TC Hawkens 50cal.

buckman84

Eight Pointer
I've had this rifle for some years now, and have done nothing with it. Thinking about cleaning it up and trying it out this season. Does anyone have any experience with this specific rifle. What kind of powder or pellets do you use, sabots or powerbelts or balls? Any help would be much appreciated.
 

roundball

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I've had this rifle for some years now, and have done nothing with it. Thinking about cleaning it up and trying it out this season. Does anyone have any experience with this specific rifle. What kind of powder or pellets do you use, sabots or powerbelts or balls? Any help would be much appreciated.
Used a number of T/C Hawkens all through the 90's, different calibers, both cap & Flint.
This is what I settled on for the .50cal...took several deer with it.


T/C Hawken 15/16” x 32” Flint barrel

1:66” round ball twist

.018" T/C NL1000 pillow ticking

Hornady .490” / 180grn lead balls
Wiped the bore after every shot
Pact Pro MK5 Chronograph at 15 feet

Goex powder charges

Average velocity rounded off to nearest 5 fps
30grns 3F = 980 fps
40grns 3F = 1120 fps (+140)
50grns 3F = 1260 fps (+140)
60grns 3F = 1360 fps (+100)
70grns 3F = 1440 fps (+80)
80grns 3F = 1525 fps (+85)
90grns 3F = 1600 fps (+75)
100grns 3F = 1685 fps (+85)
 

Tipmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I use 54 gn by weight loose pyrodex behind a 350 gn maxi hunter. No wad or sabot.

That's what I'm shooting tomorrow and the next day in fact.
 

m75rlg

Spike
90 grains of FFFG under 370 grain TC Maxi-ball in a .50 TC Hawken. Killed 19 whitetails with that outfit, a few pretty good bucks, since 1979. Also loaded today for tomorrow afternoon. Dang meeting tomorrow morning!
36 11-11-1987.jpg37 11-13-1987.jpg
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
It's been a while since I've actually used mine, but iirc, my load was 90gr pyrodex P behind a 45cal 240 gr Hornady HP nestled in a black sabot. Took quite a few with that combination and was a 3 moa at 100 yards. My eyesight is not well enough any longer and I just cannot bring myself to scope that rifle.
 

m75rlg

Spike
@m75rlg , @bigten , and @roundball . Are those volume grains or weight grains on the powder?
Either way. My measure spout was sold as 90 Grain, and it is within a few grains of that when weighed on my RCBS scale if I shake it twice as it fills from the flask. When I'm loading up at the house, I weigh. In the field I either use the measure or some pre-weighed charges in loading tubes now. I used to cary the flask and bullets in a possibles bag. Now just a couple tubes and a few extra caps.

Passed on a nice 2.5 year old 8 point just before dark about 30 yards out. Hope that wasn't a mistake.
 
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