.54 TC Range Results

[richard123]

I finally got my new to me 54 T.C. Hawken to the range today and was totally impressed. Granted I was only shooting at 25 yards but the .530 RB with .015 patch and 70 grs. of Goex 3F was shooting 1" groups. I realize that the TC isn't a custom gun, but as a kid growing up in a blue collar town in NW PA (1980's) the TC Hawken and Renegade were kings amongst hunters who couldn't afford custom guns. CVA's and Lyman's were also well represented. But to own a TC was a prestigious thing. Just a thought....

 

[mooman76]

Great! hotoSmile:

 

[Bugflipper]

Yeah would like to see it. Those 1" hawkens are getting few and far between these days. You have a good one it sounds like. Just for kicks and giggles try 55 gr and see how she does. I have a renegade that loves 55 for target and 85 for hunting.

 

[don hepler]

My son-in-law gave me an unfired .54 TC Hawken. I own custom rifles, but that 54 is really a nice rifle. The cost to build a rifle like that, today, would be near the cost of a custom built rifle. I have several TC rifles, and the 54 Hawken, is one of my favorite. It was King of the woods, here is Virginia, in it"s day.

 

[bendjoseph]

This is my first year hunting deer with a muzzleloader. I have a T/C Renegade, .54 caliber. It shoots great with a round ball and 80 grains of pryodex. What is this loads effective range?

 

[Bugflipper]

100 yards is a good number to live by when thinking of a 54 prb. It is effective to just over that, 125 would be a long shot for the average good shooting fella with a prb. 150 starts getting into the territory of risking wounding the animal and being inhumane even with a very skilled marksman if everything isn't just perfect. My best advise would be to put a 100 yard limit in your mind and if it shoots really good and you are well practiced if one presented a real good shot from 100-125 and you were very confident with being able to cleanly take it then no worries. Especially if you were able to rest the rifle for the shot instead of off hand.

A better mindset might be how to improve your craft to get closer. I shoot a lot of long range on paper and steel. Most of my shots are extremely close for deer. A long shot is generally within crossbow range in most cases for me these days. Sure I have been beanfield hunting and went through the phase of how far can I take one. I like the stalk more these days than going the other route though. If a fella were asking the same with a .50 then cut 25 yards from everything said. Then 25 again for a .45. If all were prb. A bullet adds 25 yards more or less effective range to a caliber. One size up bore size does the same imho when talking 40,45,50,54.
Good luck.

 

[Bob J]

My Dad and I hunted just about every muzzleloading season, he with a .54 TC Renegade, and me with the .50 TC Hawken he gave me for Christmas in 1978. Still have both rifles and they are good shooters.
Enjoy your TC Hawken!

 

[bendjoseph]

Thanks for the info! I am in some thick stuff, 50 yards is about the furthest I could shoot.

 

[bpd303]

Well within the effective range of a .54. :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

...50 yards is about the furthest I could shoot.

I had a very nice buck facing me at what later measured to be 57 yards- easy to recreate the shot with a skiff of snow on the ground.

The .530 ball launched by 90 grains of 3f entered dead center in the brisket, and the back of my mind said "Finally I'll get to recover one of these balls!"

Fat chance.... I was shooting a little downhill and the ball exited just in front of his wahoo and kept right on going. The buck dropped in his tracks. Even on broadside lung shots they usually don't get out of sight before dropping, and I'm yet to recover a ball from broadside shots.

Only ever recovered one ball. Whacked another good buck face-on in the white patch of its throat at around 55 yards. The ball stopped just under the hide on the back of its neck, having expanded to about the diameter of a quarter while completely pulverizing the spine.

You have a goodun there for hunting, both in model and caliber.

 

[BrownBear]

BTW-

Here are front and back photos of that recovered ball, along with an unfired ball and a quarter for reference: