300 grain 45 XTP in Firehawk

[Confederate rifleman]

The 1-38 does a fine job with this weight. Just for curiosity's sake, I popped off 5 at 50 yards with a 70 grain charge of 3f Swiss. I used to shoot 90 grains in my 26 inch Black Diamond, and got a flat 1600 fps. In the 24 inch Firehawk, 70 grains got my 1500 fps. WOW! Recoil was... Noticeable. The Firehawk is a light rifle by any standard, and she backed right up.
Accuracy. 5 shot went into 1 5/16ths with 3 going into 7/16ths. I think this is outstanding. I had fired 5 rounds before launching these soup cans. Those rounds were using the 230 gr 45 xtp and 70 grains. Accuracy was identical to my usual 250 grain XTP loads, as was point of impact.
So. Curiosity satisfied. Doubt I'll have much use for the 300s, but it's good to know they're accurate.
All this reinforces my new found respect and affection for the 1-38 twist.

 

[dbowling]

I like the 300 gr XTP but in .44 cal(havent tried them in my Firehawks), those Firehawks will shoot no doubt about it.

 

[MrTom]

I like the 300's in a couple of my 50's but they will push you around if loaded heavy. I too prefer the .44 cal 300's and drive them with 77 grains weighed of 209 powder....that's 110 grains by volume. Very accurate at 100 yards and deer simply do not enjoy them a bit. I can get by with 250's but I like the extra energy the 300's offer at and under 100 yards. I may be giving up the leaded bullets this year and use copper instead. I don't take long shots and can load the copper down a bit and get every bit as much ouch out of the bullets. Every one of my guns like the XTP bullets and the Deep Curl Speers of comparable weight/caliber, but you are right on about the WOW.

 

[Confederate rifleman]

My Firehawk and Thunderhawk shoot rings around every inline I've owned.
I don't know if the 1-38 will handle a 44 cal 300. The 45 is right on the edge, requiring a 1-39 1/2 according to Greenhill.
Comparing my Firehawk to a Black Diamond is interesting. Excepting the breechplug, the rifles are almost identical. The biggest difference is the rifling twist. The BD is a 1-28 and the Firehawk 1-38. The Firehawk is significantly more accurate and consistent with the same loads. Another difference is the forward stock bolt of the Firehawk threads into the recoil lug instead of between it and the trigger mechanism as it does in the Black Diamond. I think its a better arrangement myself. More wood to back up the recoil bearing surfaces.
I'm having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have with these 2 old TC's.

 

[ShawnT]

Those Firehawks are good looking rifles too. I would love to find one of them with the .32cal barrel.

 

[Confederate rifleman]

Yes they are. Ah, the good old days when TC knew how to design a rifle stock...
A .32 would be a terror on squirrels.

 

[dbowling]

My Black Diamonds have always been just as accurate as the Firehawk just different loads.

 

[jlynch75]

I don't like 300gn XTP put to big of holes in things that I want to eat. I found 240's will do the job just fine and leave much more good meat. In my Whites I use 240 XTP's with 75gn of 777/3f.