That was Great ! Thank you. Going to be doing very similar testing myself. I purchased the Thor sizing kit. The federal bullet is on my list to try. I shot Blackhorn also and will experiment with loads. Have been shooting 100 grains by volume. Love testing / shooting .
I'm running Blackhorn as well and wanted to clarify something I've read. Blackhorn says 120grn by volume or 84grns by weight. Your running 87grns by weight which I just weighed and when you put it in the tube it comes out at about 122-125grns by volume. I think if you back down to 80-84 by weight you'll find better groups. Also when you pour that powder in the tube it settles so I've learned to cap it and just turn it upside down and then back and you will see the charge grow by volume. Be safe. Aim small miss small.
Great advice I agree those groups are not that good and a little less powder would tighten them up I'm shooting 80 grains by weight and a 250 grain! Barnes expander with a crush rib sabot by harvester and my group size is a inch or a pinch under at50 yds but where I hunt is close quarters
The copper bore loc is a beast hands down in my book. I've had no problems with them on many harvests. Furthest was 216yrds. Great video and good luck on future hunts
@@gregorywilson7568 This is eight months later, but for some reason my local Walmart got some of the coppers in at about $23.00 per card. I bought SEVERAL while I could get them. I have seen them in a couple of other places now, but at a much higher price.
I've always shot powerbelt but I only hunt whitetails. I wouldn't shoot a elk with my current combo 150gr of 777 50/50 and 270 powerbelt platinum. On deer it's devastating but it doesn't exit. I've shot deer from 20-180 yards and never get a exit wound. The bullet is just under the hair on the opposite side flattened like a quarter or in to many fragments to count. I've never had a issue finding the deer most of the time they don't go 50 yards.
I like the Federal 270. Because I have some. I wasn't planning on a late hunt with mine but It looks like that's how it's going to go. I'm glad I'm sorted out and can just go hunting. Good luck!
hi James! we have taken 2 elk and 2 black bears in Colorado! these bullets fly well and expand good too..... a very good choice from our experience! Happy Hunting
@@hammerfile9515 They did great for me yesterday. A big hole right where I was looking. I'm happy. If I could reload quicker I would have filled two tags at some distance. Fumbling with primers! Of course, thats completely on me.
No brained the copper federal borelock hands down. I use the black horn powder also, my charge equals 70 grains weight 110 grains volume. My groups are less than a inch and a half at 100. Thx for doing this comparison on the full size bullet options.
Awesome.... I’m doing the same thing this weekend trying out the hornady Great Plains, Thor’s and no excuses. Wondering if you have tried changing your powder load to see if it gets better or worse? Either way all these shots kill elk.
Hi Lance, I have not tried changing the power charge.... from others online to looked like the 87 grs of blackhorn was the ticket... the rifle does recoil heavy, but.....that will be the last thing I'm worried about in the moment of truth!! Good Luck and Happy Hunting!!
@@Macmathews1 hello Mac, 87 grains by weight is 115 grains by volume. thanks for your concern but max load by volume on blackhorn is 120 grains!! FYI happy hunting!
Great video, and nicely done analysis! It's going to be a challenge for you once you have to pull the scope to comply with those Western (Colorado ?) rules! But hopefully you'll be hunting early season and calling the bulls into you at close range. Good luck!
Ron, thanks for watching, Colorado is the place and early season is the game! we have taken 3 elk and 3 bears all under 75 yds, One elk with a Thor the rest with the copper bor lock! Happy hunting!
What's up man trying to find some of those Federal Bore Locs 270. Where have you had the best luck finding them? Heading to Colorado in a few weeks managed to get a muzzy tag off the re-issue list. Thanks
I'd like to try that Blackhorn 209 powder, but I can't see giving almost five bucks per ounce for powder. Maybe someday when things cool down the price will come back down to earth on it. I'm using the Firestar Tripple 7 pellets and quite happy with them actually. Much cleaner than the old Pyrodex for sure and cleanup is easy after shooting. I've got a dozen different kinds of bullets now and MY gun shoots best with the Hornaday SST'S in sabot, 250 or 300 grains. I like that Federal BOR Lockt bullet too and they are very accurate in my Optima V2 LR. They must just make one run of them per year though because they are out of stock everywhere right now.
@@MrNikkoz Yes, I saw it's gone from bad to worse. Less powder in the can, way higher price. As with the new Federal Firesticks, seem to be made for the wealthy hunter. lol. I mostly just target shoot. Hard to do that at five or six bucks per shot. Powder, bullet, and primer. Especially when you can buy a full pound of Tripple 7 or Pyrodex for around thirty bucks.
looks like if you had one less ounce of oomphf in you a couple of those bullets wouldn't have gotten seated. Consistency breeds accuracy, and I find it tough to believe there is consistent seating on those tough ones. My 2 cents
Hi FishinYakker..there was at least 10 mins between shots, between cleaning the barrel, reloading, checking the target, and messing with video camera..... but I would say that by the end of the range time the barrel would have had a bit of warmth in it! Thanks for watching, Happy Hunting
How was your hunt ? Honestly that's a horrible group for all those expensive bullets. When I lived in CO, 8 years in a row, all my shots were less than 40 yards for archery and muzzy season which is on during archery season. I shoot a TC Big Boar 58 with TC maxi hunter over 80 grs of Pyrodex. My barrel is 1:48 and shoots better group than those jacket bullets. Lots of people push bullets too fast, but as you know every gun is different. Good video 👍. I'm gonna try casting some hunting bullets, there are better choices out there that are better than these factory bullets. Idaho Lewis youtube channel really opened my eyes what these old TC guns can do. Hornady came out with a new bullet this year, same plastic bases.
ValcoBayrunner, the hunt went well, we took a cow elk at 75 yds and a bear at under 20 yds..... the BoreLock preformed very well! Thanks for watching, Happy Hunting
There are many options in the 50 call if you can use a sabot? Some places you can't. Moste 50 cal sabots mic at .454. My 45 colt, 460 s&w, as well as my 454 casual are all .454. If you get my drift.
Sorry Hammer but those groups would be completely unacceptable for me. I tried Thor bullets. The sample pack said .501 was what I needed but they were almost as hard to load as what your .503’s were and I am not interested in using anything that is that hard to load or what is completely impossible for my wife to load. also agree that you need a bullet starter rather than trying to break your ramrod by starting with full length ramrod. I love BH209 and have been using it for years, but you are exceeding safe practices by loading 87 grains by weight, and as others have mentioned, you would likely get much better accuracy by shooting lighter loads. I shoot 70 grains by weight in both of my muzzle loaders and get sub MOA groups at 100 yards with either complete pass throughs or with bullet coming to rest against the hide on the far side on 300# Canadian deer at 100 yards. While it is nice that you have bee successful with what you are doing, you can do better (and safer) by experimenting with lighter loads - trust me, you do not need 87 grains of BH209, or bullets that take 2 men and a boy to seat.
Thompson center makes awesome rifles especially the ones that were made before Smith and Wesson bought out the company. one thing though about the Thompson center rifles is the QLA a lot of times it’s not centered on the muzzle wich makes for uneven gas pressure when the bullet leaves the barrel and they don’t shoot fullbore bullets very well because of this...I myself own five Thompson centers that came with the QLA on them only, one of them would shoot fullbore bullets decently. 2-3” groups...I have since then had the QLA cut off and recrowned the barrel..after that my groups were cut in half when shooting sabotless loads. Just something to think about since your state doesn’t allow sabots
I have heard this before. My early TC shoots them pretty well. I m tempted to take the Qla out but not sure if I will gain much. Plus its tuff finding a qualified Gunsmith. You did your cuts?
@@tz444 yes I cut mine myself..wasn’t an easy task but I made due..I used a pipe/tubing cutter to make a nice square line then followed it with a hack saw and a fine tooth blade..then to get the crown I used a round sanding ball on a dremel tool..then to finish it off I used a file followed by sand paper going to a finer cut each time til it was smooth and polished..then I reblued it
That's terrible grouping across the board. Especially at 75yards. Not sure if it's the shooter or what but wow. I'm not walking into the woods with a gun grouping that terrible at 75yards
Good luck finding Blackhorn these days. I swear dudes are tracking the truck shipment on GPS or something. If you do get lucky it's double the price and I for one ain't payin it. 777 it is
Friend that is horrible accuracy. I had the 350 BOR Locks basically in the same hole @ 50 yards and easily under MOA @ 100 yds. Load was 100 gr V Alliant Black MZ. Lower your charge and I bet you do better.
Hey Bentley, Over the last 3 years we have taken 3 elk and 2 bears with the Federal B.O.R loc and 1 elk with a Thor... all have preformed very well! Happy Hunting! thanks for watching!
I know what I would do, get rid of that TC, and get me a CVA V2 LR, so I could shoot, 2.25" groups @ 200yds with the Federal Bore-Lok 270gr bullets & load a full mag charge of powder & get the MOST & BEST out of my bullet..... Those TC, used to be the BIG THING for accuracy but those CVA V2 LR's just plain out shoot them hands down................
@@hammerfile9515 I have 4 T/C's - I'm not knocking them at all - just POINTING OUT HOW MUCH ""BETTER"" the CVA rifles shoot,,,try one & you to will see a big ""BIG"" difference...happy hunting.
@@jerrywelch1370 I have both which are very good but my new CVA LR with full powder loads shoot 1.4 inch groups ay 200 yards with the white hots. great video!
Your results are similar to mine. Those groups are about what I get with BH209. You switch to Pyrodex and your groups will improve. I would almost guarantee it.
Honestly IMO you're shooting too much powder. I would bet if you dropped down to 70 gr (Wt) your accuracy will improve and you won't beat yourself up so bad.
.503.... 87gr.... its really not that deep..... grab some bulk slugs get some pyrodex pellets. Drop 2 pellets down the barrel and send it. and judging by how hard you had to push on the rod to get the slugs down the barrel id say its not really a 503
Very helpful! Thank you for posting this! I agree with the previous comments, no BS or small talk... just good information! Well worth the watch!
Great video! Thank you providing all the info and testing!
That was Great ! Thank you. Going to be doing very similar testing myself. I purchased the Thor sizing kit. The federal bullet is on my list to try. I shot Blackhorn also and will experiment with loads. Have been shooting 100 grains by volume. Love testing / shooting .
I'm running Blackhorn as well and wanted to clarify something I've read. Blackhorn says 120grn by volume or 84grns by weight. Your running 87grns by weight which I just weighed and when you put it in the tube it comes out at about 122-125grns by volume. I think if you back down to 80-84 by weight you'll find better groups. Also when you pour that powder in the tube it settles so I've learned to cap it and just turn it upside down and then back and you will see the charge grow by volume.
Be safe. Aim small miss small.
84 grains is in my BLACKHORN 209 info also. Those groups are not that good for a muzzle loader.
Always weigh the powder,, Why go 1918 in technology,,(by volume) when the powder can be weighed for the best result.
Great advice I agree those groups are not that good and a little less powder would tighten them up I'm shooting 80 grains by weight and a 250 grain! Barnes expander with a crush rib sabot by harvester and my group size is a inch or a pinch under at50 yds but where I hunt is close quarters
Weight vs volume on Blackhorn can change by lot #
The copper bore loc is a beast hands down in my book. I've had no problems with them on many harvests. Furthest was 216yrds. Great video and good luck on future hunts
I have used them with no problems. The only problem is to find them. I'm down to 5 bullets.
@@gregorywilson7568 I hear that
@@gregorywilson7568 This is eight months later, but for some reason my local Walmart got some of the coppers in at about $23.00 per card. I bought SEVERAL while I could get them. I have seen them in a couple of other places now, but at a much higher price.
very good video. No blabla, no nerve-wrecking music, 👍. For me it looks like the Fury did keyhole, at least two of them
Try using a bullet starter, it makes loading easier.
Great review. Short and to the point.
I've always shot powerbelt but I only hunt whitetails. I wouldn't shoot a elk with my current combo 150gr of 777 50/50 and 270 powerbelt platinum. On deer it's devastating but it doesn't exit. I've shot deer from 20-180 yards and never get a exit wound. The bullet is just under the hair on the opposite side flattened like a quarter or in to many fragments to count. I've never had a issue finding the deer most of the time they don't go 50 yards.
Good results. Appreciate the experience & data.
I like the Federal 270. Because I have some. I wasn't planning on a late hunt with mine but It looks like that's how it's going to go. I'm glad I'm sorted out and can just go hunting. Good luck!
hi James! we have taken 2 elk and 2 black bears in Colorado! these bullets fly well and expand good too..... a very good choice from our experience! Happy Hunting
@@hammerfile9515 They did great for me yesterday. A big hole right where I was looking. I'm happy. If I could reload quicker I would have filled two tags at some distance. Fumbling with primers! Of course, thats completely on me.
@@jamesjahoda1613 congrats
A very informative video. Thank you.
503 looks very tight for your gun.....mayb go w/ 502 so u can load a 2nd shot if u have 2
No brained the copper federal borelock hands down. I use the black horn powder also, my charge equals 70 grains weight 110 grains volume. My groups are less than a inch and a half at 100. Thx for doing this comparison on the full size bullet options.
HAHAHAHA, loved the video man. Plain and simple, no BS
Thank You 👍 And Have A Happy And Safe Hunt
Thanks for the video,nicely done!!!
You need to push the wad on top of powder first by it self . Do it slow so it doesn’t twist in the barrel then load the bullet .
Awesome.... I’m doing the same thing this weekend trying out the hornady Great Plains, Thor’s and no excuses. Wondering if you have tried changing your powder load to see if it gets better or worse? Either way all these shots kill elk.
Hi Lance, I have not tried changing the power charge.... from others online to looked like the 87 grs of blackhorn was the ticket... the rifle does recoil heavy, but.....that will be the last thing I'm worried about in the moment of truth!! Good Luck and Happy Hunting!!
@@hammerfile9515 87 grains by weight blackhorn 209 is WAY over max charge BTW ! When you consider bullet weight especially
@@Macmathews1 hello Mac, 87 grains by weight is 115 grains by volume. thanks for your concern but max load by volume on blackhorn is 120 grains!! FYI
happy hunting!
@@hammerfile9515 FYI - 84 grains by weight is 120 by volume.. Not sure where you got your info BUT it is incorrect
@@Macmathews1Thanks Mac.. you measure yours and I'll measure mine!! Happy Hunting
Great video, and nicely done analysis! It's going to be a challenge for you once you have to pull the scope to comply with those Western (Colorado ?) rules! But hopefully you'll be hunting early season and calling the bulls into you at close range. Good luck!
Ron, thanks for watching, Colorado is the place and early season is the game! we have taken 3 elk and 3 bears all under 75 yds, One elk with a Thor the rest with the copper bor lock! Happy hunting!
Awesome video. Like to see more
What's up man trying to find some of those Federal Bore Locs 270. Where have you had the best luck finding them? Heading to Colorado in a few weeks managed to get a muzzy tag off the re-issue list. Thanks
Hi Troy, Scheels had them earlier this year! good luck finding them, and good luck in Colorado!
I'd like to try that Blackhorn 209 powder, but I can't see giving almost five bucks per ounce for powder. Maybe someday when things cool down the price will come back down to earth on it. I'm using the Firestar Tripple 7 pellets and quite happy with them actually. Much cleaner than the old Pyrodex for sure and cleanup is easy after shooting. I've got a dozen different kinds of bullets now and MY gun shoots best with the Hornaday SST'S in sabot, 250 or 300 grains. I like that Federal BOR Lockt bullet too and they are very accurate in my Optima V2 LR. They must just make one run of them per year though because they are out of stock everywhere right now.
It is $10 per ounce now.
@@MrNikkoz Yes, I saw it's gone from bad to worse. Less powder in the can, way higher price. As with the new Federal Firesticks, seem to be made for the wealthy hunter. lol. I mostly just target shoot. Hard to do that at five or six bucks per shot. Powder, bullet, and primer. Especially when you can buy a full pound of Tripple 7 or Pyrodex for around thirty bucks.
looks like if you had one less ounce of oomphf in you a couple of those bullets wouldn't have gotten seated. Consistency breeds accuracy, and I find it tough to believe there is consistent seating on those tough ones. My 2 cents
so do you get you bull?
How long between shots did you wait? Was the barrel cold for each shot?
Hi FishinYakker..there was at least 10 mins between shots, between cleaning the barrel, reloading, checking the target, and messing with video camera..... but I would say that by the end of the range time the barrel would have had a bit of warmth in it! Thanks for watching, Happy Hunting
Great vid!!
Those are nice results
How was your hunt ? Honestly that's a horrible group for all those expensive bullets. When I lived in CO, 8 years in a row, all my shots were less than 40 yards for archery and muzzy season which is on during archery season. I shoot a TC Big Boar 58 with TC maxi hunter over 80 grs of Pyrodex. My barrel is 1:48 and shoots better group than those jacket bullets. Lots of people push bullets too fast, but as you know every gun is different. Good video 👍. I'm gonna try casting some hunting bullets, there are better choices out there that are better than these factory bullets. Idaho Lewis youtube channel really opened my eyes what these old TC guns can do. Hornady came out with a new bullet this year, same plastic bases.
ValcoBayrunner, the hunt went well, we took a cow elk at 75 yds and a bear at under 20 yds..... the BoreLock preformed very well! Thanks for watching, Happy Hunting
There are many options in the 50 call if you can use a sabot? Some places you can't. Moste 50 cal sabots mic at .454. My 45 colt, 460 s&w, as well as my 454 casual are all .454. If you get my drift.
If you want to go copper use Lehigh Defense they have great choices from .40 to 50 cal if you know how to use sabots.
Use a short starter if your bullets are that tight. You don't want to break your ramrod on a hunt.
All good information. I would do a penetration test to see which one makes the cut. They all seem to group well enough.
wait', no powerbelts? Lol I like the thor and federal bore lock
Hi Dennis, I have taken elk with both the thor and copper federal bor lok.... both are excellent choices! Happy Hunting
Sorry Hammer but those groups would be completely unacceptable for me. I tried Thor bullets. The sample pack said .501 was what I needed but they were almost as hard to load as what your .503’s were and I am not interested in using anything that is that hard to load or what is completely impossible for my wife to load. also agree that you need a bullet starter rather than trying to break your ramrod by starting with full length ramrod. I love BH209 and have been using it for years, but you are exceeding safe practices by loading 87 grains by weight, and as others have mentioned, you would likely get much better accuracy by shooting lighter loads. I shoot 70 grains by weight in both of my muzzle loaders and get sub MOA groups at 100 yards with either complete pass throughs or with bullet coming to rest against the hide on the far side on 300# Canadian deer at 100 yards. While it is nice that you have bee successful with what you are doing, you can do better (and safer) by experimenting with lighter loads - trust me, you do not need 87 grains of BH209, or bullets that take 2 men and a boy to seat.
Color at the end is sabot color
Whitehots are the way to go. Burn faster cleaner and give you a more accurate shot.
Nice👍👍👍
Thompson center makes awesome rifles especially the ones that were made before Smith and Wesson bought out the company. one thing though about the Thompson center rifles is the QLA a lot of times it’s not centered on the muzzle wich makes for uneven gas pressure when the bullet leaves the barrel and they don’t shoot fullbore bullets very well because of this...I myself own five Thompson centers that came with the QLA on them only, one of them would shoot fullbore bullets decently. 2-3” groups...I have since then had the QLA cut off and recrowned the barrel..after that my groups were cut in half when shooting sabotless loads. Just something to think about since your state doesn’t allow sabots
I have heard this before. My early TC shoots them pretty well. I m tempted to take the Qla out but not sure if I will gain much. Plus its tuff finding a qualified Gunsmith. You did your cuts?
@@tz444 yes I cut mine myself..wasn’t an easy task but I made due..I used a pipe/tubing cutter to make a nice square line then followed it with a hack saw and a fine tooth blade..then to get the crown I used a round sanding ball on a dremel tool..then to finish it off I used a file followed by sand paper going to a finer cut each time til it was smooth and polished..then I reblued it
That's terrible grouping across the board. Especially at 75yards. Not sure if it's the shooter or what but wow. I'm not walking into the woods with a gun grouping that terrible at 75yards
Good luck finding Blackhorn these days. I swear dudes are tracking the truck shipment on GPS or something. If you do get lucky it's double the price and I for one ain't payin it. 777 it is
Friend that is horrible accuracy. I had the 350 BOR Locks basically in the same hole @ 50 yards and easily under MOA @ 100 yds. Load was 100 gr V Alliant Black MZ. Lower your charge and I bet you do better.
Tight in the beginning!! That's what a short starter is for, be terrible go all that way and break your ramrod out on the hunt.
oo cant shoot sabots dang soo many regulation variations between states
SO YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WITCH ONE TO USE IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING ????
Hey Bentley, Over the last 3 years we have taken 3 elk and 2 bears with the Federal B.O.R loc and 1 elk with a Thor... all have preformed very well! Happy Hunting! thanks for watching!
I know what I would do, get rid of that TC, and get me a CVA V2 LR, so I could shoot, 2.25" groups @ 200yds with the Federal Bore-Lok 270gr bullets & load a full mag charge of powder & get the MOST & BEST out of my bullet.....
Those TC, used to be the BIG THING for accuracy but those CVA V2 LR's just plain out shoot them hands down................
Jerry, Thanks for watching..... You can have your CVA, I'm keeping my original T/C..... HANDS DOWN...... Happy Hunting
@@hammerfile9515 I have 4 T/C's - I'm not knocking them at all - just POINTING OUT HOW MUCH ""BETTER"" the CVA rifles shoot,,,try one & you to will see a big ""BIG"" difference...happy hunting.
@@jerrywelch1370 I have both which are very good but my new CVA LR with full powder loads shoot 1.4 inch groups ay 200 yards with the white hots. great video!
Your results are similar to mine. Those groups are about what I get with BH209. You switch to Pyrodex and your groups will improve. I would almost guarantee it.
it's not sabot it's pronounced sa-bo! guess what? those might load just a little bit easier with a short starter?
Thanks for test not opinion
Honestly IMO you're shooting too much powder. I would bet if you dropped down to 70 gr (Wt) your accuracy will improve and you won't beat yourself up so bad.
Good grief. Use your short starter
Nice video but it's not pronounced SAY BOT it's saˈbō/. It's french and the "t" is silent.
I would really enjoy it if you muzzleloader hunters from out east wouldn’t come out here and shoot us elk bow hunters!!!! Thanks for that this year!!!
I use:
PowerBelt AeroLite Aerotip Bullet 300 Grain AC1552AT
PowerBelt AeroLite Aerotip Bullet 250 Grain AC1550AT
PowerBelt AeroTip Bullet Copper Plated 295 Grain AC1595AT
PowerBelt Copper Plated Hollow Point Bullet 295 Grain AC1595
PowerBelt Copper Plated Hollow Point Bullet 245 Grain AC1589
Lehigh Defense Bullets (458 Diameter) 380 Grain Solid Copper Wide Flat Nose Black
Lehigh Defense Bullets (452 Diameter) 300 Grain Solid Copper Wide Flat Nose Black
Lehigh Defense Bullets 45 Caliber (451 Diameter) 230 Grain .451 caliber, 265 grain Wide Flat Nose Black
Montana Bullet Works 45 Colt, LBT, 250gr, WFN-PB .451 Grain Black
Montana Bullet Works 45 ACP, LBT, 230gr, LFN-PB .451 Grain Black
Montana Bullet Works 45 ACP, LBT, 200gr, SWC-PB .451 Grain Black
Thompson Center Cheap Shot Sabot 50 Caliber with 240 Grain Lead Hollow Point Black
LeHigh Defense Controlled Fracturing 44 Caliber (429 Diameter) 330 Grain Subsonic Green
Lehigh Defense Bullets 44 Caliber (429 Diameter) 265 Grain Wide Flat Nose Lead-Free Bullets Green
Montana Bullet Works 44 Mag, LBT, 330gr, WFN-PB .430 Grain Green
Lehigh Defense Bullets (.400 Diameter) Controlled Fracturing Muzzleloader 195gr Bullet Blue
Lehigh Defense Bullets (.400 Diameter) Wide Flat Nose 190gr Bullet Blue
.503.... 87gr.... its really not that deep..... grab some bulk slugs get some pyrodex pellets. Drop 2 pellets down the barrel and send it. and judging by how hard you had to push on the rod to get the slugs down the barrel id say its not really a 503