• Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.

    We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.

    Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103

Bought a First For Me Today

L & R
shop deals on amazon
the hawken shop
Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
T

Terry Lightle

40 Cal
Joined
Apr 16, 2019
Messages
242
Reaction score
280
Bought a 50 caliber TC Hawken today.was bought new in 1983 the gentleman thought.Really clean gun with bore looking virtually new.Have Swiss FFF and was wondering how much powder you guys are using in the ones some of you guys are shooting.Gonna shoot round balls.Shoot 80 grains in my 54 flintlock but never owned a 50.Serial number is 122XXX.Has the spade mark for Sharon barrel
 
Last edited:
Sounds like you got a great find with that TC Hawken! For a .50 caliber shooting round balls, a common starting point is around 50-70 grains of FFFg powder, but some shooters go up to 80-90 grains depending on the accuracy they’re getting and how the rifle feels. Since you’re used to 80 grains in your .54 flintlock, you might want to start on the lower end and work your way up to see what shoots best in your new Hawken. The Sharon barrel is a nice touch—those are well-regarded for their quality. Happy shooting!

P.S. What distances do you typically shoot at? I’ve found 50 grains in my plains rifle to be perfectly adequate and gives me 1” groups or better at 50 yards. No sense in shooting more powder than you absolutely have to: it’s just a waste of powder and results in increased recoil.

Below is a three-shot group at 50 yards shooting 50 grains of Swiss through my own plains rifle. Not a bad group considering I didn’t have any real point of reference (bullseye or marking of any sort). Just aimed at approximately the same spot on the upper torso of the target. Shot from the bench.


IMG_3019.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Always check the owner's manual, if available, for minimum and maximum loads. You should be able to find a manual online for any TC firearm. You'll find recommended projectile types, powder charges, and loading instructions.

Determining the load that works best between recommended minimums and maximums is a lot harder, and boards like this one can be a big help.
 
fubar22 said:
… boards like this one can be a big help.
Click to expand...

Or a big source of confusion. 😏

reddogge said:
My target load was always 50 gr FFG. My hunting load was 80 gr FFG. The 50 gr load was very accurate out of my rifle.
Click to expand...

I think a lot guys tend to overload their rifles. Not in the sense that they’re exceeding the manufacturer’s recommendations, but they’re consistently shooting charges at/near the maximum load specification. I don’t know if it’s a machismo thing or what, but I’m convinced it’s like shooting a steady diet of +P ammunition through a centerfire: it simply accelerates wear and tear on the firearm. Perhaps this is why so many of the guns I’ve owned in the past had hairline cracks in the lock inlet area and around the tang…
 
Last edited:
Like all blackpowder I have to start with the smallest charge size recommended, for the patch/conical/round ball I am using and do at least a minimum of 8 shots per increasing the powder increments by 5 grains until I reach my desired results. Barrels, rifling, powder charge, patch size it all increases or decreases accuracy as well as velocities. I got a Hawken that loves 85 grains a .490 round ball and .12 ticking and another by the same maker few years apart and abused by previous owner that thrives on 70 grains a .495 round ball and .10 ticking to get my desired results out to 100 yards. Do I dare to say you should play with it, stroke it find the diet the rifle enjoys to bring you to your desired climax? hahahahahahahahahah. Good start for a .50 cal 50 grains, .490 round ball and .10 patch keep an eye on printing, what is happening to patches burnt, shredded, char, holes worn it all tells one needs a thicker or thinner patch or larger ball.
 
Took her to the range this morning,55 grains of Swiss FFF shot great.Going to have to change sight as it was about 6 inches high at 50 yards.Has the adjustable rear sight so going to take it off and put the lower base on that came with it and put a buck horn on it.Appreciate the responses I got here.Ran out of adjustment on elevation screw,would rather have the buck horn anyway.
 

Similar threads

D
New from Texas
2
Replies
23
Views
737
Eutycus
Eutycus
new2bp
New to me rifles - questions
Replies
3
Views
577
new2bp
new2bp
P
Pedersoli .54 RMH Chrono Results
Replies
4
Views
702
Bad Karma
Bad Karma
P
Chrono Results with My .40 Caliber Investarms Hawken
Replies
3
Views
557
Tim_IA
Tim_IA
K
Word of Warning-Safety Issue
Replies
6
Views
810
kenweekley
K

Latest posts

Back
Top