T/C Seneca balls or sabots?

trolleytrout

I have a T/C Seneca. The barrel bore is not spiral, just ribs. I shot it for the first time today with Sabot SST 200gr, hit the target but not close to the bull and the hole that the lead made was oblong. Would a lead ball give me any better accuracy? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Greg

bull300wsm

I'm assuming it is a 45 cal and if it is it has a 1:48 twist rate. I would try the patched round balls as they show very good accuracy with this twist rate...Bull

allen griggs

Thompson Center recommends either the round ball or else the T/C Maxi Ball for the Seneca.

trolleytrout

Yes, its 45 cal.. There is no twist, just straight grooves

allen griggs

I am baffled by your remark. The Seneca is a rifle, as such, it has to have twist to the grooves.
Have you shined a bore light down the bore?

Another way to check, put a tight patch on your ramrod and push it down the bore, it should slowly spin as the cloth grips the rifling.

There are only two types of long guns, rifles and smooth bores.
So I can't imagine straight grooves.

trolleytrout

Here's a picture of the bore. Looks like a pistol bore but its my 45cal.

allen griggs

I know they look straight but, believe me, they do twist.

trolleytrout

ok, thank you Allen. I'll give the T/C Maxi Ball a try. Actualy I'll try both to see what gives a better pattern.
Thanks all for your responces. I knew I could find the answer here.
Happy Holiday
Greg

steve45

That rifle has a 1 turn in 48 inch twist. It will shoot round balls best. The better twist for sabots is 1 in 24 or 1 in 28 twist.

MUZZLESMOKE

I have a Seneca 45. I use 440 balls and .020 pillow ticking. Shoots well and has good grouping.

mbsams

What you're lookin' for is a nice tight group. Shotguns shoot paterns.

bentley47

I have a .45 Seneca. Tightly patched round balls group great. I played with conicals many years ago for a special hunt and they hit so far left that I didn't have enough sight correction to bring them back on target at 100 yards. I don't recall trying sabots.
If the hole was oblong, the bullet was tumbling - not stabilized by the slow twist.