A good load for a .54 cal. Hawken
- Thread starter seadog28
- Start date
I'm sure you can Hawg. Some people just don't put the time in @ the range,and actually quite suck at shooting.I actually am quite good with ALL of my weapons.I'm not a championship shooter,but I can hold my own pretty darn well.I guess some people have nothing better to do,than sit around and critisize other people. Pretty sad. Oh well, I know what I can,and can't do.No need to explain it to anybody,and that's all I have to say about that.Any more negative comments will be ignored.I know who my friends are.
My most accurate load out of my Traditions Deerhunter .54 (not a true Hawken, but close enough) is 90 grains FFg Goex and a 425 grain Hornady Great Plains conical, or (better yet) a 425 grain Buffalo Bullet. The sights are crude on this rifle, but I can normally get about a 5" group at 75 yards, which is about as far as I will shoot with it.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
I just don't know anymore?? Can't we all just get along
Well Sir's I shoot like I golf. "Many holes in one!!"
__ Anybody got the Nickers to beat that one? I am waiting.
Well Sir's I shoot like I golf. "Many holes in one!!"
__ Anybody got the Nickers to beat that one? I am waiting.Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Your probably not quite old enough to remember Nickers capper. Old Ben Hogan sported a pair every time He was seen on the golf course. I even had a pair when I was a very little tike. How about you Hawg? You remember those days?
Seadog28: I offer some advice. On a patched round ball the patch, and not the ball, contacts the bore. You therefore should not have any lead fouling. On a conical the argument is that fouling only occurs at the higher velocities but when ever I shoot conicals I get bluish streaks in the cleaning jags that indicates lead fouling. In any event, start out with patched round balls. A thicker patch may be harder to seat but often yields better accuracy.
On the powder, the substitutes are just as corrosive as black powder. Black powder ignites better and ought to be used whenever possible.
A very few hunters put a lubed wad over the powder and then put in the patched round ball. This is usually unnecessary but in a few cases the accuracy might improve. Generally you put the PRB over the powder and seat it firmly on the powder.
Regular caps are okay. Caps and nipples vary and you need a good fit. In some instances the cap may seem firmly on the nipple but might be a little too small. The first drop of the hammer just pushes the cap firmly against the nipple and the next hammer drop fires the gun.
If you swab between shots- or whenever you swab, the cleaning jag may push residue in the bore downward and plug up the hole from the nipple. SO... whenever you swab point the muzzle at some grass or sand and fire a cap to clear the flash hole. If the flash hole is cleared the blast of the cap will move the grass or sand a bit.- Then reload.
If you ever get a misfire lay the gun on a bench- the muzzle pointed down range and wait 2 or 3 minutes. If you have a CO2 dispenser you can blow out the charge and ball. If you don't you can often remove the nipple- put a few grains of powder into the drum, replace the nipple and try again- this will often fire the gun although it may have a slight delay or hangfire- hold the gun on target a while to be sure.
If the accuracy of the round ball isn't that great- try reducing the powder charge- that sometimes helps.
On the powder, the substitutes are just as corrosive as black powder. Black powder ignites better and ought to be used whenever possible.
A very few hunters put a lubed wad over the powder and then put in the patched round ball. This is usually unnecessary but in a few cases the accuracy might improve. Generally you put the PRB over the powder and seat it firmly on the powder.
Regular caps are okay. Caps and nipples vary and you need a good fit. In some instances the cap may seem firmly on the nipple but might be a little too small. The first drop of the hammer just pushes the cap firmly against the nipple and the next hammer drop fires the gun.
If you swab between shots- or whenever you swab, the cleaning jag may push residue in the bore downward and plug up the hole from the nipple. SO... whenever you swab point the muzzle at some grass or sand and fire a cap to clear the flash hole. If the flash hole is cleared the blast of the cap will move the grass or sand a bit.- Then reload.
If you ever get a misfire lay the gun on a bench- the muzzle pointed down range and wait 2 or 3 minutes. If you have a CO2 dispenser you can blow out the charge and ball. If you don't you can often remove the nipple- put a few grains of powder into the drum, replace the nipple and try again- this will often fire the gun although it may have a slight delay or hangfire- hold the gun on target a while to be sure.
If the accuracy of the round ball isn't that great- try reducing the powder charge- that sometimes helps.
No, just what I saw on tv movies. My dad never was into golf. They still make them tho.
http://www.golfknickers.com/category_s/57.htm?gclid=CO7TgpT4y68CFQW0nQodzi2KaQ
Pyrodex? Goex?
Howdy! Getting the itch to get the Hawken replica out. I am wondering what gives the best performance with a patched .54 cal. RB? Goex or Pyrodex or is it a matter of personal preference and performance. I did quite a bit of shooting with two Kentucky "flinters" I built 20 years ago, but that was all BP. Percussion is a new game to me and with only a 35" barrel. That's 7" shorter than either of Long Rifles. Thanks for the advice.
Howdy! Getting the itch to get the Hawken replica out. I am wondering what gives the best performance with a patched .54 cal. RB? Goex or Pyrodex or is it a matter of personal preference and performance. I did quite a bit of shooting with two Kentucky "flinters" I built 20 years ago, but that was all BP. Percussion is a new game to me and with only a 35" barrel. That's 7" shorter than either of Long Rifles. Thanks for the advice.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Pyrodex? Goex?
As I see it. It now depends on which powder {Gorex or Pyrodex} is available in your local area. I have used both in 2FF loose and have never incurred a problem in using either brand. That being said, Good luck with your decision Sir.
Seadog:
My favorite rendevzous rifle is a Santa Fe Hawken that I shot out and had to re-barrel. The new barrel is .54 Cal, 35" green mountain. I use this rife for rendezvous and use one load - 70 grains Goex 2F, .015 cotton patch, .526 pure lead ball and a handmade lube. I have the gun zeroed for 50 yds so it shoots about about flat 0-50 yds and about 1 1/4" low at 75 yds. Very few rendezvous have trail walk target set in excess of 80 yards.
As other have stated the hunt for a good load that works IN YOUR GUN is the fun part of shooting black powder. For a .54 I would start with 60 grains Goex 2F, .530 lead ball, .015 - shoot three, five shot groups at a 1" black circle at 25 yards (your not shooting for score but the best grouping) - record your results. Increase the load by 5 grains (leave all other componets as is) and shoot three more groups - record your results. Do this all the way up to 100 grains. For a .54 cal you will most likely see your rifle qroup well around 65-70 grains and then around 90-95 grains. Once you have found what powder charge your rifle likes try different balls with those two powder charges .535, .530, .526. And last using the best powder charge and best ball size change the patch thickness .020, .018 & .015 I do not like to use below .015 due to patch blowout.
Remember to only change one componet at a time and record all of your results. If you go to a shoot and shoot the trail walk with 5 other good shooters, all shooting the same caliber, you will likely find them all shooting different loads.
A good source for muzzleloading trajectories is the fine work by B.E. Spencer. His web site is insightbb.com
Best of luck in your search! Dan
My favorite rendevzous rifle is a Santa Fe Hawken that I shot out and had to re-barrel. The new barrel is .54 Cal, 35" green mountain. I use this rife for rendezvous and use one load - 70 grains Goex 2F, .015 cotton patch, .526 pure lead ball and a handmade lube. I have the gun zeroed for 50 yds so it shoots about about flat 0-50 yds and about 1 1/4" low at 75 yds. Very few rendezvous have trail walk target set in excess of 80 yards.
As other have stated the hunt for a good load that works IN YOUR GUN is the fun part of shooting black powder. For a .54 I would start with 60 grains Goex 2F, .530 lead ball, .015 - shoot three, five shot groups at a 1" black circle at 25 yards (your not shooting for score but the best grouping) - record your results. Increase the load by 5 grains (leave all other componets as is) and shoot three more groups - record your results. Do this all the way up to 100 grains. For a .54 cal you will most likely see your rifle qroup well around 65-70 grains and then around 90-95 grains. Once you have found what powder charge your rifle likes try different balls with those two powder charges .535, .530, .526. And last using the best powder charge and best ball size change the patch thickness .020, .018 & .015 I do not like to use below .015 due to patch blowout.
Remember to only change one componet at a time and record all of your results. If you go to a shoot and shoot the trail walk with 5 other good shooters, all shooting the same caliber, you will likely find them all shooting different loads.
A good source for muzzleloading trajectories is the fine work by B.E. Spencer. His web site is insightbb.com
Best of luck in your search! Dan
Thanks BDM 9MM. Like you said finding out what load works best is all half the fun! It took several trips to the range when I was working up a load for my .45 cal. Kentucky for the 100 yard distance. 3 1/2 in. groups was about the tightest I could put togther from a rest. I can't find any preformance data on the Hastings made barrel so I am anxious to see how the rifle performs. The worst part of the whole deal is the hour and twenty minute drive to the range. Not many choices when you live around Chicago.
Enjoy the remainder of the weekend!!
Enjoy the remainder of the weekend!!
WALKERsD210
New member
Hastings Hawken
I have one that I've had for a while, its been over a year since I shot mine and then only 3 round. Wish I could remember the load I used but best I remember it was around 90-95 g of BP with .530 rb. As for looking for more information I have bounced off walls every where but I did find one listed on a Gun Sale type web site, the price that I saw in the bids was around $1100 or so. The seller listed that it was made exclusively for Cabela's with only 250 completed, and they listed around $1299 in the mid 90's.
I have one that I've had for a while, its been over a year since I shot mine and then only 3 round. Wish I could remember the load I used but best I remember it was around 90-95 g of BP with .530 rb. As for looking for more information I have bounced off walls every where but I did find one listed on a Gun Sale type web site, the price that I saw in the bids was around $1100 or so. The seller listed that it was made exclusively for Cabela's with only 250 completed, and they listed around $1299 in the mid 90's.