Best round ball load for 1/48 twist

[loflyr55]

I was given a nice TC Hawken made by my brother as my first muzzleloader. Now 40 years later I am still shooting it (along with many others) but cannot get consistency like I could with a 1/66 twist. I have tried 60 grain to 95 on this .54 caliber rifle and wonder should I reduce to 45 grains? I use a 530 rb and .010 cotton patch with a lube that is beeswax and olive oil ( consistency of wonder lube).
my slow twist barrel would take just about anything but this TC just has me perplexed.
any suggestions?

 

[UndeadPoet]

Are you using a .001 patch or a .010 patch? If the former, that might be your issue, unless the bore is just too “tight” to accommodate more. You might try .015 patch to see if it gives you any tighter groups.

 

[Grimord]

Are you using a .001 patch or a .010 patch? If the former, that might be your issue, unless the bore is just too “tight” to accommodate more. You might try .015 patch to see if it gives you any tighter groups.

When I had a T/C .54 Renegade with a 1:48" twist, my best target load was 55 grains of 3f with a .530 ball and a .015 mink oil lubed patch. This load gave me 1.5" groups at 50 yards off the bench.

 

[deermanok]

Maybe a .520 ball with thicker patches, .018, .020?
I have a rifle, not TC that won't shoot a round ball for crap. I've tried all kinds of loads with it.
Mine's a 50 cal. It will shoot conical bullets just fine though.

 

[bubba.50]

A well lubed maxi-ball over 70 to 90 grains.

 

[loflyr55]

Maybe a .520 ball with thicker patches, .018, .020?
I have a rifle, not TC that won't shoot a round ball for crap. I've tried all kinds of loads with it.
Mine's a 50 cal. It will shoot conical bullets just fine though.

It shoots maxi balls ok

 

[necchi]

but cannot get consistency like I could with a 1/66 twist.

You should be able to like the many 100's here that have.
Simple experiments with ball size, patch thickness and lube properties will have that thing dialed in.
Just off the top of my head your patch is too loose and too slippery,, tighter/dryer combinations would be the direction to go.
Sweet loads for that thing should be in the 70-80grn range, but a dryish patch around .020 will be needed or a change to .535 ball.
Change things up, experiment,,

 

[morehops52]

It shoots maxi balls ok

You have your answer. Maxi Balls. My T/C shoots maxi fine. i've played w. RB until I just said "What's the use? Just shoot maxis".

 

[loflyr55]

Thanks, I’ll just keep at it

 

[Nor'Easter]

When I had a T/C .54 Renegade with a 1:48" twist, my best target load was 55 grains of 3f with a .530 ball and a .015 mink oil lubed patch. This load gave me 1.5" groups at 50 yards off the bench.

I have found that it's good to start with a load someone else has proven, like Grimord's. Then adjust from there for your individual rifle. I found all my TC rifles prefer 3f powder or equivalent, though I have no idea why that is. And I have .32 - .45 - .50 - .54 cal. TC's. I run 3f in all of them. Other brands seem to follow 'normal' rules about powder choice.

 

[Kansas Jake]

TC’s sometimes like a thick patch. It makes for a hard to start patch and ball but may help accuracy. Before anything else I’d try a .015 or .018 patch.

 

[SDSmlf]

I use a 530 rb and .010 cotton patch with a lube that is beeswax and olive oil ( consistency of wonder lube).

I have had quite a few 54 caliber TCs and .530” roundballs with .010” thick patching can be difficult to get decent accuracy. You want patching that is thick enough when compressed to fill the windage between the ball and bore, plus fill the lands. The last couple yards of ticking I got measures 015”, but when compressed, measures .012” thick. If you don’t have thicker patch material available, place a wad or even a patch or two over the powder to protect the patch around the ball. If you have thicker material and find it too difficult to load, try using a wetter lube. Once you get a baseline load that’s accurate, you can start switching out different things (one at a time) to understand what is controlling your accuracy.

 

[loflyr55]

I have had quite a few 54 caliber TCs and .530” roundballs with .010” thick patching can be difficult to get decent accuracy. You want patching that is thick enough when compressed to fill the windage between the ball and bore, plus fill the lands. The last couple yards of ticking I got measures 015”, but when compressed, measures .012” thick. If you don’t have thicker patch material available, place a wad or even a patch or two over the powder to protect the patch around the ball. If you have thicker material and find it too difficult to load, try using a wetter lube. Once you get a baseline load that’s accurate, you can start switching out different things (one at a time) to understand what is controlling your accuracy.

I do have some ticking but it was tough to load, I’ll give it another try. Thanks

 

[hanshi]

T/C rifles generally have shallow rifling that demands a good, tight prb fit. I don't have a T/C but will suggest a thicker patch of .015" to start. Your prb has likely been stripping and not getting a good grip on the shallow grooves; hence the erratic results.

 

[tenngun]

Tc Hawkins are not a copy of the originals. However for all the slow twist guns there are 1/48 was the original twist in Hawkens

 

[Timber Wolf]

My first guess was try a .535 ball with various patches. I picked up a .45 barrel for my Hawken and have not yet been able to get it to shoot a RB. I have not given up, I would like it to shoot with RB but if it ends up a maxi or REAL barrel, so be it.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Tc Hawkins are not a copy of the originals. However for all the slow twist guns there are 1/48 was the original twist in Hawkens

The original rifles with 1 in 48 twist had much deeper grooves. With the deeper grooves and thicker patches, the ball and patch in the thicker grooves worked better to stabilize the ball in flight.

 

[ohio ramrod]

The shallow grooved T.C. barrels like a tight patch/ball fit. I get good results with .445 balls and .010 patches in my 45 caliber. My neighbor uses .495 balls and .015 patches in his fifty caliber.Hard to load but accurate!

 

[Kansas Jake]

I’ve used .490 with .018 ticking.

 

[Dirty Mike]

I use 100 grn powder .530 ball .15 patch with great results