Cabela's 54 Cal Hawken

[GaCop]

Won this one on Gunbroker ($185 shipped) and received it yesterday. Previous owner said it was a backup gun to his TC and was shot very little. I have to believe that as the rifle looks like it was just taken out of the box for the first time.

I'm quite impressed by the quality and workmanship. It looks a lot like a TC. It has a checkered stock, iron furniture, fully adjustable rear sight and a recoil pad along with sling swivels. The stock appears to be walnut with a nice satin finish. Barrel is rifled 1 in 48". I have no way at the moment to post pictures, sorry.

Tom

 

[William O.]

If the bore is good then you got an excellent deal. Start with a .530 RB, .015 lubed patches and 60 grains of 2f Goex and work up an accurate load from there.

 

[ryoung14]

Got a .50 Cabela's carbine on Gunbroker a few years ago for almost the exact price you paid. It's got a fast twist 21" barrel with a chromed bore. Otherwise, the description you gave fits mine.

I love the little bugger. It does great with conicals and s****s with 80 grain loads. Surprisingly accurate for having such a short sight radius. It was made by Investarms; same people that make the Lyman muzzleloaders.

A very handy and attractive rifle. You got a great deal. The price new from Cabela's has nearly doubled over the last 5 years...and is more than twice what you paid.

 

[JJCASTINGS]

Good for you. I picked up three different rifles on GB last year. All three are percussion and dual triggers. 50 cal CVA Hawken, 50 cal CVA mountain, and 32 caliber Traditions Crockett.

Dropped an LED light down the bores and they were clean. If you do not have one, you can get the glow stick type at dollar stores as kids bracelets.

 

[BrianL]

I have one, full sized, in 58 cal and the spare barrel in 54, both 15/16". The 58 is very light and accurate but both need two strikes on a CCI cap :idunno:

 

[SmokepoleSam]

It sounds like the nipple is too large or the caps are to small.If you are using #11 caps, put the nipples in a drill, tape the threads and use a file to take a small amount of metal off. Go slow and check often.It doesn't take much, maybe a couple of turns of the drill. If you are using #10's use #11's. Hope this helps.

 

[GaCop]

Yeah, all the rifles I've gotten have been from Gunbroker too. The previous owner recently advised that 80 grains of 3Fg shot well with a .530" ball and .015" patching. The bore looks like it's never had a shot fired, it's squeeky clean. Even the nipple looks brand new.

Being 1/48" twist, I'm also going to try some maxi-Balls in it too. Can't wait for the weather to get better so I can hit the range. The wind this last week has been a bear.

Tom

 

[GaCop]

That's exactly where I intended to start my powder charges. Real BP is not easy to get around here so I'll be using both FFg and FFFg Triple Seven to work up loads.

Tom

 

[saber24]

You can order BP for Graf & Sons......by the pound! UPS will deliver (you have to be there to sign for it). And, the Graf & Sons private label is Goex (save a doller!). Yes, you have to pay a Haz Mat fee but you get to shoot real BP!

IMHO: Triple 7 is as close to smokeless pouder as you can get.

Bruce

 

[William O.]

That's exactly where I intended to start my powder charges. Real BP is not easy to get around here so I'll be using both FFg and FFFg Triple Seven to work up loads. Tom

Speaking from experience you'll want to stick with 2Fg Triple 7 and reduce your loads 10% over what you'd normally load if using Goex, so you starting load would be 55 grains and work up from there. You will also need to make sure no moisture remains in the bore after swabbing with a cleaning patch in between shots so you don't affect the next powder charge. Have fun and let us know how you do.

PS- when you get a chance to use Goex or another traditional black powder I think you'll understand why it's recommended in order to get the consistent accuracy from your rifle. Check into ordering black powder from places like Powder Inc. or Grafs & Son, then see if anyone in your area wants to go in together so you can get the best price per pound. A 25 pound case of Goex from Powder Inc. brings the price down to around $14.00/pound.

 

[GaCop]

Not a lot of BP shooters in my neck of the woods that I know of. Local shops don't carry an extensive line of traditional BP supplies (if at all) because of ther more popular in-lines.
I swab between shots with 91% isopropal alcohol so moisture is not a problem. My patch lube is Ballistol.

Tom

 

[GaCop]

I like the way T-7 cleans up between shots and after a range cession. Very little gunk to alcohol swab between shots and the smoke is not bad when shooting into a head wind.

Tom

 

[William O.]

Sounds like you're on the right track then.

 

[MacRob46]

If the bore is good then you got an excellent deal. Start with a .530 RB, .015 lubed patches and 60 grains of 2f Goex and work up an accurate load from there.

1-48 is awfully fast for a patched round ball. You may get good accuracy out of it but it will probably be difficult to do. Be prepared to try some sort of elongated bullet in it if the RB does not meet your specifications.

 

[misher]

I have one and they handle patched round balls just fine. It's a little rough with the 530gr. TC Maxiball.

 

[William O.]

If the bore is good then you got an excellent deal. Start with a .530 RB, .015 lubed patches and 60 grains of 2f Goex and work up an accurate load from there.

1-48 is awfully fast for a patched round ball. You may get good accuracy out of it but it will probably be difficult to do. Be prepared to try some sort of elongated bullet in it if the RB does not meet your specifications.

If the barrel is made by Investarms then it's going to be pretty much identical to the one used on the Lyman Trade Rifle and is capable of excellent RB accuracy. So far every Trade Rifle I've ever owned grouped RB's very well, however conicals were a different story. Accuracy using the Hornady Great Plains conicals was okay but not excellent like a PRB. The depth of the rifling has much more affect on which bullet is more accurate than the twist rate.

 

[cynthialee]

every one of my rifles has the 1:48 twist and they handle roundballs rather well. I can't get a group with conicals to save my bacon. More like a shot patern.

 

[Oldhickory]

If your Invest Arms Hawken needs to strike the cap
more than once, it is a problem with the spring.Pull the lock and put more load on the spring.Otherwise great shooting rifles.

 

[MacRob46]

Well, getting good accuracy with a PRB and a 1-48 twist flies in the face of my experience and everything I was ever told about rifling twists. But, if you are getting great accuracy from them I will have to bow to your experience.

 

[larry wv]

Mine is very accurate with a PRB or a Maxi. I think it is one of the best grouping rifles I have. Also it is my main hunting rifle. Its a .54 in flint. Larry