T/C Firestorm

[Keepontrying]

hey guys..my first post. I have been lurking around the site learning alot. I got a TC Firestorm and can't get any consistent groups. :surrender: Anyone have luck with certain loads and bullets. I have been loading with 80-100 grains of black powder and using TCs maxihunters and some sabot slugs my buddy gave me.

Any help is appreciated. You guys have a great site. :bow:

 

You just joined today. So if you don't mind my asking, how could you have been lurking and learning, if you have to register to read the posts?

 

[lonehunter]

P.M. ebiggs, he has one of those i believe. :v

 

[Melton Kidd]

Welcome; Try different powder charges, patched round balls, different lubes, etc. You didn,t say what cal. you have so it's difficult to recommend specific loads. The onlY T/Cs that I have shot liked round balls.

 

[ebiggs1]

Keepontrying,
Welcome to this site. This is a great place to learn flintlocks.
I do have a TC Firestorm and I just did some test with it. It is a thread titled “Can you shoot subs?”
I recommend for starters: 70 grains of real black powder, GOEX 2f or 3f.
70 grains divides into a 1-pond can 100 times, so you get 100 shots.
Patched round ball (.490) with Bore Butter.
Real knapped flint. (Tom Fuller or Rich Pierce)

The gun will shoot subs but don’t try to start with them. Your groups will be all over the place. Because they are so slow to ignite. Don’t start with Maxi-balls or plastic bullets either. If and when you do use plastic bullets remember they don’t use any lube at all. The bore must be entirely clean.

I know the HC/PC guys are going nuts about now but they have a point about using real black and real flints. And of coarse little round balls with pillow patches. Gotta give ”˜em their due.

Keepontrying is a good handle to have with flintlocks!
Ernie

 

[nkbj]

Passed up a Firestorm on a going-out-of-business sale out of pure ignorance. Wish I'd have grabbed it. That's one serious high quality engineered and built tough as nails piece of hardware.

 

[pmwest]

Welcome! :hatsoff:

I have not had much luck with the longer bullets in the 1:48 twist rifling. If you want to shoot full bore lead conicals, I would suggest the 275 gr. maxi-hunter or the 250 REAL. My best charges have been 90 gr. FFg Goex. I like .490 cast RB’s with pillow ticking patch lubed with ballistol. I prefer the white Missouri chert that you can get from Rich Pierce but I also use flint pieces that I find just laying around on the ground, broken arrowheads and pieces that are close to lock size.

 

[pmwest]

Should have mentioned that with a 45 gr. charge and PRB I can generally shoot in the mid forties on 25 yd offhand targets. The gun is more accurate than the operator.

 

[ebiggs1]

Almost never are the maximum or heavy loads the most accurate. The Firestorm is rated to 150 grains of black powder, or sub, but I would bet it kills at both ends! I have shot 120 grains of black powder in mine with the 300-grain Shock Wave bullets and can say it is unpleasant. You could hunt elephant with that load! Maybe the HC/PC guys are rubbing off on me because I prefer the old patched round ball and 70 grains of GOEX.
EB

 

[gizamo]

You just joined today. So if you don't mind my asking, how could you have been lurking and learning, if you have to register to read the posts?

Carl,

How about instead, you try welcoming the new members, answering their questions, or pointing them in the right direction???.... :hmm:

Keepontrying...

Welcome to a wonderful site devoted to our Muzzleloading traditions. You'll find some great folks here that will do all they can to answer your questions...as you can see in the response's above...

Pull up a chair, pour yourself some coffee, kick-back and enjoy... :grin:


giz

 

[Walks with fire]

The earlier models (I think only the first year they were made) were 1/28 twist and the latter ones were 1/48 twist so I would see what twist you have first. If it's 28 twist use a .495 ball with a heavy patch; 48 twist should shoot .490 or .495 ball depending on patch thickness. About 80 grains of 2f but may shoot good with 3f as well. You could try Hornady Plastic patch for .490 ball; (don't laugh or cry) they shoot outstanding in my 1/28 twisters with 80 grains of Goex 3f.

 

[Flintlock58]

A good hunting load for me was 90 grains ffg, over powder card, over powder felt wad, 370 grain bore buttered TC maxiball.

 

[tg]

"You just joined today. So if you don't mind my asking, how could you have been lurking and learning, if you have to register to read the posts?"

I do not know of any predetermined length of time one must be here looking the site over to be considered a true lurker and learner, if one reads fast a great deal of lurking and learning could be done in a relatively short while.On the other hand putting off new members with a boreish attitude and rude tone can be a long time method for some.

 

[gizamo]

tg,

Just a point of order...if I may. You are showing a quote from Carl Davis in your post, and not your humble scribe...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But True Words my friend. We would do well to welcome new friends to our common interests. Never know what someone brings to the table...especially if you run them off at the very first opportunity.

Claude trully runs a classy operation. We are his guests and he is a wonderful host. It's refreshing to belong to a forum that has his focus and a depth of moderators that are in tune with the vision of keeping the Muzzleloading Tradition alive.

Ours is a unique heritage, preserved by many that came before us to keep the old ways alive. We do them honor in passing this tradition along to the next generations...

I can tolerate most anything... Not those that would discourage the folks that will fill in our ranks, as we ride down the river...


giz

 

[tg]

I apologize for not making the source of the quote more clear.

 

[nkbj]

Wow. Bet that 1:28" twist would be a real honey. Wish my New Englander had that instead of 1:48. Maybe wouldn't have to burn 110 grains to make it settle down.

 

[tg]

"That's one serious high quality engineered and built tough as nails piece of hardware."

I would swear that you just described the typical &%-line modern ML :shocked2:

Look beyond the lock Grasshopper :bow:

 

[SDSmlf]

You just joined today. So if you don't mind my asking, how could you have been lurking and learning, if you have to register to read the posts?

Mr. Davis ”“ you do not have to be a member to read posts in the General Muzzleloading or Classified forums ”“ ”˜Classified Ads - Auctions Members may buy & sell - the public may purchase only’”¦. and while Keepontrying may not mind you asking how he could have been lurking and learning before registering, I do. Personally, I rarely post, just like to read and learn, but hate to see a new member called out on their first post.

Keepontrying ”“ Making the assumption you have a flint and not the percussion model (which I believe has a 1-48 twist vs the 1-28 in the percussion). The Firestorm is great gun to learn with and nearly impossible to damage (stainless steel and synthetic stock). For paper punching, stay with round balls and light loads (50 to 75 grains BP). Hunting whitetails, RB with somewhere between 75 and 100 grains of BP and anything inside of 100 yards is yours. I have found TC maxihunters and maxiballs very punishing to shoot and not always the most accurate out of the 1-48 barrel. Used my Firestorm (RB and 100 grains BP) last week to take two South Carolina whitetail does in the 50 to 60 yard range ”“ both fell within sight. Some do not care for the aesthetics of the Firestorm, but I prefer to save the fancy wood for the range where I do not have to worry about the briers, rain, blood, rocks, etc that my guns seem to gravitate towards while hunting ”“ and the Firestorm is as accurate as any sidelock, flint or percussion, that I own.

In general, as other have or will say, real black powder (2f main charge and 4f in the pan) and round balls. If you only want or care to use a single granulation of powder, 3f works great in the pan and as the main charge.

 

[nkbj]

Ditto Sir. So far I've seen the maxihunter requires a bunch of powder in a 1:48". Maybe I'm using so much now that the bullet is getting shorter. :shake:

 

[Keepontrying]

Yes Carl, I was out here for several days looking for information on loads as I have not been able to hit the broad side of a barn. Thanks for the warm welcome.