Accurate loads for .50 T/C?

[BillinOregon]

Fellas, my first muzzleloading long gun about 30 years ago was a T/C Hawken, long since swapped away. But now I have one coming that I bought on the excellent classifieds here, and so thought I would ask you T/C shooters what your favorite loads are in the .50 1:48 barrel, both round ball and conical.I'll probably add a .40 GM drop-in barrel to this rig, but there are no flies on a .50 conical for a hunting load. And if I recall right, there are some light RB loads for the TC that can be nicely accurate for target and small game.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Try Roundball's Favorite:

80 Grains. FFFg powder, .015 Patch, lubed with Wonderlube, with a .490 ball.

I get my best groups in a Flintlock using 75 Grains of FFg powder and the same ball and patch combination.

 

[54mountain]

Mine liked 60g FFFg .17 pillow ticking patch and .490 rb for paper and bunnies and such, this load would shoot to POA out past 50 yards.

 

[roundball]

Fellas, my first muzzleloading long gun about 30 years ago was a T/C Hawken, long since swapped away. But now I have one coming that I bought on the excellent classifieds here, and so thought I would ask you T/C shooters what your favorite loads are in the .50 1:48 barrel, both round ball and conical.I'll probably add a .40 GM drop-in barrel to this rig, but there are no flies on a .50 conical for a hunting load. And if I recall right, there are some light RB loads for the TC that can be nicely accurate for target and small game.

In my TC Hawkens I just use the old guideline of caliber = target/plinking loads, ie: 50grns Goex 3F.
For deer hunting I use 90grns Goex 3F with an Oxyoke wad over the powder.
In both cases I use .018" pillow ticking and Hornady .490s.
30-40grns will get it done for squirrels & rabbits.

 

[boar]

TC manual-80grs 2ff most accurate for Rb. mv 1,839 f.p.s. me 1,313 ft lbs. Max-ball and max-hunter 100grs 2ff most accurate. mv 1,345 f.p.s. me 1,728 ft. lbs. Mine liked 100grs and max-hunter. Never shot a RB in this gun. Dilly

 

[bwhoffman]

I have had great success using 30 to 45 gr 3F for paper, 30 gr under 50 yds giving nice groups that are repeatable.
Now when you get your .40 green mountain drop in, lets talk! I have one and it is the cat's meow!

 

[gordy]

The load I use for RB is 45grs. 3fff Goex .490 RB with a pillow ticking patch cut at the muzzle. I use a Dutch Schultz dry patch of 1 part water soluble oil (machine cutting oil) to 6 parts water. I also have used Bore Butter :grin: with good results. The dry patch will slide down-bore easily with just a little spit. :v

 

[BillinOregon]

Thanks guys. Looks like I'll have lots to go on when I get the TC to the range. Brett, really looking forward to a .40.

 

[Rat Trapper]

My TC Hawken 50 cal likes the Hornady 385 gr great plains bullet, felt wad over powder,90 grains of triple seven 2F, and CCI #11 mag cap. Normally shoots under an inch at 50 yds if I do my part.

 

[Viktor]

Mine likes 90 grn.2f with a .490 and a .018 patch with bore butter for 1.5 " at 80 yrds. :wink:

 

[zukeeper1]

my caplock likes 90 gr. no matter what lead I use . seems a lot of T/C 's prefer 90 :wink:

 

[Mac Attack]

I found that my most accurate load thus far has been 55 ffg of blackpowder with a yellow box .490 ball and .018 patch. I have tried up to 75 grains and haven't been able to duplicate the accuracy of the 55 ffg.

For Minie balls, I like to use 60 - 65 grains not not much more. I haven't hunted with mine yet but I suspect I need to work up a load for TC's Maxi-hunters. I picked up about 10 boxes on clearance at Walmart and need to create a load.

 

[Little Wattsy]

I got one too and it sis DEAD on with 50 grs of Pyrodex Rs and a PRB and it does VERY good with 90 grs of Pro RS and a Hornady 385 gr conical.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

80 grains Pyrodex select, .015 crisco lubed patch, home cast .490 roundball did excellent in the TC Hawken i had, but sold "Pending funds"

80 grains Pyrodex Select with a 295 grain HP Powerbelt also were accurate as heck. Aerotips seemed to shoot tighter.

 

[50cal.cliff]

Favorite load for my .50 is a .490RB w/.18 patch and about 80gr of 2FF GEOX BP.
It seems too like the range from about 65-85gr fairly good. Depends on the yardage I am shooting at. I have used .495 w/.10 patch, has a little more kick but very accurate. Real hard to start and you don't want to dryball one of the .495 as tight as they are to start. Don't ask how I know!

 

[kwildey]

Mine likes 50 grains of 2f for targets. I kick it up to 75 for deer hunting. accuracy is the same for either. 490rb and .015 patch with wonderlube.