Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders TC hawkens loads from a newbie

Though I'm mostly an archer, also reload for rifles and shotguns... this is my maiden voyage into Muzzleloading.

I traded for a TC hawkens in 50 cal., I've put some roundballs down the tube using a buddy's powder pellets and his supervision... didn't kill myself. We used two 777 pellets for 100 gr, open sights 'I' wasn't very good my first time, but had a blast just learning to shoot a new weapon.

Time to get serious,

My first question is, I'm looking at powders and most say for inline MZ, I'm thinking 90 grs of B209 for starting with a projectile around 300 gr, but these clean burning powders say inline. The hawkens is a percussion cap. Any issues.

I want a load for 100 to 125 max yards, mule deer.

Thanks, Kent

Well, to start with, the manufacturer advises people to use full strength 209 primers to ignite BH209 in an inline (instead of the 209 primers that are toned down for use with Triple Seven). So you may have an issue getting it lit all the time with a #11 primer, especially with a sidelock and the 90-degree bend in the channel. Might work at the range but crap out in the field, I'd contact Western Powder and ask about using BH209 in a sidelock with #11 caps.

What kind of 300 grain bullet are you planning to use? My .50 caliber Hawken (also a T/C) always shot the Hornady Great Plains 385s and 410s very well, with about 80-90 grains of Pyrodex.

I was thinking something like the Hndy SST and a clean burning powder... but I need to step back, clear my mind of imaginings and listen to what experience says here.

As far as bullet, a conical would be best probably in this gun.

Thanks, Kent

A patched .490 ball and 80 grains of Pyrodex, Goex 3f, or 777 will work great. BH209 won't work.

I find that conicals don't work very well in the T/C traditional rifles.

The T/C Hawkens have a 1/48 twist rate which is a compromise between optimums for round balls and conicals. So, I would try both. I use Maxiball conicals in my .54 and suspect that .50 maxiballs will work well in your gun. Work up a load with Pyrodex RS or good old Ffg blackpowder and a patched round ball or a Maxiball and I'll bet you will be able to shoot through an elk. If you use pellets your stuck with 50 grain increments and you might find your gun shoots best with 85 grains so loose powder is my choice. YMMV. Mike

A .490 Speer RB WITH A .015 Ox Yoke backed with 90 gr of Goex 2F shot from a fouled barrel works for me. Although it's a flinter.

If you mean a sabot, I don't have any experience with those in a Hawken, maybe someone else does. I think most who shoot traditional rifles use either a round ball or a lead conical.

And anyone who tells you that the rifle won't shoot conicals well probably hasn't shot many conicals in one.

Or they have, and they just don't feel like blowing smoke up your ass.

Thanks guys, I'm going to get the Pyrodex loose not pellets, the round balls and try the hndy 385 conicals also to see.

Start at 80gr and work up to 100?

125 yds will be my absolute max, more like 100.

does this sound reasonable?

kent

Though I don't have a TC, I shoot a lot of 1:48 in .50 and .54. I think the Great Plains 385 will work very well with around 85Gr. T7. It is tempting to push it harder with the 100gr., but I think you will find the 85 Gr, sighted 2" high at 75, will be on at 100, and around 8 - 9" low at 150. As far as sabots, the Hornady XTP's in 240, over 100Gr. T7 work very very well in my rifles. Oddly enough, the 300's shoot well in my .50's, lousy in the .54. The SST's will likely not stabilize in the 1:48. The good news is, at muzzleloader velocities and ranges, I don't think there is really a practical advantage to the SST, over the XTP.

thanks bender. I shot the T7 pellets a buddy had, they also said for inlines on the box, Pyrodex, better, same in the TC percussion?

With my old eyes and open sights, I'm not wanting to hotrod this gun, just be efficient out to 125. Pretty much hunt this tag as an extended range archery hunt, but not extended to rifle ranges.

I love new directions in hunting, it keeps it fresh.

Kent

OK, then suck some smoke outta my ass.

Well...you may want to try some fiber optic sights. With my Hawken and the stock bucktail sights, I could shoot good groups all day at the range, but in the field, low light, etc., I had some problems with the irons. Switched to an in-line with fiber optic sights and the problem was solved.

Mark a spot.

Ignore the folks that say the TC won't shoot conicals. I've been shooting deer with a TC Hawken flintlock for over 30 years. I do well with the Hornady or the 370 grain maxi-ball over 80-90 grains of Swiss FFFg. My Hawken has an ivory bead front sight and Lyman 57aperture. I shoot Blackhorn in two inline rifles and can say with confidence that Blackhorn will not work reliably in your sidelock. If you decide to use triple seven, cut the above loads by 15% and use the loose powder. If you use T7, you will probably need to swab between shots. Whether you use black, T7 or pyrodex, clean the barrel throughly after each session. If you don't clean, your barrel will be a pitted, rusted mess very quickly. Best of luck with your new piece.

Ok if 3-4 MOA is acceptable then the conicals are ok. Usually Maxiballs won't hit a half sheet of plywood at 100 yards.

There's only one "folks" saying the TC won't shoot conicals, and he is worth ignoring.

That sight set-up sounds nice, I may look into that for my Hawken, I've pretty much converted it for small game hunting with a Green Mountain .32 caliber barrel, it shoots lights out.

What make is your front bead?

Just because 3-4 MOA is the best you can do doesn't mean a thing.

That's all the combo will do. You know it. I just can't tolerate that kind of accuracy. The PRB will shoot on hole groups at 50 yards offhand.

There's no point in giving a new shooter bad advise. He'll just waste his money and time on the conicals. The twist is to slow for them.

A 1-in-48 twist may be slower than optimum in theory, and that's probably where you got your information.