Is a .45 T/C Hawken enough muzzleloader for a Moose?

Modern Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Modern Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Magdump

New Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2016
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Howdy folks:

My first post here and thanks for having me!

When I was a teen many years ago I built a Thompson/Center .54 Hawken kit and it came out great. I fondly remember browning the barrel in the oven, sanding and finishing the stock, many hours polishing the brass pieces, and casting Maxi-Balls, etc. I shot my first muzzleloader deer with it and fondly remember many hunts in the Vermont snow with it.

It was stolen from my mother’s house many years ago and lately I find myself doing the nostalgia thing and wanting another T/C Hawken.

For medical reasons (several detached retina surgeries) it is not a good idea for me to soak up massive recoil any more. Though I still take out the single shot 10 gauge to shoot the annual Christmas goose from a low flying flock over the house. I am not perfect and occasionally yield to temptation!

Anyway, I would rather keep the recoil low and am considering getting a .45 caliber T/C Hawken rather than a .54 like I had or even a .50.

I figure I will hunt deer with it for the most part and will shoot Maxi-Balls or Maxi-Hunters out of it for that purpose and may dub around with patched balls as well at the range with it.

I do want to shoot a Maine bull moose with a muzzleloader whenever I finally draw a tag however and so I come to you experts for your opinion about whether a close (100 yards or under) broadside shot from a .45 Hawken with either Maxi or Hunter is doable for moose.

I have researched the heck out of this online and cannot find a clear answer though it seems I am perhaps pushing it a bit. Perhaps I should suck it up and get a .50 but would REALLY rather get the .45. Honestly, I only have room for one more muzzleloader so this Hawken, whatever caliber I end up getting, must do it all.

Any wisdom you care to share on this topic is greatly appreciated.

You may get a kick out of this…I just remembered something about that .54 Hawken as I was typing this up. I had made a powder measure for it out of an 8mm. Rem. Mag case and at the time, I had thought I had measured correctly and that the volume of the case was appropriate for my desired load (I was going for 80 grains if I recall correctly?) I remember it kicking the living daylights out of me with that load. I remember the pressure being so extreme that it would blow the #11 cap off the nipple and blow the hammer back to full cock! I remember that the stock cracked after a few shots from the recoil at the small of the stock and I sent it back to T/C for warranty and they replaced it with a perfect replacement stock. Great warranty!

I only later discovered that I had BADLY miscalculated my charge and that this was WAY too much powder and that I had broken the stock, and probably almost killed myself, from my mistake. Ah, the cluelessness of youth. I forget what I measured it out to be with a proper measure but it was WAY more than the 80 grains I thought it was. Anyway, just reminiscing…sure miss that gun!

Chris T.
 
I'm sure the .45 would do the job on a moose at moderate distances and a nice clear broadside shot. Not sure the legality of it in Maine though? In Colorado it's illegal to use anything less than a .50 on moose. You might check that out first?
 
I really have little experience hunting moose with a muzzle loader. But if I were going after a moose it would not be with a .45 caliber unless that thing was loaded with a large conical bullet. I have a couple .45 caliber rifles. With my White Whitetail Hunter in .451 i am sure I could knock a moose down if i loaded 80 grains of 777 2f and a 460 grain conical and limited my distance in shots takes. With my White .504 I discovered 65 grains of 777 2f and a 460 grain conical penetrated 8 inches of poplar firewood. That to me was impressive penetration and I was able to do this time and time again.

Personally if hunting moose with a traditional rifle, it would be a .54 caliber or larger. While the others might pull it off, I would want that slightly larger ball. Conicals with large weight to them and a good powder charge can get a lot done. This is just my opinion and there is no in the field experience to back up my suggestions. So only you would know if you are comfortable with your choice.
 
That seems too small of a caliber for Moose, IMO. I have a .50 T/C if you are interested in buying something bigger.
 
It might do the job perfectly but it also might not.... An animal the size of a moose I'd much rather not rely on a might. Like Cayuga I'd have no issue shooting a moose with my 451 super 91 but I'm also shooting 500+ grain Conicals pushed by 70 grains of 777 2f.
 
With a proper full caliber bullet it would be fine. If legal. The 1-48 twist in a factory TC Hawken barrel will not properly stabilize a 45 caliber much over 250 grains ( needs a 1-49). For a moose, I think you would be well served with a 350 or 400 grain 45 cal.
If you go with a 50 shooting sabots, you could use some of the excellent 300 grain 452 calibers and some of the heavier 458's with proper sabots. I too am no fan of recoil. Proper matching of bullet to velocity can accomplish wonderful things when lead meets critter. Best of luck! I would love a crack at old Bullwinkle...
 
I have been fortunate enough to have taken 3 bull moose, all by permit, and all in New Hampshire. My recommendation would to use the largest caliber and biggest bullets you can handle.
They are a big, strong animal with big heavy bones. Think horse!
They are not hard to kill, some have done it with.22lr. But the animal deserves to be put down quickly and humanly.
Do the right thing and use enough gun!
 
Howdy folks:

My first post here and thanks for having me!

When I was a teen many years ago I built a Thompson/Center .54 Hawken kit and it came out great. I fondly remember browning the barrel in the oven, sanding and finishing the stock, many hours polishing the brass pieces, and casting Maxi-Balls, etc. I shot my first muzzleloader deer with it and fondly remember many hunts in the Vermont snow with it.

It was stolen from my mother’s house many years ago and lately I find myself doing the nostalgia thing and wanting another T/C Hawken.

For medical reasons (several detached retina surgeries) it is not a good idea for me to soak up massive recoil any more. Though I still take out the single shot 10 gauge to shoot the annual Christmas goose from a low flying flock over the house. I am not perfect and occasionally yield to temptation!

Anyway, I would rather keep the recoil low and am considering getting a .45 caliber T/C Hawken rather than a .54 like I had or even a .50.

I figure I will hunt deer with it for the most part and will shoot Maxi-Balls or Maxi-Hunters out of it for that purpose and may dub around with patched balls as well at the range with it.

I do want to shoot a Maine bull moose with a muzzleloader whenever I finally draw a tag however and so I come to you experts for your opinion about whether a close (100 yards or under) broadside shot from a .45 Hawken with either Maxi or Hunter is doable for moose.

I have researched the heck out of this online and cannot find a clear answer though it seems I am perhaps pushing it a bit. Perhaps I should suck it up and get a .50 but would REALLY rather get the .45. Honestly, I only have room for one more muzzleloader so this Hawken, whatever caliber I end up getting, must do it all.

Any wisdom you care to share on this topic is greatly appreciated.

You may get a kick out of this…I just remembered something about that .54 Hawken as I was typing this up. I had made a powder measure for it out of an 8mm. Rem. Mag case and at the time, I had thought I had measured correctly and that the volume of the case was appropriate for my desired load (I was going for 80 grains if I recall correctly?) I remember it kicking the living daylights out of me with that load. I remember the pressure being so extreme that it would blow the #11 cap off the nipple and blow the hammer back to full cock! I remember that the stock cracked after a few shots from the recoil at the small of the stock and I sent it back to T/C for warranty and they replaced it with a perfect replacement stock. Great warranty!

I only later discovered that I had BADLY miscalculated my charge and that this was WAY too much powder and that I had broken the stock, and probably almost killed myself, from my mistake. Ah, the cluelessness of youth. I forget what I measured it out to be with a proper measure but it was WAY more than the 80 grains I thought it was. Anyway, just reminiscing…sure miss that gun!

Chris T.
 
I have been fortunate enough to have taken 3 bull moose, all by permit, and all in New Hampshire. My recommendation would to use the largest caliber and biggest bullets you can handle.
They are a big, strong animal with big heavy bones. Think horse!
They are not hard to kill, some have done it with.22lr. But the animal deserves to be put down quickly and humanly.
Do the right thing and use enough gun!
There are plenty of .45 MLers out there that will put down a moose...but a .45 T/C Hawken would be near the bottom of my choice list.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top