Range Report: 45 caliber TC Hawkin rifle

[Jack O'Conner]

It was very breezy which made it difficult to keep my pan powder in place so I fired only two shots. Very light recoil. I'll wait for a better weather day to develop a hunting load using conical bullet. Any suggestions?
Distance: 35 yards

Load: 50 grs of FFFg with .440 round ball w/lubed patch

Jack

 

[kwhi43]

Yes, you willl love your T/C Hawken. I built mine in 1973 from a T/C kit. It is a 45 also. At the time mine was new for 125.00. Boy they sure do shoot!

 

[PetahW]

My .45 T/C only looks like a Hawken, but it's 13/16" (across-the-flats) barrel instead of the Hawken's 15/16" barrel ID's it as an early unmarked Seneca.

The thinner barrel makes for a lighter rifle, but it also won't takes loads as hefty as a heavier Hawken. (and neither will my shoulder)

I checked it's zero last week, with T/C Maxi-Hunter pre-lubed conicals over 70gr of FFFg Holy Black, and it easily put 3 shots in a 50yd group about 2x as large as the OP's RB group - about as far as I expect to see a Whitetail, where I usually hunt.


.

 

[B.L.E.]

My experience with Maxi-balls in a TC is that accuracy is so-so until you reach maximun loads, then they will shoot cloverleafs at 50 yards and two inch groups at 100. You got to have enough pressure to expand those bullets into the rifling.

45-50 grains 3fg seems to be the sweet spot for patched round balls in those .45 caliber 48 inch twist barrels in my experience.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Two shots isn't much of a report.
35 yards tells almost nothing about performance or accuracy. You need at least 50 yards.
Funny, 40+ years of flintlock shooting the wind has never hindered me from priming.
But, if you enjoyed, that is good.

 

[B.L.E.]

I think that 35 yards will definitely show you if a load is in-accurate. If using longer ranges to asses your rifle's accuracy, keep in mind that a mere 5 mph cross wind will drift a .45 roundball about 1 1/2 inches at 50 yards and over 6 inches at 100 yards. Also watch changing light conditions. Bright sun to overcast will change iron sight's zero.