Conical recommendations

[Zip]

Figured I'd ask what conicals best work in a .50 TC Hawken, while I'm still sorting out my PRB loads. I don't have black, but have 777 and Pyrodex RS and Select. It's a deer hunting gun and in California's central Sierra mountains ranges can vary from 40-100 yds. It's been awhile that I've made smoke so not sure what's transpired in the way of conical development that favors the gun. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[cowpoke1955]

I have a .54 T/C Hawkens and my son-in-law has a .50. We both use the Lee R.E.A.L. bullets and the T/C Maxi Balls. Both give greay accuracy in both rifles. Others claim exellent results with the Hornady Great Plains Bullets. Try some of each and see which one your rifle likes best. Beofre I moved here, ny favorite hunting spot was outside of Dorrington, near Big Trees. Finally stopped deer hunting there. Yoo many idots with guns shooting at anything, if it moved or not. Good luck.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I have a .54 T/C Hawkens and my son-in-law has a .50. We both use the Lee R.E.A.L. bullets and the T/C Maxi Balls. Both give greay accuracy in both rifles. Others claim exellent results with the Hornady Great Plains Bullets. Try some of each and see which one your rifle likes best. Beofre I moved here, ny favorite hunting spot was outside of Dorrington, near Big Trees. Finally stopped deer hunting there. Yoo many idots with guns shooting at anything, if it moved or not. Good luck.

+1 :thumbsup:

My rifle wins Matches with the .50 cal 370 grain Maxi. Try a lubed felt wonder-wad under it to shrink your groups a little :wink: with 72 grains of 3Fg equiv. in your powders, i.e.: 80-85 grains of RS and 65 grains of 777 for a start. The T-7 is gonna kick more though, so you may want a slower burning powder like the RS....

Dave

 

[Kentuckywindage]

check out XXXX and email them for a sizing sample. These conicals kick major butt :thumbsup:

 

[Kapow]

Dangerous question to ask, brings em all out of the woodwork :surrender: . When using those felt wonder wads do you ram them down before the projectile or just place the projectile on top of them then ram them both down together? Been experimenting with them.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Dangerous question to ask, brings em all out of the woodwork :surrender: . When using those felt wonder wads do you ram them down before the projectile or just place the projectile on top of them then ram them both down together? Been experimenting with them.

I think that you meant to ask me the above question. The answer is that I load them separately with my Range Rod, and then load the Maxi. That way I get less of the lube all over my hands trying to do too much at the same time :wink: . Using a Range Rod ensures a more uniform amount of pressure on the load, resulting in a lower sdv, which translates into tighter groups .

Dave

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Dangerous question to ask, brings em all out of the woodwork :surrender: . When using those felt wonder wads do you ram them down before the projectile or just place the projectile on top of them then ram them both down together? Been experimenting with them.

OH BOY DO YOU KNOW IT!

LOOK OUT, AS HERE IT COMES :shocked2:

 

[Zonie]

I'm sure you folks haven't noticed but because this is a Traditional Muzzleloading Forum we have some items which are not permitted for discussion in our rules section.

The Rules section has been recently changed to read:

"3. We do not discuss copper and/or jacketed, plastic/polymer tipped bullets, sabots, power belts, or other 'plastic-wrapped' bullets."

It was felt that in no way was a copper, a jacketed, jacketed hollow point or plastic tipped bullet an item that would have been found during or prior to 1865.
1865 or earlier is the date the Forum has chosen for the latest date for items of discussion.

We hope you will understand and accept the revised rule.

 

[William O.]

Figured I'd ask what conicals best work in a .50 TC Hawken, while I'm still sorting out my PRB loads. I don't have black, but have 777 and Pyrodex RS and Select. It's a deer hunting gun and in California's central Sierra mountains ranges can vary from 40-100 yds. It's been awhile that I've made smoke so not sure what's transpired in the way of conical development that favors the gun. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If your Hawken has a 1:48 rate of twist then you should be able to get decent accuracy using lead conicals. Try the Lee REAL or Hornady Great Plains conicals which IME group better with the addition of a lubed wad. Keep in mind that the heavier conical is going to drop a lot more than a RB and that may limit your effective range depending on where you will be hunting. If you have a slow twist barrel then stick with shooting RB and have confidence in it's ability to harvest game.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

check out XXXX and email them for a sizing sample. These conicals kick major butt :thumbsup:

 

[rabjr]

I really liked the all lead full caliber conicals (Ultimate 1s) made by Precision Bullets back when I was using them. Paper patched, they proved to be tack drivers and hammered deer pretty hard. But I've been using ball since discovering flintlocks.
http://www.prbullet.com/ul50.htm

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I'm sure you folks haven't noticed but because this is a Traditional Muzzleloading Forum we have some items which are not permitted for discussion in our rules section.

The Rules section has been recently changed to read:

"3. We do not discuss copper and/or jacketed, plastic/polymer tipped bullets, sabots, power belts, or other 'plastic-wrapped' bullets."

It was felt that in no way was a copper, a jacketed, jacketed hollow point or plastic tipped bullet an item that would have been found during or prior to 1865.
1865 or earlier is the date the Forum has chosen for the latest date for items of discussion.

We hope you will understand and accept the revised rule.

Didn't they have copper back then? Nobody ever tried a bullet made from copper?

Just saying. :idunno:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Sure. They had all the elements we have now.

But apparantly if they had them they didn't write about them or leave any to be found . . . sounds like a good plan. ;-)

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I'm all for keeping the forum traditional, but why not go all the way?

A copper bullet is no more modern than modern sub powders as an example.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Because of the atmosphere we want to encourage and foster here on the forum.

The main focus of this site is "Traditional Muzzleloading"; The history of the people, the muzzleloading weapons and battles, up to and including the American Civil War. (From the inception of firearms through 1865)

If you'd like to exclude synthetic powders we could take that under advisement as well, but out of sympathy for Alaska and Hawaii we allow, but do not encourage, blackpowder substitutes.

PS - a copper conical does not look or act like a round ball. Synthetic blackpowder substitutes look and act like blackpowder - just harder to ignite.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

That was just an example.

Everybody is free to use what they want. The question is, should it be discussed on this forum?

Just a thought.

btw..T7 has nothing in common with BP. They even had to add the smoke. :wink:

 

[Rat Trapper]

My go to hunting load for my TC 50 cal Hawken is: 90 grains of Tripple seven 2f, felt wad over powder, Hornady great plains 385 grain bullet and CCI #11 mag caps. A hot shot nipple also helps. These bullets are a pretty tight fit in my rifle and go down hard, but are tack drivers. This bullet expands very well, but normally they go all the way trough and you seldom find one. I've only found one so far and it was a perfect mushroom.

 

[bkisel]

Hi,

New to this stuff so please don't give to much weight to what I have to say.

I have a percussion T/C PA Hunter (.50 1:66) from which I shoot both RB and Hornady PA Conicals (240 gr). PRB shot great for me but I listened to someone who told me that the PA Conicals would be better for deer hunting. The PA Conicals also shoot great for me but as I visit this site and others I'm beginning to believe that ~100 yards and in I'd do just fine with the PRB. Thinking now to get some BP, shoot up my conicals and then stick with PRB.

 

[jethro224]

check out XXXX and email them for a sizing sample. These conicals kick major butt :thumbsup:

Maybe you missed this?

I'm sure you folks haven't noticed but because this is a Traditional Muzzleloading Forum we have some items which are not permitted for discussion in our rules section.

The Rules section has been recently changed to read:

"3. We do not discuss copper and/or jacketed, plastic/polymer tipped bullets, sabots, power belts, or other 'plastic-wrapped' bullets."

It was felt that in no way was a copper, a jacketed, jacketed hollow point or plastic tipped bullet an item that would have been found during or prior to 1865.
1865 or earlier is the date the Forum has chosen for the latest date for items of discussion.

We hope you will understand and accept the revised rule.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

What?!!! We cant even say XXXX?

Jeez dont say TC as they make the bad kind of muzzle loaders as well. :yakyak: