Trouble loading the Pedersoli Hawken Hunter 50 cal

[oxfordpa]

got a Hawken Hunter 50 cal from
mL.com and took it to the range. It is very difficult driving the bullet down the barrel. I actually had to hammer on the ball starter tool to get it in the first few inches. Then if I didn't run a cleaning patch down the barrel after every shot I couldn't get the bullet all the way down without tapping the ramrod with a hammer.
It is 1/24 rifle barrel, shooting 70g 2f

I initially tried hornady Great Plains 385g but they wouldn’t budge.

The tech at muzzle-loader told me to try a lead power belt 348g and it is just as difficult.

Any help is appreciated. I’m such a rookie but have shot inline for years and never an issue

Thank you

Mike

 

[R Ellis]

Check the bore measurements and let us know

 

[[email protected]]

Pederosi?? LOL

 

[MountainHunter01]

Just out of curiosity have you tried round balls and patches? Out of my hawken with a 1/24 twist barrel they shoot better and are very accurate out to at least 100 yards and they load much much easier than any maxi ball or sabot projectile I’ve shot. If you must shoot sabot projectiles you may want to consider upping your powder load as well. It was recommended to me with 250 gr sabot bullets to use at least 95 gr of black powder. 70gr of FF and a .495 rd ball is what im shooting now and I can consistently hit a 6 or so kill zone at 100yds

 

[MountainHunter01]

Just out of curiosity have you tried round balls and patches? Out of my hawken with a 1/24 twist barrel they shoot better and are very accurate out to at least 100 yards and they load much much easier than any maxi ball or sabot projectile I’ve shot. If you must shoot sabot projectiles you may want to consider upping your powder load as well. It was recommended to me with 250 gr sabot bullets to use at least 95 gr of black powder. 70gr of FF and a .495 rd ball is what im shooting now and I can consistently hit a 6 or so kill zone at 100yds

As for cleaning, the best cleaning you can do is to remove the barrel, remove the touch hole liner, pour boiling water down until it runs clear, run un lubed, dry cleaning patches through until they come out clean and fairly dry and then put some bore butter on a cleaning patch and run that up and down the inside and outside of the barrel a few times. Use some black powder solvent on the lock and touch hole liner with a cotton swab and reassemble