100 or 150 grain for muzzleloader

[David]

So this is my first year muzzleloading. I bought a Thompson Center Omega .50 cal. All my buddies use 100 Grains of pyrodex and 300 grain bullet.

Is this a good combo?

Im just thinking if the gun maxes out at 150 grains of powder, why not max it out to make sure the fps is sufficient?

What do you guys think?

I put a nikon prostaff scope on it as well, so i know i SHOULDN't miss, just want to make sure there is enough ass on the shot.

 

[Kevin B.]

It's been my experience that each ML has a load that it prefers. It may or may not be a 300 grain bullet. It may or may not be 100 grains of pyrodex. My omega shot its best groups (sub moa at 100 yds) with 100 grains of triple seven (ffg) and 250 grain shockwave w/ supplied sabot. Killed 5 deer last year w/ this combo. Hope this helps.

 

[JSTEVE]

150 The heavier the better. Make sure you boost the powder a bit for the bigger slug.

 

[jakeway]

If your gun has a long enough barrel, you may be able to take advantage of all 150 grains. Diminishing returns usually sets in above 100 grains; the increase in powder fouling begins to outweigh the increase in velocity. Also, a lot of that powder leaves the barrel under-burned. Shoot it at dusk with 100 grains, then again with 150 and you should notice a lot more flames coming from the muzzle with the 150 grain.

To be sure, use your gun, try different loads, and if you have a chrony to check the velocity, that's great.

I shoot 110 gr loose 777 with a 300 grain Hornady XTP Mag.

 

[fourwheeler431]

Mine shoots best with 90 grains.

 

[Winchester]

I would shoot the amount of powder that gave me the best accuracy!

 

[TAKE A CHANCE]

I thought that 150 was beeter in my Encore, but I was wrong it was way better at 100 grains and even easier to shoot.....

 

[breeze900rr]

By all means do your "home work"! Shoot it with both. I have a CVA Optima Pro and use 100gr triple seven wit 260gr (I think) powerbelts. I'm much more accurate with 100 as opposed to 150gr.
and when U do test them make sure U check for odd shaped bullet holes in your target with 150 grains (you should have a perfect circle, not an oval). In some guns with certain rounds 150gr will make the bullet "tumble" in flight which means poor accuracy. what kind of area do you hunt? If you won't be making shots longer than 100 yds then I'd go with 100gr! Whatever U use good luck with it!

 

[bighead 1]

My encore likes 100 grains loose T7 powder with 300 grain bullet ,you will have to see what your gun likes. My encore shoots 100 grains loose t7 the best,you have to find what your gun likes

 

[bowhunter 51]

Wrong thinking, David...you don't wanna exceed your barrel
twist capability...You wanna use the least amount of charge
to group tight groups confidently...If you use too big a
charge, the projectile will over-run the cut barrel twist,
and spin poorly as a result...accuracy will be deminished..
You wanna start at a low charge and work up...I use only 80gr.
of 777 in my 45 with a 1:28 twist...I assure you..It will get
the job done....................................BH51.........

 

[Split Brow]

I SHOOT 100 GRAIN WITH A 250 SHOCKWAVE AND HAVE HAD EXCELLENT RESULTS AT 150 YDS WITH MY KNIGHT DISC ELITE.

 

[oldwun]

Bowhunter 51 hit the nail on the head. You will have to do some shooting to optimize your Omeag. The 100 gr loose and 250 SW usally but not always shoots pretty well in the Omega's. If you do use loose DO NOT EXCEED 120 gr.

 

[Bubba in Fla]

I shoot an Omega 50 cal with 120 grains of loose 777 and the TC Shock Wave 300gr. - Be very careful if you are shooting 150 grains (as I did at first) - especially if you are not using a long eye relief scope - I bled more than the first deer I shot did with a normal eye relief scope!

 

[cdtac1]

90 grains here and a 460 grain bullet and have have taken them out to 200 yards. You just have to find out what your gun likes.

 

[kmac29]

150 The heavier the better. Make sure you boost the powder a bit for the bigger slug.

you dont need to boost the powder charge to go with a heavier slug. yes you will gain some velocity but sometimes that is not the best thing. as stated, do some experimenting and see what shoots best out of your gun. find a bullet you want to try and then play with the powder charge until you find the one that best groups that particular bullet. i shoot a 300gr SST and im only pushing it with 90gr FFG 777. it shoots 2"-3" groups at 100 yards. that was good enough to hunt with for this year but before next year i plan on playing with the powder charge a little more to see if i can tighten the group down to 1" or less.

 

[outdoorbob]

I prefer 100 grains of pyrodex pellets. I get great groupings.

 

[bohun10g]

The Knight LK93 that I have shoots 100 grain Triple 7 and a 250 grain Barnes Expander MZ bullet real good.I have shot out to 150 yards with this combo.You'll have to test and tune your barrel {or try} several combinations to find which is the best for your muzzleloader after season is over.It may take the first try and it may take many.

 

[Team Browning]

It's been my experience that each ML has a load that it prefers. It may or may not be a 300 grain bullet. It may or may not be 100 grains of pyrodex.

Very good advice.

 

[thejedi]

I shoot 100 grams with 295 power belts.

 

[Lawrence]

I shoot 100 gr
and my Encore is Dead on at 100 yds and let me tell you it will split a hair.

 

[Tnyoteboy]

My Omega likes 100 grs of 777 and a 250 gr Shockwave. I had to figure that out myself.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I like 46 grain load of AA5744 in my Savage.

 

[Stalker]

depends on length of barrel

if your barrel is less than 26 inches you are wasting money
a chrony dont lie
you really need a 28 or 29 inch barrel to gain an advantge in velocity ie omaga or cva optima pro

Or Remington Genesis...28" barrel and way cheeper.

 

[Stalker]

As everyone else that knows anything about ML said...You have to get range time in and start with small charges on the bullet you want to use and work your way up until it is grouping satisfactory. Too much powder is a waist...ends up on the ground infront of you and causes worse fouling which really sucks when you need that second shot fast because, you were drulling over the antlers when the first one went off... :grin:

I do not know much about Omega's but I would start any ML with no more than 90gr (I use 777) and slowly work up until a good grouping appeared and then I would continue up until it went away and then back down and verify. Some good advise would be to record this data in a small note book so that you know your most accurate charge range. Also, gives you data to compare when trying new bullets... my .02

Good luck!

 

[Blue5]

i like 100

 

[fullstream]

I like 46 grain load of AA5744 in my Savage.

Ditto! 250XTP's

 

[Boone 58]

130 grains in pellets for me!

 

[DOC1187]

100 for me

 

[Boone 58]

Was 150 for about 3 years then 130 last year.....Now that hornady has come out with the fpb bullet i am going to try 100,110,120,130.....until i figure out which is the best overall and then hang with it for a while to test out the kill factor...cant wait!

 

[jakeway]

Once you get to 100 grains, the incremental benefits of each additional grain becomes less and less, and may even drop. If your barrel is too short, not all the powder will burn inside the barrel anyway.

I used 95 gr of FFFg with my .490 patched round ball for years. When I went to in-lines with bullets, I started at 95 and worked up in 5 grain increments. I also used two 50 gr pellets (777) and three 50 grain pellets. I got the best results, both for shooting and for cleaning, with 110 gr of loose 777, under a 300 gr XTP. My only complaint with the loose is that it isn;t as easy to load a second shot in th efield, but I;ve always had plenty of time for that. There are decent reloading devices to let you carry loose loads ready to go.