I was at a gun auction last week and just couldn't pass up an unfired T/C Omega in stainless/realtree camo with a 3x9 Pineridge (Cabelas) scope, mounts and sling for $310. I may swap out the scope for a Leupold M8x4 scope that I have. I'm an experienced reloader, but this is my first muzzleloader so I'm hoping for some guidance from the more experienced folks on this forum. This gun will be used strickly for Whitetail deer hunting. Where I hunt my shots won't be over 100 yds. with most being less. Here are my questions:

1. Anyone have any experience with the Pineridge scopes? Just wondering if they are any good or should I just go with the Leupold?

2. What projectiles would you guys recommend for deer? I done some online research and saw mixed reviews on the 250 Gr. T/C Shockwave bullets. Everyone says they are accurate, but quite a few posters stated that they didn't get any expansion on deer. Another option would be the Hornady SST muzzleloaed bullet. I was thinking about the 250 gr. version but have seen posts where guys have experienced violent expansion and not much penetration with this bullet and are recommending the 300 gr. instead. Anyone have any experience with either of these Hornadys? Another option would be 240 Gr. 44 Caliber XTP bullets from Hornady. I have some of these bullets that I used in my 44 mag. handgun with good results on deer. If I go this route, what sabot would you guys recommend?

3. I'm going to use one of the black powder subsitutes and am looking for recommendations. Pellets would certainly be convenient, but I wouldn't rule out loose powder. I've read good things about Blackhorn 209 and would like to know if it's a good as the manufacturer claims. Is clean up as easy as the manufacturer states? Does it warrant the increased cost over triple 7 or Pyrodex? It sells for around $30 for a 10 oz. bottle in my area.

4. How do you guys clean up your guns when shooting one of the substitutes? I've heard of using Windex, special black powder solvents or plain old hot water. On the website for Blackhorn 209 they recommend petroleum based solvents. Just like cleaning a smokeless rifle. Any recommendations?

5. How do you clean the torch hole (the small hole in the bore end of the breech plug)? I was thinking of soaking in solvent then running a small diameter piece of wire or possibly monofiliment fishing line through the hole. The Blackhorn folks recommend using a .125 diameter drill bit, turned by hand, to clean the primer end of the breech plug.

6. What brand of primers are recommended? I noticed on the Blackhorn website that they specifically recommended not to use special muzzleloading primers. I have CCI, Winchester and older Federal 209's (not the 209A). If I went with something like triple 7 or pyrodex is there an advantage to using the special muzzleloader primers?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

From my personal experience I would steer clear of the .44 xtp bullets. I've had a couple of expansion problems with them and won't use them again. Shooting elk under a 100 yards with 150 grains of Pyrodex pellets and they failed to mushroom both times. Have shot everything from antelope to elk with Powerbelt platinum bullets in 270 grain. Have never had a failure shooting from 100 grains to 150 grains powder. They are easy to load and the SST are difficult to load in my encore. Thor makes an excellent all copper bullet that I plan on trying soon. A couple friends are using them with good results. I use a citrus base solvent from Cabelas for cleaning. Solvent, cotton swabs, and a nipple pick are all I use to clean the flash hole in the breach plug.

We put a Cabelas Pineridge on one of my boys slug gun when we lived back east. I can not say anything wrong about the scope, it took the pounding handed out from shooting 12 gauge slugs just fine. His is lower power than yours. Don't have any long term experience as we have migrated west, used it for about 6 or 7 years and a fair amount of range time. As for my personal, long term choice: I like and have great success with Leupolds.I have or had Weavers, Simmons Whitetail Classic, Cabelas, Burris & Leupold.

I have a TC Omega and can highly recommend the all copper Thor bullets for elk and deer. Guaranteed 100% weight retention and deep penetration.

http://thorbullets.com/

I just picked up some Blackhorn 209 from my local gun shop and ordered some 250 Gr. Hornady bullets and Sabots. Cabelas is having a free shipping with no minimum order special right now so it's easy to order different bullets to try. I'll use them for sighting in and see how they group. If they don't work I'll try something else. I won't be hunting anything but Whitetails with the Omega.

I am not a black powder expert but the current Hodgdon reloading catalog has an article about the development of different black powder substitues and which 209 primers to use.

I have used nearly all of the available BP substitutes, but I now use only Blackhorn 209 for hunting. I shoot a 50 cal Omega for most of my hunting. It burns so clean that I can easily shoot many (20-30) with NO cleaning. The last shot loads the same as the first, and I get 2 inch groups with nearly any of the common sabot/bullet combinations. However, there are some limitations I should mention.
Blackhorn needs resistance from the projectile to burn properly. In my experience Powerbelts and bore size lead bullets do not give enough resistance for it to burn properly, giving erratic ignition and zero accuracy. With a fairly tight sabot/bullet it shoots very consistently and accurately. I use from 80 to 100gr BY VOLUME measure depending on what the particular rifle likes. I like Crush- rib sabots because they are a bit easier to load, but I have not really had any problem with any brand of sabot.
I have followed the manufacturers recommendation and used only full strength 209 primers, either federal or winchester, NOT the low power primers meant for the other BP substitutes.
I have mostly used 300 gr. projectiles, but I recently tried 250 gr bullets and really liked the accuracy and much less recoil.
Hope this helps.
Tim

Well I finally got to the range yesterday. For once we had a day when the weather wasn't 95 degrees with high humidity. I shot Hornady 250 gr. ML/SST bullets with the Hornady red sbots. Load was 77 Gr., by weight, which correlates to 110 Gr., by volume, of Blackhorn 209 sparked by a Federal 209 (old sbyle 209's not the newer 209A). Since I'm an avid reloader, I weighed each powder charge for consistency sake.

The gun shot good. After sighting in, groups ran about 1.5 inches @ 100 yds. I'm sure that accuracy will be fine for Whitetails. I'll give the Hornady 300 gr. version of this bullet a try as well.

Its very hard to find fault with BH209 powder. Cleanest burning BP substitute available. I use Federal 209A primers. The BEST bullet I have shot is the Parker Ballistic Extreme 275 grain. They are extremely accurate & devastating on game. Bob Parker has a web site, take a look, you'll be impressed. Give Ol' Bob Parker a call, he'll chat with you.

One other thing, use a .035 drill, (I think its a #65) and drill out the hole in the breech plug, they come form the factory at .028. More flame & better ignition. 1/8" drill bit will clean out the primer end.