# New BP owner here - TC Renegade 50cal - where to get supplies?



## Southern Bamboo (Sep 1, 2012)

Howdy all, new BP owner here.

Hope to shoot and hunt this baby a bit.  I'm in NE Gwinnett (Buford/Hamilton Mill area), where's a good place to get supplies - BP, wads, balls/bullets?

Any local BP clubs/groups/get togethers I should know about?

I'm off to read smokepoling 101.  I didn't get a manual, so I'll be surfing and asking some ?'s.

In the meantime, here's the details - bought used, never fired, from a guy working at a new gun store here in Dacula - Big Gun Armory.  $125.  I think I did well.  It's a sweet old Renegade w/ set trigger.  Case coloring looks great.  Pics below.  












Somebody's taking an interest!






I'm assuming Wilson Shoals is the place to go sight her in, any other good BP ranges in the Gwinnett/Jackson/Barrow area?

Thanks

SB


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## Lorren68 (Sep 1, 2012)

ya done good pilgrim!   The best place to order ball and patches as well as other necessaties is track of the wolf (on line) Black powder can be a pain to find localy, Deer Creek sporting goods in marrietta carries it or order of the net in case quantities.  I shoot a T/C Hawken 50 cal and I love it, my friend Mike Markey ( A builder of fine flintlocks) and I shoot regulary at cohutta WMA shooting range if you get up this way join us.


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## georgia_home (Sep 1, 2012)

Bass pro is right down the road. 

Dicks and academy are close. Any of the 3 will have the basics, and maybe more. Bps may cost a bit more but should have everything.


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## Redleaf (Sep 1, 2012)

Try some .495 balls and .015 patches.  I fooled with one just like yours not long ago and we tried .490's and .495's with several different patch cloths and that combination worked best.  It shot plenty good enough to make 100yd shots if the shooter was up to it.  You might ought to order a new nipple as long as you're at it too.


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 1, 2012)

Give me a shout when you ready to hit the range sir I'll go and try to help you out all I can.

You done very well... Well except it aint a flintlock but we can work on that bit later.

Bass Pro has everything you need. Do not let them tell you to use Pyrodex. They do have real black powder but you have to ask for it as it will be in the magazine in the back not on a shelf. The norm is to use 3f under 50 cal and 2f for 50 cal and above BUT many find that their rifle prefers 3f well above 50 caliber. I prefer 3f myself.

Good starting load is 50 grains of powder, round ball in a 0.015 patch. You can use the pre greased ones or grease your own. (I have used the pre greased ones without issue BUT it has been said that they are to greasey and not as accurate as is possible) Some people swear by a dry lube made with a water soluable machine cutting oil. 

Some people will tell you not to use bore butter. For certain do not believe the junk about seasoning your barrel. It was true that you could season a barrel way back in the day when the barrels were made with iron but todays barrels are steel and wont take a season. Fact of the matter crisco or lard or bear grease even bacon grease is perfectly fine for a lube. I have used crisco before whe I had nothing else and bore butter is basically crisco with a scent. I have no problems with the bore butter myself.

Clean the thing with soap n water.. couple drops of dishwasing liquid such as Dawn in warm water is fine.. some like HOT water and some who have tried hot water find they get some flash rusting.

Don't expect it to be awesome accurate right off the bat. Chances are the rifling is shrp and will need to be lapped or just shot to smooth out before it gets as accurate as it can be. That said everyone I have ever shot as been plenty accurate right out of the box.


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## mmarkey (Sep 2, 2012)

Welcome SB. You've taken a step towards the dark side. I think you got one H... of a deal! Like previously said "too bad it wasn't flintlock" but again you can work on that.
Like KLorren68 said we shoot pretty regular at Cohutta. It's a hike for you, but you're welcome to join us any time. 

I am a member at Blueridge Mountain Men in Bruster, great bunch of guys and closer to you than me, I live in Woodstock. 

Since you're shooting caps, condolences, but you can use BP Substitutes if you choose. Black powder is still best if available. Patch lube for the range, Spit is still one of the best and cheapest, I would keep oil or grease lubes for hunting, my opinion.

You should be able to get an owners manual for your new rifle on-line. Go to TC site. They have a great warrantee, ask KLorren68.

Good luck with your new rifle and go make some smoke.


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## SASS249 (Sep 2, 2012)

tv_racin_fan said:


> Give me a shout when you ready to hit the range sir I'll go and try to help you out all I can.
> 
> You done very well... Well except it aint a flintlock but we can work on that bit later.
> 
> ...



x2 on all the above, dead on good advice.  I would add that you nee to get yourself:

a good cleaning jag

a ball puller (there are two type of muzzleloading shooters, those who have seated a ball without powder and those who will)

most important a GOOD bench rod.  For loading at the range and cleaning a bench rod is really a good investment.  Use the ramtod you got with the rifle for loading in the field but a bench rod will make your life much simpler.


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## Desert Rat (Sep 2, 2012)

Pyrodex RS is available at our local Wal-Mart. Sometimes they even have patches and cleaning patches.
They have a nice clear adjustable powder measure from TC. My son likes his.
A powder flask is mandatory. It's part of the "cool" factor of muzzleloaders that the in-line guys don't get to enjoy.
My son and I both have cap holders that hold 14 percussion caps.
I once put a CVA nipple in my TC Hawken .45. I had a lot of misfires. I saw TC and CVA nipples side-by-side and immediately saw the problem. The CVA is shorter with a smaller hole. Since going back to the TC I've had far fewer misfires.
Like SASS said, get another rod. I use the wood under-barrel rod only for ramming the ball, after using a ball starter. I have another plastic rod that is my utility rod for cleaning, ball pulling, etc.
Get a big round ball starter. The bigger the better.
For myself, I have discovered that an M-16 ammo pouch will carry the powder flask and ball starter in the grenade loops and the round in the pouch. I also have a .30 cal pouch on the other side for my ptaches, powder measure and cap holder. It keeps everything neat and convenient.

Eventually, you'll have to make up your own mind about how your gun needs cleaning. Mine likes very hot water and a swab of bore butter. I started with a used and abused gun. It took several months to get it right and figure out what it wants. I used to have to clean it between every shot. Now I can shoot Pyrodex all day without cleaning. I haven't tried GOEX lately. That's for next trip.


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## Southern Bamboo (Sep 3, 2012)

*Thanks Guys!*

I'm off to the store.  Went by Bass Pro yesterday, they have BP and the others.  Going back today, after a quick stop at WalMart to see what they've got.

I'm sure this is just the first, I want to add some flintlocks (Love the Kentucky rifles, I want a .32 for small game and something for larger game).

I also will add an 1851 .36 cal and maybe an 1860 .44 cal Colt repro for pistols.  Just love the look of those.

Thanks again!

Southern Bamboo...


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## guitarzan (Sep 3, 2012)

Here is a link to the Blue Ridge Mountain Men website.  Got a match coming up on Sept 15.   We have a range dedicated to muzzleloading.  Great group of people who will help you get started right.

http://www.blueridgemountainmen.org/


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## Desert Rat (Sep 3, 2012)

Southern Bamboo said:


> I also will add an 1851 .36 cal and maybe an 1860 .44 cal Colt repro for pistols.  Just love the look of those.
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> Southern Bamboo...



My son and a couple of forum members have the Pietta 1858 Remington New Model Army .44 repilcas. They are usually priced right, loads of fun and crazy accurate. Plus, they make the coolest noise on the range. That sound and the big cloud of smoke gets a lot of people interested.


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## Bonaire-Dave (Sep 4, 2012)

Probably any Walmart outside of Metro Atl will have some basic BP supplies. Dave


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## tcward (Sep 4, 2012)

guitarzan said:


> Here is a link to the Blue Ridge Mountain Men website.  Got a match coming up on Sept 15.   We have a range dedicated to muzzleloading.  Great group of people who will help you get started right.
> 
> http://www.blueridgemountainmen.org/



I shot with this club several years back with the likes of Ivan Boggs and Charlie Whiteside! Great group of people and great fun! Gonna come back one of these days!


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