't received it yet. I finally got it yesterday. I tried my newer 0.010 thick patches and it seated with little effort. I finally downloaded the manual and was surprised to see that the thing would take as much powder as it does. I had been using 72 grains of pyrodex as that's what my Mossberg muzzleloader instructions said to use. Traditions recommends 80-150 grains. Wow. That's double what the Mossberg muzzleloader barrel instructions say to use.

Any load recommendations for simple .50cal (.49) lead round balls? Is 150 grains just insane?

Thank you in advance.

 

[deermanok]

I think that 150 grain magnum charges are a bit overrated.
Some guns do handle them well enough while others, not so much.
I don't know the twist rate for your particular gun but would imagine that it's a fast twist, 1/28 or something like that.
If so, you'll probably do better with lower charges for the round ball.
50 to 70 grains would most likely have the best accuracy.