TC Hawken

[outlook8]

I inherited a .50cal TC Hawken from my grandad a couple years ago. I have shot it a few times using patch and round ball, but never paid attention much to accuracy.

I have now been drawn for a hunt where I need to use a muzzle loader, and am trying to decide if I can make this gun work, or if I need to invest in a more modern inline muzzle loader.

My question is, what other bullets should I try, or is the round ball my best bet out of this rifle? What about power belts or sabots?

Is Pyrodex RS (FFG eqivalent) what I should be using?

Shots shouldn't be too far, thinking 100 yards of so max, and would be using open sights.

Thanks for the help.

Chris

[Buff]

you need to find out what the twist rate is.
Most of the TCs don't shoot round balls well. you need something around 1 in 60 twist for them.

I would bet yours is somewhere around 1 in 48 .
try a mini ball.

[tx_basser]

TC Hawkens are usually 1/48, and mine shoots patched roundball pretty darn well with around 75 grains of Pyrodex. I would definitely look at ranges under 100, and 75-80 yards offhand.

[outlook8]

TC Hawkens are usually 1/48, and mine shoots patched roundball pretty darn well with around 75 grains of Pyrodex. I would definitely look at ranges under 100, and 75-80 yards offhand.

Are the round balls pretty lethal?

[timberking]

I like 80 gr pushing a MaxiBall with bore butter.

[breadman]

in shoot a 54cal T/C with sabots and it preforms well for me.

[critter69]

I have a T/C hawken .50 cal that I have not shot for several years now, but used to hunt with it every year. And round balls are not the best, but will work for deer size game. But if you have the twist, which you do in that gun to use bullets, I would suggest it. I found hornady Great Plains, hand cast bullets, and Keith type bullets from precision bullets to preform very good. Some where between 110 gr. And 120 gr. Of goex ffg, is what I always used. Worked on elk also. Actually shot a doe straight on ( facing me), slightly uphill, and it flipped her over backwards. Good luck on your hunt. The sights are pretty large and at 100 yards the front bead is huge on them, but still very doable.

[Drycreek3189]

I like 80 gr pushing a MaxiBall with bore butter.

Mine shoots these very well. I was good to 100 yards with a rest using a peep sight until my eyes got bad.

[Drycreek3189]

Better pic !

[Quackerbox]

in shoot a 54cal T/C with sabots and it preforms well for me.

Killed a few deer with similar.

Started with 75 grains on 777 pyrodex and a 230 grain 45 acp Barnes in a sabot.

Last go round was 100 grains of pellets and a hornady sabot.

[pure lefty]

Hawken

Better pic !

This, but I think it's the 250-275 gr I use great bullet whatever weight is good for your gun and load. Mine is a hawken 50.

[Phdan]

Better pic !

What I shoot out of mine with 100 grains

[32drawlength]

My Hawken likes about 80-90 gr of powder + PowerBelt bullet/sabot

[Guest]

I do the 50,50,50 deal. I use 50 grains of powder @50 yards with a 495 ball then adjust from there. Most of my rifles are 90 grains FF with a 490 round ball and a .15 patch BORE BUTTER is the best and after I get a good shooting load I shoot it 100 times and run a seasoning patch down every five shots to clear the fowling and help season the bore. They are a ton of fun

[dustoffer]

I have a CVA mountain rifle in .50 cal I built from a kit. It likes Buffalo Bullets over 90 gr of Pyrodex.