The issue is not the twist rate in the TC rifle. Many old guns, now 180 to 240 years old had "a turn in 4 feet" twist. I have made many barrels that were one-holers" with a 1-48 twist.
The issue with the TC barrels is that they are rifled to take bullet and not specifically made to take the cloth of a patch. The rifling in them is about .004" deep. A barrel cut just for a cloth patch is from .008 to .014 deep. and the very best 'ball rifling" is made with lands that are narrow enough to grab and leaves the grooves more open, to load easier and collect less fouling. Enfield rifling like what TC used was made from the inception to engage metal to metal, steel to lead or steel to copper.
But loaded with a patch and ball combination that holds into the somewhat shallow riffling of the TC barrels, they can be super accurate. You just have to do some load work. That's all. In every case I have seen in 50 years of making and using muzzleloaders the patch is the issue. You can use .530" or .535" balls and do well, but you NEED to get a patch that fits both barrel and ball. Once you do that, the TC Hawken is as accurate an any muzzleloader made.
Last edited by szihn; 07/28/21.
