T/C Hawkens 54 cal load needed
I was given a T/C Hawkens 54 cal and was wondering if anyone can help me with a load for it. Would like to use Pyrodex RS but what size round ball or Minnie do you recommend? Load would be for small whitetail at 50 yards or less.
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Those usually have a rifling twist of about 1/48 so they are most accurate shooting patched round balls. Start with a powder charge of about 80 grains, shoot some groups. Then try 90 grains of powder etc. Hunt with the most accurate load between 80 and 120 grains. 0 -
try power belt bullets bet you will never look back[;)] 0 -
I have killed deer and hogs at 80 yards with the TC Hawken in .50 caliber using the patched round ball.
I was amazed at how lethal this old time load is on big game.
Using 80 grains of black powder, I made lung shots. Unbelievable blood trail. None of the game went over 50 yards. All were pass through shots, I never recovered a ball.
Try the .530 round ball.
Given the same powder charge, you get more foot pounds of energy with a bigger ball.
So with 80 grains of powder, you will have significantly more power with the .54 than I do with my .50, and also more recoil.
I would try 70 grains, then 80 grains, then 90 and see which is most accurate.
For patches I buy pillow ticking and for lube, Old Zip patch lube from dixiegun.com
This is the same lube used by the pioneers, made from mutton tallow and beeswax.
With 80 grains of powder and the patched round ball you could take a lung shot on a big buck at 100 yards and have no fears about being underpowered.
Anything a .50 round ball will do, a .54 will do better.
After all, the elk herd was annihilated from Kentucky by 1810 by White Boys shooting the patched round ball. In 1810 the Buffalo Bullet and the sabot hadn't been invented yet.0 -
T/C reccommends a .530 ball and a .015 or .020 patch. I personally would go with a 0.540 ball and a 0.010 patch, and start at about 80 grains, and use FFg BLACK powder. There is not any advantage of using pyrodex as far as I can see, as it is nearly as dirty as black powder. The Renegade I have likes either 90 or 100 grains, so I use 100, but each gun is different.
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Thank you everyone for the help. What about the Lee Real Minnie 380gr. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by travis3
Thank you everyone for the help. What about the Lee Real Minnie 380gr.
The twist rate in that rifle is to slow for that long of a bullet, to effectively stabalize it.
In order to stabalize a conical/minnie, it will have to be the shortest one you can find.
The patch and ball combination I use, actually engraves the ball, and the patch is just used for a gas seal. The standard combination uses the patch to impart the spin to the ball, much like a sabot.
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travis3,
As far as sabots, they are longer bullets also, and like slugs or conical's, need a faster 1:28 twist. There is nothing minute about a 54 cal round ball on the recieving end. For the ranges, out to 100 yards or so, the round ball is formidable.0 -
The TC Hawken rifles are made with a "compromise" twist of 1:48, which is supposed to give decent hunting accuracy with both round balls, and elongated slugs.
The ideal twist for round ball is 1:70, while the ideal twist for slugs is 1:28.
I found the TC to shoot so well with the round ball, that I never messed with elongated slugs. Plus, I loved the fact that this was the same load used by Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. Plus, the round ball is the cheapest slug to shoot, center fire or muzzleloader.
You might mess around with some of the elongated slugs, if you do, give us a range report I am curious as to what accuracy you would get.0 -
Thanks, I guess I need to invest in a round ball mold. One more questions how about using sabots? 0
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