Pet loads for Hawkins?

[Boatnik]

I have been trying to work up a load for my Thompson Center .50 cal. Hawkins. The new modern bullets don't seem to stabilize well at 100 yards or more. The best I came up with so far is the 370 grain Maxiball. Shooting 100 grains equivalent of Pyrodex RS they don't seem to stabilize at that range either. I am going to slowly raise the charge until I get a tight group or show signs of excess pressure. I did get a musket nipple and two tins of flangless musket caps the other day and will try those as well.

I use the gun for Whitetail on Eastern Shore. The range can be any where from under the stand to out 150 yards or more.

If anyone has a pet load they are willing to share I would like to try it. The barrel has a twist of 1:48 and is 28 inches long from the breach plug to the muzzle.

The gun is topped with a Luepold 8m-x2 EER scope on a Redfield one piece mount.

[Adaminak]

Your twist is hurting your accuracy. The slow twist is designed to stabilize round balls, and might work for really short, light saboted loads (think 165gr .451 designed for the 45 ACP).

I really enjoy shooting the CVA kit I found at a gunshow years ago, but it was designed for round balls and I keep that in mind. It kills deer just fine at 50yds, but beyond that the groups open up a lot so I keep that as my limit. My brother has a Remington 700BP that shoots the heavy saboted bullets into 3" @ 200yds, but it's designed for it with a 1 in 28" twist. My current in-line shoots the really heavy stuff with no stability problems because it sports a 1 in 23" twist. Saboted .452 hard cast all the way up to 420 gr shoot just fine, even if recoil is a bit "brisk" :)

If your intent is to shoot bullets like the maxiball and heavier saboted slugs, or shoot at ranges beyond 50yds, you'd be better to switch to a different bbl designed to stabilize the longer bullets.

[Boatnik]

Your twist is hurting your accuracy. The slow twist is designed to stabilize round balls, and might work for really short, light saboted loads (think 165gr .451 designed for the 45 ACP).

I really enjoy shooting the CVA kit I found at a gunshow years ago, but it was designed for round balls and I keep that in mind. It kills deer just fine at 50yds, but beyond that the groups open up a lot so I keep that as my limit. My brother has a Remington 700BP that shoots the heavy saboted bullets into 3" @ 200yds, but it's designed for it with a 1 in 28" twist. My current in-line shoots the really heavy stuff with no stability problems because it sports a 1 in 23" twist. Saboted .452 hard cast all the way up to 420 gr shoot just fine, even if recoil is a bit "brisk" :)

If your intent is to shoot bullets like the maxiball and heavier saboted slugs, or shoot at ranges beyond 50yds, you'd be better to switch to a different bbl designed to stabilize the longer bullets.

I was really trying to keep from buying another gun but, I need the extra range for the hunt. I have been eyeing the CVA inline introductory model. For $150.00 plus a scope it can't be all bad.

[Adaminak]

You might consider buying now. It's on sale and after the manufacturer's rebate costs less than $90

CVA Buckhorn 209 Mag (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0064080215454a&type=product&cmCat=cchart_mdrn_blk_pwdr_rfl)

Good luck, and happy hunting.

[Boatnik]

Thanks, I wasn't aware of the sale.:D

[cincydiesel]

Most of the slower twist will take to a conical better than today's sabots. I used to hunt with a .50 hawkins cougar when I started black powder hunting. My favorite load was a CVA .410 conical lubed with bore butter and 110 grains of pyrodex. I could hold a pattern on 4" at 125 yards.

[JeffinTD]

I tried all sorts of rounds in my 54 caliber TC hawkin rifle.

The thing I found would shoot clover leafs at 50 yards (about as good as I can shoot with buckhorn sights) was cast from Lee's REAL mold.

I tried round ball of different sizes, sabot loads with various pistol bullets, maxi and mini balls, and nothing else even came close.

For lead, I got the foils from the backs of x-ray film that my dentist had accumulated. Softness wise, if it isn't totally pure lead it is very close. Mini and maxi balls for muzzle loading are unbelievably expensive, so the mold is paid for in one casting session.