.45 T/C load ==> 50 meters/100meters

[Uncle Grizz]

Hello the camp,

Would like to know what are the used loads for 50 and 100 meters shooting with the .45 caplock T/C Hawken.

 

[jercon]

I have a TC .45 flintlock and have used 90grains of 3f goex in it for about every ting! Deer, metal targets out to 100 yards with no problem.

 

[paulvallandigham]

A 32 inch barrel will only burn about 58 grains of powder in it. Try using 55 grains, and see what kind of accuracy you get. I used that load in my .45 for years, and got as good as I could shoot the open sights all the way out to 100 yards, and beyond. My brother's 37 inch barrel in .45 will shoot 65 grains of FFFg behind a RB and make one hole groups all day long. It is very flat shooting out to 120 yards or so.( That is the "Point Blank " range, where the ball neither rises nor falls more than 3 inches above or below the Point of Aim.)

 

[Uncle Grizz]

Is it the T/C Hawken ?

Which diameter round ball and patch thickness?

Strangely the T/C owner's manual say to use a .440 RB and a load between 50 and 100 grains of FFg. I think FFg is to coarse for a .45".

 

[roundball]

Is it the T/C Hawken ?

Which diameter round ball and patch thickness?

Strangely the T/C owner's manual say to use a .440 RB and a load between 50 and 100 grains of FFg. I think FFg is to coarse for a .45".

3F has always outperformed 2F for me in all calibers from .40cal to .62cal, both PRB and shot loads, both caplock and Flintlock...plus its faster and cleaner.

The rule of thumb is reduce the 2F load data by 10-15% when substituting 3F. IE: If you were going to use 100grns 2F, just use 85-90grns 3F to keep the pressures in the same ballpark.

 

[arquebus]

In my GRRW .45 I used to use 60gns of Goex 2Fg with great results, I later switched to 55gns Goex 3Fg I couldn't tell much difference. Always used a .445" ball.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Use FFFg in your percussion guns. It will outperform the FFg powder. It has nothing to do with burn rate. It has to do with consistency of burning, and the lower SDV that occurs. Use a compressed load, and the more consistent you are in compressing the powder, the lower the SDV.

I recommend using your barrel like a drop tube, and hold the barrel straight up when pouring in the powder charge. That gives you gravity pulling down the powder the entire length of the barrel. From experiments down with this technique compared to using a ram on a reloading press and BP cartridges, the drop tube compresses the powder better than anything that can be done mechanically, short of a hydraulic press. When you run the PRB down on the powder, seat it firmly, but try to use consistent pressure.Changes in seating pressure can be easily seen on a Chronograph.

The secret is not to use a jag that has the wrong shaped cup to its face, so it deforms the RB in the barrel, and not to use so much pressure in seating the ball that YOU DO DEFORM the ball. The accuracy is much better with a true Round Ball, and not one that is deformed.

 

[longcruise]

I have that same rifle and find it shoots very well with anything from 25 to 60 grains of ff or fff. Most forgiving ML gun I ever owned or shot. It also shoots just as well with a .440 or .445.

Bought the barrel at a gun show for $35 and of course it drops right into my TC hawken stock and lock.

 

[brubincam]

I did very well with my T.C.hawkins in 45 cal at 50 yards useing a 440 ball 10 thou patch with crisco 10 gr 3f goex,just for fun at a match,shooting paper,was one of the top shooters that day----I went for fun others were too serious---they asked why I was shooting such a lite load,,,,it just made a heavy poof sound and it worked on paper---SOME JUST TAKE EVERYTHING TOO SERIOUS---I shoot cause it's FUN--- :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[29caliber]

Based on what I'm reading on this topic, it seems that using more than 55-60 grains of FFFg in my .45 T/C Hawken is a waste of powder since it can't burn the excess. I'm assuming that this holds for deer hunting loads as well since the same reasoning would apply.

 

[brubincam]

I wouldn't use 10 gr hunting---but it worked fine paper punching--deer hunting I use 70 gr--

 

[longcruise]

Based on what I'm reading on this topic, it seems that using more than 55-60 grains of FFFg in my .45 T/C Hawken is a waste of powder since it can't burn the excess.

Would not count on that being an absolute fact. How much powder will be burned can be effected by the tightness of the load and maybe even the power of the primer. Only way to tell for sure is with a chronograph.

I didn't quit at 60 grains for any particular reason other than that seemed like plenty of powder for a .45 ball.

----I went for fun others were too serious

See that a lot too. A few shooters at my club go to pains to appear not to be serious but when they are losing they often sport a grim expression. :haha:

 

[brubincam]

I went for the fun of it but was also winning that event--