I just might be getting the hang of this.

[Kingcreek]

Well after some experimentation and a couple rookie mistakes, I am finding some things that work. My groups have shrunk from 6-9" down to 2".
Blackhorn209 powder is working better than the triple 7 I started with and I'm getting good groups with power belt 245s in my .50 cal disc rifle. I'm up to 110 gr and going to go up a little more and see what happens. I need to try some of the other bullets with the BH209 and see how much of it is powder vs bullet.
My mistakes were harmless ones, got a patch and jag stuck and lost the jag from the rod once. Thanks to the genius that invented removable inline breech plugs I was able to get it out that way. The other rookie mistake was ramming a bullet down the tube before I realized that I hadn't put powder in. Again, thanks to the genius I could pull the breech plug and push it out the front.
I'm really having fun with this black powder stuff and looking forward to killing a big Illinois whitetail in a few weeks. I just have to dial in the right load combination and get all the misses out of it by then.
Thanks to you folks for all your help!

[sourdough44]

I'll be down in IL for the opener with my Knight SS Disc Elite, looking fwd to it. 120 grains of B209 is the usual max for your gun, I've even backed off that just a bit lately. I'm still shootin through a supply of 250 & 300 grn SSTs I bought on clearance a while back. I would mix & match a little, always mixed reports on those power-belts.

If you don't have the 'Lehigh style' non-plastic jacket breech plug yet I'd look to that. It leaves the bolt area much cleaner after shooting.

[GMB54-120]

I would back off on the BH209 alot if you plan on using a 245gr Powderbelt for hunting. Ive shot the 45-300gr PB Plat in my Elite 45 and it was coming apart with only 100gr. That one is tougher than a 245gr 50cal PB and has much better sectional density. That 245gr PB load is a pancake waiting to be flipped. You would be better off with a 45cal 250gr sabotted load if you want to shoot lighter bullets and you would save a lot of money on projectiles.

[Kingcreek]

Thanks for all the help. I really need some dry weather on a couple of my few days off. I haven't been able to get back to it.