Maxiball

[NMHawken]

Just for S&Gs, I am going to shoot some Maxiballs from the Hawken, I have the mold, so I thought why not try them. They weigh just under 370 grains, and I am going to try 70gr of FFFg. I will hopefully remember to take some pictures.

 

[ORBushman]

OK!

 

[Gun Tramp]

They weigh just under 370 grains, and I am going to try 70gr of FFFg.

Have you told your fillings?

 

[NMHawken]

They'll learn soon enough. Expect it will be worse than my 525gr bullets from the Sharps with the same charge due to the Sharps being about 4# heavier.

 

[ORBushman]

I have about 50 Maxiballs ready to shoot and have the mold and lead for more. Trying to get my T/C Hawken setup with some sights so I can hit the range and shoot them myself! Looking forward to your shooting report and what you find works best as a load.

 

[NMHawken]

Sun is up, going to be 60 degrees here in the basin, a good day to send some lead down range. I am going to adjust my alloy, cast some from a little purer sheet lead I have, about 300# worth. Still shopping for a round ball mold.

 

[longcruise]

What "Hawken"? Not all the same.

 

[ORBushman]

What "Hawken"? Not all the same.

Yes, good point!

 

[Crockford]

Looking forward to the range report, gun and load details.

 

[NMHawken]

So, winds were a light 5-7 quartering, temperature was 62 degrees. Target set at 55 yards from the muzzle. Load was 70 grains of Goex FFFg under the 370gr Lyman Maxi with no over powder wad and simple Crisco for lube. Lube seems to be adequate, as I had a good amount at the muzzle after firing. RWS caps were used, and I wiped between shots with Murphy's oil soap, distilled water, MPro7, and alcohol (my Sharps wiping solution). Recoil was quite sporty, but as this is a bullet only for the off chance I ever draw another elk tag. I fired some .490 RB as well, and discovered that the rifle prefers the .015 cleaning patches I have over the .018 prelubed pillow ticking patches I bought recently. Shots with the pillow ticking were patterns, not groups, the cleaning patches were taking prickly pear leaves at 70+ yards. All in all a very nice afternoon, so thankful for the opportunity to reacquant myself with this T/C.

 

[NMHawken]

So I have embarked on a journey with Dad's Hawken. While it shoots great groups with a .490 ball and a .015 patch, it completely shreds a .018 patch. So I ran my cell phone borescope down, and the horrible pitting from Dad not properly storing the rifle, and the resulting rust that came from some humid assignments as an Air Force pilot. It also has some horrendous carbon buildup in the first 4 inches forward of the powder chamber. I am going to work on getting the carbon out, nothing to be done with the pits, I will just have to keep wiping between shots. As long as it shoots as well as it is, I won't take any drastic steps, as it does have sentimental value to me. This camera is a help, but can be a detriment if you use it, and don't "listen" to what the rifle tells you when shooting.

 

[NMHawken]

I just realized I didn't really give a range report. The target is the Maxiballs, about 3
5" at 55 yards, I recovered 2, in the picture they are flanked by a couple of recovered 192gr cup point bullets from my 38-40, still need to wash and weigh them, but I know they are too hard, and a much softer alloy will tighten up the groups, as I think they will obdurate and give a better seal, may try an over powder wad too. For now my focus will be on PRB, as that is where my interest really lies. I picked up the Lyman Maxi mold because so many people have told me that a PRB from the 50 cal is not enough for elk. The journey continues. Besides, the recoil with the Maxi is kind of brutal.

 

[Pete G]

You can always have it bored larger.

 

[NMHawken]

That is something that I have been looking into.