Hi guys ,
I've got a nice TC Hawken in .54 caliber , 1/48 twist , 28 inch barrel ..
I've not shot it yet , waiting for a little better weather. I've been collecting some components.. I'm going to try a .530 round ball , with a selection of patches from .010 - .018 lubed
I also just picked up a Lee bullet mold , .533 dia. 410 gr. Hollow base .. I got this off eBay , so it was pretty cheap..
My guestion : is this diameter to small for my bore size ? If so can I patch a mini bullet ? Will the hollow base design expand to the rifling anyway ...
I plan on starting out with 80gr. 3F Black ,and a #11 cap ...

My bore diameter is , according to the book , .540 land to land , .550 groove to groove

Thanks , Bob

Try the Barnes sabot at 275 grains with 2 pyrodex pellets. I have a 209 conversion for priming, shoots very accurate and hits hard.

Thanks Buckeye,
Finding this TC hawken has rekindled my interest in " traditional " muzzleloaders.
I have for years now , hunted successfully with my magnum inline guns ..sabot bullets , 209 primers , pellets and etc.
I'm trying to get back to round balls or mini's , black powder loose , and #11 caps .

But thanks for the load data ..

533 is a little bit small for a 540 bore; but try it anyway. That is .0035 clearance; a sheet of paper thick; that will be filled up when the powder charge hits it; use real black powder to do that. I like Minies to be just below bore size but pure lead will fill in the difference.
You can't cloth patch a minie bullet.
Round balls might not shoot well in such a fast twist barrel, start with low powder charges and work up.
Your twist might not stabilize some of the small sabot bullets.
Pyrodex? I hate it and will give three pounds to anyone who shows up to get it.
I started using it in 77 when it came out and quickly went back to real BP. Worst propellant ever invented. It killed the inventor. (But I understand why it was developed)

Thanks dpcd
I agree .533 seems small for my .54 cal. I wonder what Lee designed that bullet for ..I'll cast some from pure lead and see what happens ..

In the mean time , I've ordered other LEE molds in the correct diameter for my .54..

I'm wanting to try - LEE .54 cal mini
R.E.A.L. Bullets 380gr. .557 dia. ( upper ring ) --- they have good accuracy reviews ..

Bob

Id be interested to know how it goes so maybe you will post it up when you make some bullets and shoot them.

One of the guys had a 54 caliber factory TC Renegade that he wanted to give away and I took it for some lunch and cash too. I also found a still new Thompson Center mold for the Maxi Balls and had the cast set up and the rest for my Sharps, so Im in business.

Cleaning it looks like a bear versus the Sharps but Im not likely to shoot it too much.

Congrats on yours.

Cleaning muzzle loaders is very easy. Use water on a few patches, and then a couple of dry patches. Then oil.
I run a damp patch down between shots so it is super easy to clean when you are done, and with flint locks, no nipple channel to clean either.
Remove the nipple if it is a percussion and I run some water through there.
Do not use any type of oil based solvent to clean black powder fouling; it won't work.
Water is the only solvent approved by the US Army for cleaning black powder Rifles and Rifle-Muskets.
Black powder fouling is actually not overly corrosive; all the old BP guns were ruined by the corrosive caps; not the powder.

I have a 54 cal Lyman Great Plains Hawken percussion, 1-60 - 32" bbl and shoot Hornady .535/230 gr balls with those nice smelling Wonder lube 1000 patches. I use straight 90 proof alcohol to clean with...wet a patch from a squirt bottle, run it down the bore, flip it over, run it down again and save it for the next first wet patch after then next shot. It evaporates quickly, cleans out the powder fouling very well...usually only needs two such patches after the shooting is done and loosens up any down deep krap. I pull the breech off the barrel to clean now and then...very little residue left.

OIL WELL!!!!!...and again a few days after shooting.

80 gr Goex FFG by volume, (I have a specific measure for that), one Ox-yoke Wonder lube 1000 pre-lubed 0.015" patch and CCI #11 cap is good enough for 2 elk and 4 deer out to ≈125-150 yds...most within 75-80 yds. Those balls at ≈1400-1450 fs always passed through and through on the deer and through both scapula's and out on one elk and from stem to stern on the other...in the chest cavity and out the left ham not loosing much meat. Puts 3 touching at 75-80 yds when I do my part as long as I use those particular loading parts...change ANY of them and all bets are off. Works OK with Musket caps also...opens just a bit and I haven't bothered to mess about with the powder amount to see if the groups will close up. DOES NOT LIKE Minnie balls, sabots, pointy bullets, etc.

Just like reloading for ANY rifler/pistol/shotgun...to obtain maximum accuracy and ballistics you have to futz around with components...or just accept what is...

I also have a Lyman GPH in 50 cal...haven't tried it on elk but several deer fed the family using it.


Good Hunting

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Cleaning muzzle loaders is very easy. Use water on a few patches, and then a couple of dry patches. Then oil.
I run a damp patch down between shots so it is super easy to clean when you are done, and with flint locks, no nipple channel to clean either.
Remove the nipple if it is a percussion and I run some water through there.
Do not use any type of oil based solvent to clean black powder fouling; it won't work.
Water is the only solvent approved by the US Army for cleaning black powder Rifles and Rifle-Muskets.
Black powder fouling is actually not overly corrosive; all the old BP guns were ruined by the corrosive caps; not the powder.

Thanks. All that makes sense. Is there a better jag for these muzzleloaders so that the patch fits tight but doesn't fall off? Or do you use a patch worm or something else?

Thanks Nonagonagin.

I was thinking 70 grains of Goex and a ball but I will try 80 too with the round ball.

With that maxi bullet style though I was going to run some more powder like 100-105 under it.

Use whatever powder and amount recommended by your rifle maker.

Usually a lessor amount than recommended as the max amount will shoot more accurate, but the accuracy level is what YOU want.

My Lyman recommends no more than 100 gr FFG or equivalent...80 gr does small 3 shot clover leafs...100 gr does 2- 3"...

I like the smaller groups and the velo difference isn't enough to bother with, it's still doing 1400-1450 fs MV with plenty of killing powder out at 100-125 yds...your maker may recommend something different.

Good Hunting

Thanks.

I haven't chronographed or shot this Renegade. Yet.

I think Thompson says 70-80 with the round ball and 100 to 105 under the Maxiball. I will have to revisit that. But I am sure a few grains difference, or even more than a few grains of black powder in a muzzleloader isn't a very big deal.

I am using Goex FFG Olde Eynsford because it is what I use in the Sharps too.

I shoot a Lyman GPR also, have a 24 inch barrel and a 28 inch barrel, both 54 cal. and both shoot well, the short tube is a bit more accurate, but less velocity Im betting but have not chronographed either..I like those big heavy bullets over the ball for big game. It is impressive on deer and elk, so much so that I sold my 50...

I dont hunt ML much these days however, but used it and a bow in my youth to take advantage of the special seasons..Have a little COPD emphasima and choke up on Muzzle Loaders..Our best rut hunts are bow and ML.

The TC series of rifles can be made to shoot round balls well...but...you generally need a larger than average round ball and a thinner patch. The twist is not the problem with this gun but the depth of the rifling is. Its too shallow to work well with a .530 round ball which is the typical size ball you will find in a .54 ML Rifle.

The original Hawken rifles were actually 1-48 twist! But the rifling was much deeper. On a .54 TC barrel try a .535 round ball and a thin patch. That seems to be the path to success for most TC shooters. (or .495 with a .50)

I shoot three .54's. Two Hawkens and a custom J.P Gunstocks.

I used a 54 and a 58 my last ML hunts..I really loved that 58 it laid cow elk down in a hurry, believe I got that gun from Dpcd. Called it elk medicine..

What the others have said: The T/C 54 Maxi-Ball was specifically designed for your rifle and has a solid reputation for killing anything you'll want to kill in North America. If you don't cast (or can't find a mold) Track of the Wolf sells the bullets from their website and catalog.

I believe you can download a free pdf on your rifle and recommended loads at the T/C web site. Links below show cover and 54 round ball and maxi-ball/maxi-hunter loads.

https://ibb.co/HCHprV1
https://ibb.co/KD3vr0n
https://ibb.co/74wCSpf

I should have mentioned; I used Power Belt .54s last year on a wild hog, in my Kodiak 45 double rifle. It shoots like a cartridge rifle.
Copper plated and have a little plastic obturator.

quote:

Originally posted by TexKD:
Thanks.

I haven't chronographed or shot this Renegade. Yet.

I think Thompson says 70-80 with the round ball and 100 to 105 under the Maxiball. I will have to revisit that. But I am sure a few grains difference, or even more than a few grains of black powder in a muzzleloader isn't a very big deal.

I am using Goex FFG Olde Eynsford because it is what I use in the Sharps too.

Interesting, I built a left handed, TC Renegade 54 cal from a kit in 1983 for the Idaho blackpowder Elk season. TC recommended loads then were 100 -120 grains of FFG with the 400 grain minie ball .

I've used it for one shot kills on two elk with a 400 grain Buffalo Bullets minie with 100 grains of FFG.

I've bought a variety of sabots for 40, 45 and 50 caliber pistol bullets to try out this year.

I came to conclusion that if I go primitive, I go round balls and I never regretted
What a simple fun and it kills too

Wonder how that Lee conical worked out for Bearcat.