Dialing in for Deer Season

[Idaholewis]

I had a small window of opportunity this morning through Rain, and Wind to Shoot my New TC Hawken, Stainless Green Mountain Barrel Setup (My chosen Deer Hunting Setup for this year) This was the VERY FIRST time i had Ever Shot this Setup, I had NO IDEA if I would even be on the Target Board or Not?

The Rifle, 15/16” TC Hawken Stock (Thanks Willfish4fud ) I mounted a Lyman 57 SML Tang Peep on it. Stainless Green Mountain LRH .45 Cal Barrel (One of Cayuagads Old Barrels) I installed a Lyman 17AHB Globe Front Sight, And will be using a Lee Shaver Fine Bead BPCR insert in the Globe.

The Bullet I chose For this Year, one of my Customs from Accurate Molds #45-412L, Cast of PURE Lead (411-412 Grains)

Target was Setup at a Ranged 100 Yards from the Get go, This shot is Low/right, in the White. I made a Sight Correction, Swabbed the Bore and Reloaded for shot #2, Shot #2 was just low of Dead Center. I then Walked the Target back to a Ranged 205 Yards, I made a Sight adjustment and Took the Shot, it is the Low Shot in the Black. The Black Aiming bull is 8 inches. The farthest shot I could Possibly encounter Where i plan to Deer hunt is 180-200 Yards, This Rig is READY To Hunt

Ranged 205 Yards, Makes an 8” Bull look Small with open sights, But i am Very Comfortable with this Shot

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Nice shooting! That will fill the freezer

 

[gle3105]

Neat recoil pad mod.

 

[Smyrnagc]

Enjoy your wonderful eyesight while you have it...I can really see the red arrows good!

 

[Idaholewis]

Neat recoil pad mod.

Forum member Willfish4fud had that done, I just recently bought this Stock from him. The Original fella that started this particular Recoil Pad Mod on the TC Hawken Stock is Forum member Idahoron, He did this WAY Back to a Hawken, There have been several folks follow his idea over the years. Personally, I don’t mind the Crescent Butt Plate on the TC Hawken, I shoot some STOUT .54 Cal Bullet Loads with a few Different unmodified TC Hawken Socks and they don’t bother me at all. But i also like this Recoil Pad Mod I can go either way with it

 

[Idaholewis]

Enjoy your wonderful eyesight while you have it...I can really see the red arrows good!

LOL!! You would be amazed at what a Good Peep sight setup will do for your Eyes, They make a WORLD of Difference.

Truth is, i don’t have Great eyesight. My 70 Year Old Dad has FAR AND AWAY SUPERIOR Eyesight to me, it’s not even Close.

 

[deermanok]

"You da man " , beautiful rifle.
I recently bought a new "old stock " Traditions deerhunter rifle in 45 caliber from Deer Creek. The ad didn't have a detailed description but I assumed it was a 1/48 twist barrel. Turns out it is a 1/66 twist, so I'm kinda stuck with round balls only. I really wanted to be able to shoot conicals too but it is what it is. I'll have to keep my shots close is all.

 

[idahoron]

good luck!! I wish I had time to get up tgere to hunt again.

 

[sdporter]

"You da man " , beautiful rifle.
I recently bought a new "old stock " Traditions deerhunter rifle in 45 caliber from Deer Creek. The ad didn't have a detailed description but I assumed it was a 1/48 twist barrel. Turns out it is a 1/66 twist, so I'm kinda stuck with round balls only. I really wanted to be able to shoot conicals too but it is what it is. I'll have to keep my shots close is all.

You might get away with some short conicals in that gun like a R.E.A.L. or something like that. Even bullet to bore pistol bullets. Speed ‘em up to get the RPM’s up a little more and they might shoot.
A lot of things that mathematics say won’t work, sometimes just do.
I’d try a few anyway, we might all be surprised.
I just ran a couple of numbers through Berger’s bullet stability calculator.
A .50 cal 370 grain maxiball fired at 1300 FPS from a 48 twist had an SG of .746 UNSTABLE.... but we all know they shoot pretty well.
A 45 cal 250 grain bullet at .600” long fired at 1600 FPS from a 66 twist shows an SG of .857 still unstable but, a better number than the MaxiBall.
Disclaimer: I used 1” for the length on the MaxiBall. I don’t have one in front of me to measure.

 

[deermanok]

You might get away with some short conicals in that gun like a R.E.A.L. or something like that. Even bullet to bore pistol bullets. Speed ‘em up to get the RPM’s up a little more and they might shoot.
A lot of things that mathematics say won’t work, sometimes just do.
I’d try a few anyway, we might all be surprised.
I just ran a couple of numbers through Berger’s bullet stability calculator.
A .50 cal 370 grain maxiball fired at 1300 FPS from a 48 twist had an SG of .746 UNSTABLE.... but we all know they shoot pretty well.
A 45 cal 250 grain bullet at .600” long fired at 1600 FPS from a 66 twist shows an SG of .857 still unstable but, a better number than the MaxiBall.
Disclaimer: I used 1” for the length on the MaxiBall. I don’t have one in front of me to measure.

That's interesting. Thanks for the tip. I can get some TC maxi hunters or maxi balls for cheap.
I might just get some and give a shot, no pun intended.

 

[Idaholewis]

That's interesting. Thanks for the tip. I can get some TC maxi hunters or maxi balls for cheap.
I might just get some and give a shot, no pun intended.

There are a few different bullets that come to my mind that might work, Something like this 188 Grain Lyman .452 Pistol Bullet, I have an Old USA Stamped .45 Cal CVA Mountain Rifle That is 1:66 Roundball twist i could try this in

 

[Idaholewis]

You might get away with some short conicals in that gun like a R.E.A.L. or something like that. Even bullet to bore pistol bullets. Speed ‘em up to get the RPM’s up a little more and they might shoot.
A lot of things that mathematics say won’t work, sometimes just do.
I’d try a few anyway, we might all be surprised.
I just ran a couple of numbers through Berger’s bullet stability calculator.
A .50 cal 370 grain maxiball fired at 1300 FPS from a 48 twist had an SG of .746 UNSTABLE.... but we all know they shoot pretty well.
A 45 cal 250 grain bullet at .600” long fired at 1600 FPS from a 66 twist shows an SG of .857 still unstable but, a better number than the MaxiBall.
Disclaimer: I used 1” for the length on the MaxiBall. I don’t have one in front of me to measure.

I fully agree I have shot Several Different Bullets, in Different Calibers, That according to the Twist Calculators should NOT Work (Or not optimum anyway) But they did, and many of them Shot STELLAR

Hey Stacey, Remember that little 250 Grain Lee REAL (Mold) you sent up to me? That was Something i was gonna try in my Green Mountain 1:70 Roundball Twist Barrel, but i lost interest in messing with it and melted them back down. I couldn’t get that little Bullet to Shoot worth a Darn out of Anything i tried? Both 1:28 (I tried slowing them WAY down, to no avail) And this 1:48 Twist Renegade that Shoots so well, I figured it would shoot in this 1:48, But it was Horrible at best. Can’t win em all! And if you could, it wouldn’t be any fun!!

 

[Idaholewis]

Stability calculators (Bullet Lengths to Twist Rates) are something i pay fairly close attention to for My Looooooooong Range Stuff, Be it Muzzleloader, or Centerfire

On the other hand, I pay very little, to no attention to the Stability Calculators for 100-200 Yard Muzzleloader, Even 300 Yards. I have shot Several Different Bullets all the way out to 300 Yards from my Muzzleloaders, that did NOT line up with the Twist Calculators, Yet they performed AWESOME for me.

The best Twist Calculator I’ve found to Date, is my Rifle, and chosen bullet on Paper, at Various Yardages

 

[sdporter]

I fully agree I have shot Several Different Bullets, in Different Calibers, That according to the Twist Calculators should NOT Work (Or not optimum anyway) But they did, and many of them Shot STELLAR

Hey Stacey, Remember that little 250 Grain Lee REAL (Mold) you sent up to me? That was Something i was gonna try in my Green Mountain 1:70 Roundball Twist Barrel, but i lost interest in messing with it and melted them back down. I couldn’t get that little Bullet to Shoot worth a Darn out of Anything i tried? Both 1:28 (I tried slowing them WAY down, to no avail) And this 1:48 Twist Renegade that Shoots so well, I figured it would shoot in this 1:48, But it was Horrible at best. Can’t win em all! And if you could, it wouldn’t be any fun!!

I thought it would shoot good out of a 48 twist. I never tried it in my Renegade, only my old Optima, and it was pretty erratic out of that.

There are a few different bullets that come to my mind that might work, Something like this 188 Grain Lyman .452 Pistol Bullet, I have an Old USA Stamped .45 Cal CVA Mountain Rifle That is 1:66 Roundball twist i could try this in

I was just looking at Accurate’s catalog and found a couple that look like they would shoot really well in a round ball barrel (according to the stability calculator). 45-175B and 45-180P and 45-180L (which looks a little like the bullet above)

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I want to try thst 45-180L bullet in my revolver.

 

[sdporter]

I want to try thst 45-180L bullet in my revolver.

It looks like it would put the hurt on something. Probably turn into a lead quarter when it hit.

 

[Gettincloser]

What made you go with the Lyman 57 SML Tang Peep over the williams FP Hawken model?
https://shop.williamsgunsight.com/ecommerce/p/fphawken-001340
I have been looking at adding the williams FP Hawken and a globe front but have not done it yet... is one better or is it personal preference? What me you pick one over the other?

 

[idahoron]

I like both the Williams FP, and the 57SML. I prefer the 57 because of the push button that allows the shooter to range the shot and set the sight for that yardage. The push button makes that adjustment a lot quicker.

 

[Gettincloser]

I like both the Williams FP, and the 57SML. I prefer the 57 because of the push button that allows the shooter to range the shot and set the sight for that yardage. The push button makes that adjustment a lot quicker.

Do you have any "accidental pushes" where it moves and you didn't know it? Not trying to debate... I honestly have not used either and want to make sure I do it right the 1st time. I love the ease of adjustability on the fly but am always worried about an accidental bump and not knowing it. (Happened once on scope turrets and now I get the once with a lock so I do not accidentally bump them.)

 

[Idaholewis]

Do you have any "accidental pushes" where it moves and you didn't know it? Not trying to debate... I honestly have not used either and want to make sure I do it right the 1st time. I love the ease of adjustability on the fly but am always worried about an accidental bump and not knowing it. (Happened once on scope turrets and now I get the once with a lock so I do not accidentally bump them.)

Like Ron said, I also have both the Lyman 57 SML and Williams FP Hawken, Both are Great sights, No worries of the Lyman accidentally getting pushed, that Button is INSANELY Stiff, in fact it’s one thing that kinda bothered me at first about it, You have to Push that Button EXTREMELY Hard to disengage/Bypass the Worm Gear.

The Williams FP Hawken WITHOUT Target Knobs is also SUPER EASY to make Quick Field Adjustments, The Key is having a Gib Lock, You Simply loosen it, Slide the Sight where you want it and Lock it back Down with the Gib lock. But if you have the Target Knob Model FP HAWKEN, there is no Overide of the Worm Gear like the Lyman 57 Has, You literally have to Turn the Target Knob the whole way