Smoke pole pepper test.

As I set here in the woods with my old side lock percussion cap muzzle loader I'm reminded why I don't hunt more often. My feet are cold and I can't be still and quiet. I don't have the patients to be a good hunter. My Android phone does allow for more entertainment than I had in past years. Too bad I can't type with my gloves on... Anyway, the pepper test: I bought my T/C Renegade used from a work acquaintance about 15 years ago for $80 well used and neglected. It was rusty in the bore and shot-out. I did my research and tried several load combinations none of which gave me the groupings that I was looking for until I tried sabot sleeves with 255gr .45s. Even then I was unsure of the proper amount of pyrodex until I found the pepper-smoke test. To perform through test there needs to be clean snow on the ground on a calm day. Load your rifle with as much powder as you feel appropriate and the projectile of your choice. Make sure your backstop is safe. Hold your rifle parallel to the ground about 1 inch above the snow and fire it. If it is expelling unburnt powder it will show in the snow as "pepper". If there is excessive "peppering" reduce your load and repeat until the peppering effect is barely noticeable. If all you get on the snow is gray smoke you may need to add to your load. I got smoke out of 80gr. In my test and peppering at 90. I shot a deer at 85gr. and was quite pleased with the effect that the 255gr XTP had on my kill. This is the only effective and fairly accurate load I have found for my wore out old ML.