Thompson Center Seneca

Picked up a Seneca in 45 caliber a while back. Anyone have any recommended loads? I have Googled around and it seems like the consensus is that the Seneca is rifled for round balls. Anybody have any suggestions?

Every Seneca I've seen had the standard TC 1:48" rate of twist. Although I've seen statements that some of the very early ones had a !:56" twist, I've never seen one like that.

Assuming a 1:48, you can shoot either round balls or full bore conicals like Maxi-Balls or Hornady Great Plains bullets. You might even try .45 caliber sabots to see how well they group. I had a 1:48 that shot 180 grain .40 caliber Hornady XTPs in Harvester 45/40 sabots quite well. With balls, you can go up to 90 grains of powder with no problems. With heavy conicals or sabots I wouldn't go over 70 grains or so in deference to the trim little stock.

Thanks. What powder do you recommend?

rifled for round ball. wow. my .45 side lock i shoot .440 round ball with .015 patch = .455 barrell is .450 & 6 grooves, at depth of .006 = .462 rifle, with 1-66 twist. .462 - .455 = .007 since its round less contact with barrel. Kentucky windage open sight free hand could get good grouping out at 50yrds. using Geox powder 45gr. FFFg tried the minni ball for the .45 not sure of its spec's, with the plastic wad ( if that's what its called, it was about same. Could hit a can. had shot several times at 100yrds an hit can, every one gets lucky. yours is a center fire can use newer powder. more fps. it does get confessing crunching numbers. i find limitation of me & go from their. my others can explain the high-tech, I got replaced by androids keep your head held high & your powder dry

I'm a fan of real black powder TX_LT, and pretty much use GOEX in all of my muzzleloaders. But it can be hard to find because many places stopped stocking it years ago when Homeland Security imposed onerous storage requirements.

Of the black powder subs, I'd recommend Pyrodex RS. It's a good powder and volume for volume will give higher velocities than real black. Also, it's available almost everywhere.

Some guys use Triple Seven with good results and you can try that also if you're so inclined. Though I personally am not a fan of T7 in caplock muzzleloaders.

Thanks! Hope to get a doe this year with it........

There is a load (no pun intended) in the TC manual. I too recommend using real blackpowder.

Shooting TC BP Guns Manual

last time looking for the GOEX mines older than dirt. ended up buying the T7 its all they had, think we chatted bout it in different post. always use measure with the GOEX. book at hose shows ta use different measure from the GOEX & Purodox or what ever its a subsatute, but not the T7 so havent use it on my .45 Kentuckies. experimented with the New Orleans Ace using less charge cleaner shooting. stay safe

Go with pyrodex and round balls. My hawken does a lot better with this vs conical.

have used it back in 80's but still like the GOEX & gonna try figure out a load with the T7 just don't wanna mess up my guns. ta most they nothen special but theirs a lot of memories centamental value best wishes ta all