Preferred load for a 1980's kit Hawken

[shufigo]

I've got a 50 cal. Hawken I put together from a kit back in '80 or '81. I remember that the recommended load was a 300+ grain solid bullet. Modern loads from short barrels have me shooting a 240 grain HP in front of 2 pellets of Triple 7 in my CVA. I'd like to shoot the 240 gr HP in my old long barrel Hawken. Do you have a starting point (powder charge) for shooting the old rig? I'm only looking for 'acceptable' (8 inch paper plate at 75 yards) accuracy. I'm hoping the limiting factor is the open sights and not the gun's ability to group. Thanks, Shuf.

 

[HC]

I’d start with real black powder 80 grains and work up . It should shoot saboted 240 bullets just fine. Good luck.

 

[GM54-120]

1-48 twist barrel maybe.....1-66 twist barrel unlikely

 

[Newtire]

I used 80 great. 2f or 70 great. 3f and a .490 round ball with an .015" patch. In the stock T/C 1-48" barrel, I was able to get 4" 100 yd. groups. Bought a Green Mountain 1-70" (close to that twist) and got 3" 100 yd. groups. It shot the 370 gr. Maxi-balls out of the 1-48" twist T/C barrel using somewhat outrageous amounts of 2f. Can't recall grouping size and don't remember there being sabots then but the maxi-balls shot well. The shorter Lee REAL slug shot pretty good at short ranges using 60 gr. 2f but any more powder and the accuracy wasn't there nor we're they good at ranges over 50 yds. This was my first shootable M/L.

 

[Idaholewis]

1:48 Twist, unless it was a TC Roundball Twist, in which case it would be Stamped in the Barrel

I would try 60-70 Grains of powder with a 240 Grain bullet to Start with, i shoot Swiss Real Blackpowder exclusively in all of my guns, Not sure how that would equate with T7 pellets? I have no experience with the Pellets

 

[Boomer]

1:48 Twist, unless it was a TC Roundball Twist, in which case it would be Stamped in the Barrel

I would try 60-70 Grains of powder with a 240 Grain bullet to Start with, i shoot Swiss Real Blackpowder exclusively in all of my guns, Not sure how that would equate with T7 pellets? I have no experience with the Pellets

Don’t see pellets working at all in a TC Hawken without a black powder booster. Had no luck (bullets keyholed) the few times I tried sabots in TC Hawkens, however, I was using heavier 300 grain bullets I believe at the time. You won’t know until you try. Somewhere between 60 and 90 grains of real black powder (I prefer Swiss) under a patched round ball should get you 2” - 3” groups at 75 yards. Full bore conicals can also work.

 

[ported45]

I used to shoot 90 grains ffb Goex and a 370 Maxiball out of my Renegade until I could no longer find real BP. I then switched to 75 grains 777 and either a 270 grain Speer GoldDot or 300 grain XTP .44 Mag pistol bullet in a 50/44 sabot. I could hit a Coke can at 100 yards open sights with any of those choices. The Renegade still gets used occasionally for nostalgia since I hunt mostly with smokeless now.

 

[MSalyards]

Lewis , I thought the TC Hawkins was built 1-48 so it would shoot either the round ball or the maxi ball. and the 1-66 was strictly for RB. I didn't know they marked the barrel. I shoot and cast my own maxi balls over 90 gr of goex 2f or pyrodex. I have a RB mould but have never shot onr out of my rifle. I do cast and shoot round balls out of my 1858 44/45 and it is the most accurate hand gun I own.

 

[HC]

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