I shot my TC with 1-48 twist, using 245 gr Ball-ets and got a 3" group at 50 yards, which is as good as I can see with irons. I shot another group with 385 gr. Great Plains bullets and got an 8" group, so I'm assuming the Great Plains bullets are too long for the twist.

I've got a MZ tag in OR this fall and can't use sabots- are there any bullets of intermediate weight that might work in a 1-48?

Thor bullets which are all copper do great in the 1:48 hawken we have. We have to use 90gr 3f goex or 110gr pyrodex rs to shoot tiny groups at 100 yards.

I'd suggest you try the 370gr maxiball with and without a wad with 70-100gr pyrodex rs or 2f goex.

I also shoot a 454gr conical with tack driver accuracy at 100 yards. Its just all about finding a good solid load. Wads, powder brands, powder charges, it all makes a difference.

You use wads..? As in fiber/felt wads under the bullet.?

yep fiber wad that i soak in beeswax/olive oil and allow them to harden.

Haven't heard of that. What does that do for you and when do you use them.?

Really seem that some hunters need lots of powder to get a bullet going . Now biglock455 got it right 70 to 100 gr of 2f is right .This load will bring anything down your hunting to 100 yards or 125 yards.Don't need 150 gr of powder like these big gun writers think .Now with pellets that difference these don't even come close with any load thier junk. I played with these an weight them they are junk all of them

Wads help protect the base of the bullet from the heat and they create a better gas seal.

Cabelas hawken, 70gr pyrodex rs, 454gr conical, lubed wad at 100 yards.

Bigblock- are you shooting these in a 1-48?

yep 1:48

Since my T/C Hawkens 50 cal 1:48 was purchased new in 1986 I've used 370gr Maxi Ball and 350gr Maxi Hunters with 90grs of 2f Goex. Very accurate load and both bullet weights have the same point of impact.

Ken

Thanks for your help; I'll try some more. Hopefully Maxi Balls and Maxi Hunters will do better. 245 grains seem a bit light- for-caliber to me.

I've got a question- I've been under the impression for many years that to shoot the longer bullets (300 gr and up)that a twist faster than 1-48 is needed, but you guys are shooting these in your 1-48's with apparently no problems. I shoot and hunt with centerfires, but shoot my TC now and then with patched balls. I got a javelina with it about 15 years ago. I've drawn a MZ tag in OR for late Nov (I'm from OR and still hunt blacktails there every year)so have started playing with bullets rather than patched balls. Can somebody explain to me about bullets VS twist rates? If long bullets will shoot well from a 48" twist, why are most of tbe rifles on the market 1/28?

The 350 gr. T/C Maxi Hunters and 270 gr. Buffalo maxi ball-ettes shoot good out of my 48" twist T/C Hawken.

Thanks; I've got maxi Hunters on order, and I'll try to dig up some maxi ball-etts.

Proper twist depends on bullet diameter, bullet length, and muzzle velocity. Using the greenhill calculator at kwk.us/twist.html you can estimate what should work in your gun.The common 1-48 in 50 caliber is a compromise for roundball and short maxi's. A 315 grain 50 caliber maxi ball is .73 inches long, and would need 1500 ft per second to match a 1-48 twist (about 80 grs. fffg).

Bought a TC Hawkin from JC Pennys in 1977. The load I used 90 grains of RS Pyrodex behind a MaxiBall. I could consistantly shoot 2 inch groups at 100 yards. I have not shot it in several years but that is the load I would go back to.

I use a Lee real 300gr in 1-48 twist TC. It is a 54cal. I cast it from pure lead. This bullet on top of 105grs on triple 777 will shoot about 2 inches at 100 yards with open sights. I use TC wonder lube. I do not think you can buy them precast.

BB Would it be safe to try that 454 load with 70 gr of pyrodex in my CVA Hawkin 1-48 twist?

yeah you bet. With the wood stock, bring a screw driver and tighten the tang screw every 3 or 4 shots. Recoil with heavy powder loads or bullets tends to rock the tang screw loose, destroying accuracy. I bedded my tang and trigger plate with acraglass to fix this.

The 454 grain bullet I used to cast was the .500" Lee S&W 500 bullet that drops a 440grain bullet when using hard lead.

Thanks BB

How much for 20 of those from you?

Oh I no longer cast them, they ate up my lead way to fast.

My favorite pure lead conical was the Lee REAL bullet. There are two weights and they shot really well in my TC Renegade. The REAL bullets are much easier to load that the TC Maxi balls or Maxi hunters. The narrow edges on the bullets also work well in cleaning the fouling from the previous shot.

Just remember that Maxi-HUNTERS are soft lead and probably not the best bullet for elk or other bigger critters. Here is what T/C says about them:

The Maxi-Hunter bullet provides superb accuracy and easy loading, with the added benefit of maximum expansion on deer-sized game.

"Maximum expansion" is not exactly what I am looking for in a big game bullet

Maxiball?

i'd still use the maxi hunter, its a ligher weight 275-320gr conical but it doesnt have near the hollow point that a powerbelt does. I'd trust it more.

Yes, maxiballs are tougher and if accurate in your gun IMO are pretty good elk medicine. Deer with maxihunts, probably, but not elk

However, I got tired of the mess of lube in the channels on both and if they got left in a hot car would be partially melted.

I scored a cache of 385 gr. buffalo bullets they are a HB HP design and shoot very well from my t/c 1-48" One of them put the hurt on an antelope a few years back. worked very well. I have had good accuracy from Maxiballs as well but Ihave never shot them at game. I have a mold for those around here somewhere...

I have not tried the 460 gr. No excuses in my Hawken but They work good in my Knight rifles 1-28"

T/C Named the bullets :
350gr - MaxiHunter
370gr - MaxiBall

With 90grs of powder I've never seen where it melted the base of the bullets that I dug out of an animal. I don't use a wad.

Ken

Maxi-balls come in 320 and 370 (50 cal) and Maxi-hunters come in 350 gr. Maxihunters have the dimple in the front to enhance expansion.

In the past, I have heard that Maxi-hunters were pure lead and Maxi-balls were a lead alloy but can not find a source that confirms that, so not sure if it true or not.

That said, the cost of these bullets has skyrocketed in the last few years, so that makes them less appealing

If you don't want to cast, try the Hornady FPBs. They shoot fine in a 1-48 twist and cost less than the TC bullets from what I've seen. 350 and 300gr are available.
I know they get criticized a lot, but some years ago my son took two nice Virginia bucks with 295gr HP copper Powerbelts in less than a week, using my .50 Renegade. Both were pass-thoughs on lung shots and neither went more than 20 yards. Nice exit holes too. Used either 80 or 90gr FF 777.

Will a 1-48 twist stabilize a 460gr bullet?

It worked great in the 1:48 twist rifles i've shot 440+ grain conicals in. The Lee .500 s&w drops at 454 grain with pure lead and using a lubed wad, holy mother those suckers were stupid accurate at 100 yards out of the 1:48 twist.

60-70gr powder charge?

70 & 80gr pyrodex rs

Sounds like a elk monster for sure.