.54 caliber Hawken long rifle range report

[Sharpie44]

I took my .54 caliber hawken long rifle out to the farm and put a few rounds down range. I've actually never shot it from the bench before so I was a little surprised to find that it was shooting off. It shot about 6" low and about 2.5" to the right. I didn't have a brass punch to move the front sight (To the right i believe) or a file to shave down the front sight. I wanted to see how far out i could get this rifle but I don't think I'm good enugh to compensate for the sights that much. I'll have to take it out again and sight it in with the right tools.

I shot some video my range session if you want to see the rifle and how it was shooting.
http://youtu.be/Xd6czmEWKxo

 

[roundball]

Good looking rifle...love making smoke.

I've been on again / off again about getting one of those action sports video cameras to barrel mount it for action shots on game but seeing your videos, the smoke at muzzle blast would probably obscure the critical moment I'd be interested in.


Just a thought...not knowing how you 'normally' shoot your rifle...ie: offhand, or sitting leaning against a tree to simulate hunting, etc...before making a whole lot of permanent changes to sights for bench shooting, you might want to retest from the position you normally shoot it first.
(If that's going to be from a bench from now on it wouldn't be an issue of course)

Thanks for sharing...
:thumbsup:

 

[Bob J]

Nice video indeed! Who built the rifle? I like the barrel's gray finish. It looks like with a little tapping and filing you'll be putting 'em in there :thumbsup:

 

[Sharpie44]

It is going to be a bench gun from now on. I have a .50 jaeger style flint lock that I hunt with. I unfortunately inherited the short stocky German genetics from my moms side of the family. I'm only about 5'4" 185 pounds. This rifle is a little to big for me to be carrying threw the woods all day. I've gotten a few deer with my .50 so I'll stick with that. I love shooting this hawken at the range so I want to make it my dedicated range gun.

 

[Sharpie44]

Thanks.

I have no idea who built this rifle and nether dues anyone I show it to. I can't find any markings on it and I inherited it from my dad. I asked him and he told me he bought it at a gun show from some older guy twenty years ago. So it's kind of an enigma.

As a side note the rifling in this gun is very deep and I have to use an extra heavy patch. otherwise the ball/patch just slide down it and don't engage the rifling. Even with a heavy patch it's not very hard to get the ball down unlike my other rifles. Is this normal for this type of gun? I'm no expert with these guns so I don't know.


I like the "In the white" look to but I do have to take it off it's stand (I have it hanging on my wall) and oil it about once a month. After getting it home from this shooting session i noticed some surface rust probably from the left over moisture in the air that day. it had rained for a good half hour before this video. I'm probably going to have to get it browned just to prevent rust. I think it looks better like this though.

 

[Ron_T.]

Roundball gave excellent advice... i.e., "make haste SLOWLY" and I totally agree.

To move the ball's impact to the LEFT, move the REAR sight to the LEFT. If moving the FRONT sight, then move the front sight to the RIGHT in order to move the ball's impact to the LEFT.

I recommend you change ONLY one item at a time... I.E., either adjust deflection (left or right) or elevation (filing the front sight down).

First, I'd move the rear sight to the LEFT a little (a "little" changes a LOT) and shoot at LEAST three 3-shot groups off the bench-rest. If further adjustment is needed, ONLY THEN would I make any further deflection adjustment left or right by moving the REAR SIGHT in the direction I wanted the rifle ball's impact to move.

Once you have your groups "centered", THEN begin filing down your front sight ONLY a TINY amount at a time since you can not put metal back on the front sight once you've filed it off.

After EACH time you filed the front sight down, I'd shoot at least three more 3 to 5 shot groups to get a TRUE picture of what effect the latest filing of the front sight has had on the elevation of the ball's impact.

Besides filing the front sight down, another way to move the ball's impact (vertically) is to change where you "hold" the front sight in the rear sight's "notch".

By raising the front sight's position from where you previously held it in the rear sight's "notch", you gain elevation. However, this method is more difficult to "repeat" shot-after-shot, so filing down the front sight is the PREFERRED method.

JUST DON'T GO TOO FAR and file more metal off of the front sight than is absolutely necessary.

If your barrel is new, then before doing ANY filing of the front sight, I'd recommend you shoot at least 200 to 300 rifle balls through the barrel BEFORE filing down the front sight. Naturally, you can "adjust" the rear sight NOW because it is moveable and you can move it again (if necessary) once the barrel is "broken-in".

Good luck, my friend... and make GOOD smoke ! :thumbsup:


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

 

[Ron_T.]

Another thought just "hit" me... and it was too late to edit my original post. So I'll run up my "post count" (hahahahaha) and make another post.

Try moving your rifle rest that supports your barrel back towards the rear of the rifle. Moving it MIGHT effect where the rifle ball impacts the target!

Try positioning it in several different positions and see how the different positions effect the group's impact on the target.

I don't know if it will change things, but it might. If so, then at least you'll know where you prefer positioning the rifle rest PRIOR to filing down your front sight.

Also wanted to mention that I loved your video. It made offering good advice much easier and, hopefully, more appropriate & effective. :wink:

Ron T.

 

[steved]

Sharpie 44,

Thanks for the range report and the cool video. Looks like a fine rifle. Others members already posted in reply some great advice to assist you on zeroing in the sights. Looking forward to seeing the results.

 

[Sharpie44]

I should also note that i used a .530 Hornady round ball with 60 grains of FF Goex powder.

 

[Trench]

Concerning groups: I noticed you've got a bit of a flinch. Video taping yourself is a great way to pick up on those things. I'm going to have to try it myself. I struggle with flinching now and then, myself.

 

Very nice rifle, great video. I did notice though that you set your brass black powder grenade (powder flask) to the right of the the lock on your shooting bench. Your lock sparks really well. Then it fell over which could have spilt any powder left in the spout. Just a thought, find another place to put the flask At minimum to the left of your shooting bench, but preferably behind. Overall good shooting, and as has been mentioned only adjust one thing at a time. For vertical at 25 yards, maybe try 10 or 20 more grains before filing the front site. Agin great video.

Bill

 

[tg]

Most shoot more powder than that in a .54 which could easily raise the poi

 

[Bob J]

I should also note that i used a .530 Hornady round ball with 60 grains of FF Goex powder.

You may want to try a .535 ball. Both my .54s take .535 balls and Hornady makes'em. I agree with TG that, while 60 grains is a fine target load, typically 80 to 100 would be a more typical hunting load. Being a fairly heavy rifle, recoil shouldn't be an issue. I hunt with 85 grains 2f in my Tennessee flintlock, while my Lyman Great Plains Rifle takes 100 grains.

 

[Dane]

Sharpie,

Before you start filing, drifting sights, let me ask a couple of basic questions.
1) Have you looked at your spent patches??
2) Have you worked up a "best load"?

POI can change significantly when changes in load/patch/ball combinations are changed. Here's why I ask.
Looks to be somewhat of a custom gun. Most custom barrels have deeper rifling than say a TC, or GPR. There fore, like a larger ball, and thicker patch to shoot their best. Most would shoot a .535 or larger ball with a .020 patch at least. Also, 60g seems like a pretty light load for a .54 cal. You also said that it loads very easy. Pretty good indication you may need a tighter load.
I would say start @ .535 and .020 patch (or more), and around 75g of FFFG or 90g FFG. Real black powder, not Pyrodex. See where it shoots, (@ 25 yds, it should make one ragged hole!! Look at your patches, if they're burnt, or have holes in them, you need a tighter patch/ball combination.
Once you get all that worked out...... then work on your sights!!

Hope that helps.

 

[Adui]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I had to thank you for this!
"Look at your patches, if they're burnt, or have holes in them, you need a tighter patch/ball combination."

My .50 is fairly easy to load as well. Not slide down the barrel easy but I certainly don't have to pound on it at all. I have looked at my patches, and they are neither burnt nor torn so I must be ok there..

 

[Sharpie44]

Well that actually helps a lot. Money is a bit tight right now so I’ll have to go down to the log cabin next week when I get paid. What stinks is that the box of .530 in the video is brand new. I only shot 8 rounds out of it. Maybe I can get some extra thick patches for those.

 

[Adui]

Try double patching, Ive never done it but Ive seen it suggested a couple times on here..

 

[Buffalohntr]

As someone else said when you had 2 flint misfire's you flinched. It may be the anticipation of the flash. I sat in my back yard and fired 50 flashpan charges and concrentated on the sight picture and ignored the ignition. It took a while but now i don't ever notice the flash. I have shot competition and hunted with this rifle with great success. Good luck you will get it.

 

[Flinchlock.50]

Hi nice rifle. I agree about double paching. If 2 patches are too tight to load, try using a peice of paper towel between your patch and ball. You can progressively add parer towel until you reach a snug fit. Any Its worked for me in the past. :wink: