.50 T/C Hawken conical loads?

[Ryan Schmitz]

Just curious as to what different types of conicals and loads of BP shoot better out of your T/C Hawken .50's with the standard 1-48" ROT barrels...any overshot cards between the slugs and powder? Stuff like that...I usually use my slug gun for deer but this year I'm going to use the ML. I usually just shoot prb's through it for the ml season but this year I want to bring the "big guns" out for general firearms and muzzleloader seasons. Thanks in advance.

 

[boar]

My .50 TC Hawkens Flinter I use 100grs 2ff and maxi-hunter. I use 80grs and TC Cheap-shot in my Traditions Hawkens .50. :thumbsup: Dilly

 

[nw_hunter]

I use several conical's in my 54 and 50 Hawkens with good results.The Lyman Real bullets, and a big conical called the Lyman shocker are my favorites.The Shocker is 425 gr in the 50, and 440 in the 54.I seldom use an over powder wad. "Oh yea"80 gr of 3f Goex or KIK.

 

[longcruise]

Just curious as to what different types of conicals and loads of BP shoot better out of your T/C Hawken .50's with the standard 1-48" ROT barrels...

The eighty grains of powder already suggested will work fine with any of the conicals in the 350 to 425 weight range. Velocity will run in the 1200 to 1350 fps with 80 grains of ff goex. You can load more powder but the velocity is not going to go up much and for sure the ballistics above will do any deer in nicely.

Avoid conicals much longer than about .80 in length. The longer ones may or may not stabilize and that carrys over to stability while penetrating the animal.

Don't shoot conicals any more but when I did there was never any wad or OP thingy of any kind in my loads.

The most accurate slug I ever shot in my .50 Hawken was a 450 grain .50-70 Govt slug sized down to about .502 or .504 (approximately)

 

[GreyWhiskers]

I have limited experience with TC's Maxi Balls in my .50 TC Hawken. I used 70grs of 3f GOEX and I think the projectiles were 370 grains. I was disappointed in the group size until I used a felt wad under the bullets. Using the wads I could get cloverleaf 5 shot groups at 25 yards. And I remember that they printed about 2 1/2" lower than my PRB at the same range. Your results may vary. GW

 

[Billnpatti]

Hey, Marmot, you caught my attention with your revelation of accurate shooting with a .50-70 slug in a .50 Hawken. :bow: I think I'd like to try that. What rifle did you shoot that in? What was the twist rate? What brand of bullet did you use? What powder and what charge? I'm always looking for ways to improve my accuracy. 'Cuz an inaccurate rifle is only a noise maker. :hatsoff:

 

[larry wv]

When I use a 50 to hunt its about 85-90 gr 3f. A bit of Hornet nest and a Maxi ball. Larry Wv

 

[cowpoke1955]

I have a .54 T/C Hawkens that loves the 380 grain Lee REAL bullets. I use 90 grains of Ptrodex RS, been saving my black powder for my flinters, and an Ox-Yoke Wonder Wad. Very accurate out to 100 yards :thumbsup:

 

[Deadeye]

I shoot a .50 cal 500 gr. bullet from a mould made by LBT. Usually shoot it from a GM fast twist but it shoots almost as well from the 1/48.
Have shot up to 160 grs. of 2F but have found 90 gr. 2F to be very accurate and to have all the killing power necessary. Have shot lengthways thru Bull Elk with 90 grs.

 

[longcruise]

Hey, Marmot, you caught my attention with your revelation of accurate shooting with a .50-70 slug in a .50 Hawken. I think I'd like to try that. What rifle did you shoot that in? What was the twist rate? What brand of bullet did you use? What powder and what charge?

The rifle is my TC Hawken with 1/48 original factory barrel. I got the bullets from another participant on another board 10 ro 12 years ago. He had an adjustable mold and was casting them at 450 grains and then sizing them to .504 or .501. Don't remember which . Shot them with 80 to 100 grains of goex ff. Prefered the 80 due to the heavy recoil of the heavy bullet. No doubt in my mind that 80 grain and that bullet would kill anything on the continent.

You can get a 450 50-70 mold from Lee Precision. It will cast at about .515, so you should also get the Lee .501 push through sizer.

I used TC 1000+ for lube, but just about any lube should work just fine.

One thing I discovered shooting conicals in my TC was that you pretty much have to wipe after each shot. A crud ring starts to build up in the breech area where the base of the bullet sits on the powder. The more you shoot the bigger it gets and the groups start to get bigger after four or five shots. Once the crud ring was wiped away the groups came back.

And, finally, when you shoot conicals in your cap gun, the nipple erodes very quickly. It needs to be replaced every 30 or so shots. If you don't replace it you will begin to see your hammer is being blown all the way into full cock position. :shocked2: This is a fact well known to long range ml slug gun shooters and they use platinum lined nipples to prevent the rapid erosion. At a cost of about $45 bucks apiece they are a pricey solution but if you are going to shoot a whole lot they are probably worth it.

 

[nw_hunter]

I shoot a .50 cal 500 gr. bullet from a mould made by LBT. Usually shoot it from a GM fast twist but it shoots almost as well from the 1/48.
Have shot up to 160 grs. of 2F but have found 90 gr. 2F to be very accurate and to have all the killing power necessary. Have shot lengthways thru Bull Elk with 90 grs.

WOW! That is a chunk of lead for a 50 cal.
I was surprised at the accuracy I had with the shocker bullet in my 54 1/48 twist. The bullet is so long, I thought it would start to key hole after 50 yds or so, but it still punches a nice round hole at 100 yds.

 

[Billnpatti]

Thanks for the info, Marmot. Lee molds and sizers are pretty inexpensive so I am gong to order both and give those bullets a try. I also have a Pedersoli Kodiak .50 cal. double rifle that I'd like to try those bullets in as well. I don't remember the exact twist rate on the Pedersoli but I think it is around 1 in 25. Obviously, it will shoot only conicals. I just got it and am gong to need to work up a load for it. It is going to get a chance to eat some of those .50-70 bullets from the Lee mold.

Thanks again for the info.

Bill

 

[longcruise]

Thanks for the info, Marmot. Lee molds and sizers are pretty inexpensive so I am gong to order both and give those bullets a try. I also have a Pedersoli Kodiak .50 cal. double rifle that I'd like to try those bullets in as well. I don't remember the exact twist rate on the Pedersoli but I think it is around 1 in 25. Obviously, it will shoot only conicals. I just got it and am gong to need to work up a load for it. It is going to get a chance to eat some of those .50-70 bullets from the Lee mold.

Sure would like to hear how that all works out. The double gun loaded with two of those would be a killer on both ends :haha:

 

[zrifleman]

Best advice I ever got was from barrel maker Ed Rayl--"use 3 FG black powder, a 1/8" wool felt wad, and the Lyman Plains bullet. We have tried both .50 and .54 in several guns with outstanding results.

 

[Rat Trapper]

In my TC Hawken 50 cal, I use 90 grains of 2F triple seven, CCI #11 mag caps, felt wad over powder and the Hornaday 385 gr hp great plains bullet. I use hot shot nipples and with them you do not get the hammer rebounding problem either. While it is a good idea to replace nipples, I do not see a reason to install a new one every 30 shots. This load will drive tacks at 50 yds. Best 3 shot groups was 3/8 inch.

 

[longcruise]

While it is a good idea to replace nipples, I do not see a reason to install a new one every 30 shots.

Go out and shoot the load you described with a conventional nipple and caps. After 40 shots compare the nipple with an unfired one. If you shoot it long enough it will reach the point where it blows your hammer back to full cock. :shocked2:

 

[Rat Trapper]

Never had a hammer blow back using hot shot nipples. My round ball rifles have standard nipples and they don't blow back either! In my two hunting rifles a 54 & 50 cal TC Hawken, I shoot some pretty heavy loads with conicals and they do not blow back.

 

[roundball]

I've run several 50 shot range sessions on the same Hot Shot nipples on TC .45/.50/.54cal caplocks...never had a problem with a nipple, or hammers blowing back, or accuracy falling off...

 

[longcruise]

The hammer blowback happens after 30 to 50 shots of 80+ grain charges under conical slugs. It is indicative of the burning out of the nipple by the back pressure of the shot. If you have a stronger spring, your hammer may not blow back. Nevertheless, shooting those conical loads is rapidly burning your nipple out whether the hammer is blowing back or not. Hot shot nipples are not immune!

 

[Dphar]

Just curious as to what different types of conicals and loads of BP shoot better out of your T/C Hawken .50's with the standard 1-48" ROT barrels...any overshot cards between the slugs and powder? Stuff like that...I usually use my slug gun for deer but this year I'm going to use the ML. I usually just shoot prb's through it for the ml season but this year I want to bring the "big guns" out for general firearms and muzzleloader seasons. Thanks in advance.

Just shoot a PRB it will work just as well, probably better, all hype to the contrary not withstanding.
Less recoil, less pressure, less nipple replacement and the deer will die just the same.

Dan