Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders T/C 45 cal. Conical deer loads

Having trouble getting 100 yd accuracy from my t/c 45 cal. hawken with powerbelts. It shot 5" groups with black powder and didn't like pyrodex at all. Opinions greatly appreciated.

How much powder and what type powder were you using? FFG or FFFG?

A friend had one years ago and shot 240 gr. Maxi-Balls and 80 gr. Pyrodex or Goex black. Both shot good.

Maybe the gun just doesn’t like powerbelts I’d try another bullet with both powders

I never had any luck with powerbelts. Personally I think they are a marketing gimmik. I have had good results in terms of precision and dead moose with PBR.

https://www.prbullet.com/

Hard to argue with a big chunk of pointy lead, but maybe you can't use lead in TN....?

fffg 90 grains. Will dropping to 80 grains still kill deer well at 100 yds if it improves accuracy. Can't find maxi hunters but I have some maxi balls that i haven't tried. Will they expand at all.

I’d try some lead conicals including the maxi-balls. Light maxis might expand some. Look on Gunbroker for bullets. There are some custom bullet casters selling on that site.

A felt wad over the powder should help with consistency also.

I've used 80gr of FFg and a 260gr minnie-ball with excellent results on deer. To me, 90grs of FFFg is too much powder. Try dropping down to 70grs and work up from there.

80gr T7 and a 200gr XTP in a sabot.

This

This for sure. Most accuracy issues I am seeing is with guys redlining lead bullets in muzzleloaders. If you have a bunch of fffg drop down to 60 grains even and work up. I'd not want to go past 75 grains with that combo personally. I fail to see the need for it but that is just me. Hope you get it straightened out and shooting.

Agree with 30338 on 60 grains, maybe even 55 grains of FFFg to start. I just got a new to me 54 cal and have 70 grains of FFFg stuck in my head!

In my .45 Seneca I used 70 grians FF and a Maxi ball. Good accuracy and through and through penetration on deer.

Yes, exactly. Same gun, same load.

Tom

Thanks guys for all of the info. I will certainly give your recommendations a try!

I had better accuracy with the Lee REAL bullets than I had with the TC Maxis in .50 cal rifles, so if I were you I would look for a few of those in .45 to try. They load easier too.

It's amazing how much a felt wad can improve accuracy. My Pedersoli Hawken .50 went from good accuracy to a tack driver at 50 yards with a .54 caliber flet wad between my conical bullet and powder.

OP, if you try a felt wad, use one that is a caliber size larger. If you're shooting a .45, use a .50 caliber felt wad. If you're shooting a .50 use a .54 caliber wad.

These are what I use (in .54)

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2509115162?pid=115162

Savage 57 . I used to shoot a T/C Hawken in .45 . The best three shot groups were always around 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 " @ 100 yards. I had it drilled and tapped, custom weaver rail and a 3x9 Leupold on it. It really liked 80grains of FFFg (volume) and a T/C Maxi ball. Killed a bunch of deer with that load. I don't use it any more as the first shot is dead on and the second one there is no telling where it will go. Literally! I guess the barrel is done for IDK. Got tired of fooling with it.
I never had any luck getting it to shoot anything saboted or the like.

I shoot a Knight disc rifle now and it loves the 195 grain powerbelts. If you cannot get the powerbelts to shoot I would be happy to buy them from you providing they are the yellow ones. Tipped or not. If they are tipped, I just use pliers and remove the tip.

Good luck finding what works.

I assume this is a sidelock rifle and not a T/C .45 inline?

I would certainly try the maxi-balls if you have them. If they load easily, "patch" them with teflon tape.

Might try some .45 cal Hornady Great Plains conicals if you can find them.

If you're not married to a conical, try the saboted bullets from Prec Mzlr in Canada.

Either way, I agreed - scrap the PowerBelts. They load easily but that's it.

I wouldn't exceed 90 grains of FFFg.

Be well.

Another vote for less powder. Even in a .50, 80gr is about the max I’d recommend. Scads of deer have been killed with 70gr and a .440 RB.