Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders T/C Hawken .50cal accuracy load

What bullet/powder/charge/cap have you had the best accuracy with? Tried maxi balls and round balls with ffg and musket caps. Nothing earth shattering yet. Not really sure what to expect. Bore is in good shape.

I always used 100 gr of FFG with a 370gr maxiball or 80 grains with a round ball. CCI percussion caps. Those Hawkins tend to wear out barrels pretty fast.I am on my third one since 1976. Mine would usually average better than 3" at 100, but my eyes are not all that good

IIRC, TC's accuracy load recommendation was 80gr of FF with Maxi balls, 70gr with PRBs. I've gotten good hunting accuracy with 80-90gr of FF or 777 in several 1-48" TCs with Power Belt and Hornady FPBs. Even sabotted 250gr .45 XTPs shot well enough for hunting.

Just dialed in my .54 Renegade for my son's upcoming elk hunt with 348gr PBs and 90gr 777. Three went under 2" at 50. 777 gives considerable more velocity than BP, also more pressure.

Don't have a TC, but my 1:48 Hawkens like 80gr 777, and a 240gr saboted XTP. I usually do use musket caps (RWS) because I can't even feel #11's, especially when it's cold.

Hadn't considered sabot's....
Thanks for the help everyone

Years back, Sam Fadala, based on results reported by a pal who ran a hunting operation, recommended shoulder shots with Maxi balls and lung shots with PRBs. His friend reported that deer shot through the lungs with the Maxis often ran a long way and even got lost. A flat-nosed slug might be better than the pointy ones. I've had more experience with setting up MLs for others' use than killing my own stuff, but the hp pistol bullets and Power belts those people used were deadly on deer, as were Barnes T-EZ copper slugs. The new Federal looks good, and should stabilize in a 1-48". Don't have a 1-48" .50 at present, but am going to try them in my 1-28". Full caliber, all copper, big honkin' hollow point all look good to me. My other son reported they load very easily in his new Impact,and shot well.

Curious as to your statement of "Those Hawkins tend to wear out barrels pretty fast" ...please explain.

I shot a 50 Hawkin for more than 20 years. hunted with it and shot in contests the whole time. probably shot more than a thousand rounds from it a year. I sold it and the buyer is still using it to hunt with. it is just as accurate now as it always was.. its all in how you take care of it..

I am on my third one.TC has a life time warranty on them, but the last time they replaced mine, they said barrels were getting hard to find.

I really didn't shoot mine all that much, but each time, it got so a maxiball would just about drop all the way down the barrel without much pushing. TC commented to me it was a common problem.The 2nd time they were replacing the barrel I bought a TC Black Diamond because they were so long in getting it back. .The last time when they told me barrels were getting hard to find, I bought a TC Impact.My Hawkin doesn't get shot much anymore

I shoot 90 grains 2F Goex and a 420 grain No Excuses bullet. With a Williams FP peep sight and fiber optic front sight, I get softball size groups at 100 yards.

I would try 70 grains 2F or 3F, and vary the patch thickness. I personally use prelubed because they are a consistent potential variable.
Shallow rifling in a Thompson is likely to get pretty fouled up with plactic sabots, so avoid or use a good cleaner.
Hornady makes a 50 caliber conical, and a lot of guys like those in the 1/48 twist.

Just had mine out today. It shot really bad with my own pathces and round balls with Ols Eyensford. I tried some Black Alliance and got a 2.5" group at 50yd with 6 shots. For some reason I can't get good results with Old Eyensford. I use 50-60 gr. of whatever I have Black Alliance is good stuff. Black is hard to find and dont want to dump 200 bucks on 10 lbs if I can't make it shoot with black.

There's a farmer near the skirmishing grounds near Winchester, VA that has tons on hand. Good musket caps too, not those wimpy re-enacter things. OE is $23 a pound. Has other brands too. Haven't cracked the OE yet. Still working on a can of regular Goex.

T/C's had a pretty shallow rifling with the 1-48 twist.

Start with a .490 ball and .015 patches. Start with a low charge weight and work up in groups. Frequent scrubbing helps as well. I would try 2F and 3F. You will find what it likes, it just may take awhile.

I have been thru a ton of T/C 1-48" sidelocks, none of them liked a pillow ticking patch and all liked a ball .010 under.

My .50 T/C Hawken load is a .490" swaged ball, .015" pre cut, pre lubed patch on top of 75 grs. Goex fffg.
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