Tc hawken qla barrel help!

[StewartLeach]

I have and hunt with a 54 cal mid-'80's Renegade, built from a kit, that never shot well with the Maxi-Ball. My solution was the Lee Improved Minie, lubed with 2-3 coats of Lee Liquid Alox. Shoots accurately, critters drop within short distance as long as bullet placed behind the front leg and a third of the way up from the belly line. Gave samples of this bullet to several Renegade owning friends, they all liked the results.

 

[Sure Shot 2]

Very unhappy with this Thompson center hawkin

I have a 54 Renegade that's dedicated to shooting Lyman Maxi's. It too has a QLA. I found using a little T/C pre-lubed felt button wad placed in-between it's powder charge and maxi ball helped my rifle's targeting. And mine is sighted in for 100 yards. My preferred lube for that purpose is Ox Yoke's (Wonder Lube.) Smeared liberally into the maxi's lube rings. Never took this rifle along hunting. Have a 45 cal round ball'er Hawken for that purpose. But the 54 shoots spot on for me if ever its called upon/needed.
As I recall without notes in front of me. 90 grs of Gorex 2-FFG in the Rengade's barrel works for me and those Lyman Maxi's shuffling along down range.

 

[Old Sarge]

Did you get that Hawken shooting yet? Call your old "antique" Jurassic brother and we can play with it on Sunday if you wish. I have felt wads if you need them.

 

[Swampthang]

I had a similar experience

I tried to zero my .54 TC Hawken with the QLA and could barely hit a 14x18 target at 50 yards with the Hornady Great Plains. 90 grains RS and with or without a wonder wad made no difference.

Then I shot a 5 shot group under 2 inches with a .530 ball and .10 patch. I know I could shrink that group without much effort.

I have a TC maxi hunter and maxi ball mold I'll try next. Though I'm happy with the roundball, I'd like the option of a good shooting conical.

Just can't understand why such a difference.

 

[AZbpBurner]

How far is he shooting? Can he normally shoot an open sight rifle, with good accuracy, at the same distance? The reason I'm asking, this is his second barrel.... Maybe he has too high expectations. Are you using the set trigger? I've shot Maxi-ball, with some fair results, but the Maxi-hunter, would not do as well. Neither would shoot with the round ball. The QLA system, is bored out to allow for better alignment, when starting a conical bullet. I personally have not seen where it helped, or hurt. It is easier, but I was always particular when I loaded, anyway. Another thing, a Maxi-ball, kicks like a mule, out of a TC Hawken, and for those who aren't used to heavy recoil, it can be a problem. I use a shoulder protector, because my old bones got tired of the abuse. The protectors will make you shoot better also.

My thoughts run along the same lines - too much powder, and maybe the ol' guy is just a lousy shot.

 

[bigted]

every rifle will yield different results with the same components. rare will ya find any 2 rifles that mirror each other in their results.

this is because of oh so many things. suffice it to say that each rifle will have its own taste of what works for it and it be up to the new manager to figure this out.

this requires copious shooting while changing only 1 thing at a time. starting with powder charges ... do a bracket load with 3 shots each to discover the best charge ... then change the patching thickness ... then experiment with different priming agents ... followed by different lube types ...

all these things need to be tried one at a time and one stage of each till you discover the best combo YOUR rifle will cotton to.

 

[kevin beers]

All I meant was I tried a variety of charges. I myself shoot 100 gr charge and have very tight groups. He said before he shot 80 or 85 gr and a 375 maxiball . Even after quite a few shots they still aren't tight going down the barrel. I am gonna try the over powder wad if that don't help I think the barrel don't like them. It's a brand new barrel. Maybe send it back to tc.

 

[kevin beers]

Hey brother didn't yet gonna try them over powder wads. And maybe try liquid alox for lube too. Got any by any chance old man ? Maybe Sunday.

 

[Grimord]

Did you check the twist of the barrel? You may have a round ball barrel with a 1:66 inch twist.
That could be the reason it does not shoot cinucals well.

Fyrstyk

 

[kevin beers]

I thought that but I don't think tc has a 1-66 twist barrel. Not for a hawkin I don't think. Could be wrong.

 

[Grimord]

If the gun came from the "custom" shop it might have a round ball twist. When I ordered my Renegade over 15 years ago from the custom shop they asked me if I wanted a slow twist for round balls or their standard 1:48 twist.
Something to check out.

Fyrstyk

 

[Swampthang]

Should be a 1-48" I thought? I'll have to try and measure with a rod and tight fitting patch.

The conicals had old dried lube. Not sure if it matters a great deal.

The thread peaked my interest because I had a similar experience and had heard the QLA system was incompatible with conicals.

Regardless, it seems that the key is to try different projectiles/loads until you figure out which your individual gun likes to shoot.

The PRB will suit me fine for deer though.

 

[Grenadier1758]

If i remember correctly, the QLA was intendedto provide an exact (?) fit for conicals to line up with the bore and to provide a means for easy starting of a patched ball. Sort of like a false muzzle which isn't removable. Apparently the theory was good, but practice yields a different result.