TC Pennsylvania Hunter

[Trifocals]

Does anyone have a TC .50 Pennsylvania Hunter? If So, can you suggest a good RB hunting load? Thanks

[mooman76]

What twist is it? I'd run it up in 5 gr. increments starting at 50 or 60gr. to the max load or where the load starts to deteriorate and that would be my load. Probably somewhere around 80-90 gr. Each gun is it's own.

[curator]

Mine shoots very accurately with 65-70 grains of FFFg or 75-80 grains of FFg black powder (the real thing), a .495 ball made from a lee mould of pure lead, and a .0016" pillow ticking patch cut at the muzzle and lubes with a very light spray of Balistol. This load shoots clean through our Florida mini-white tails at 60-80 yards. Never had one run more than a few steps before going down.

[Trifocals]

I'm not sure of the twist, but think it's 1:66.

[mooman76]

You can figure the twist rate with a little math. Mark your cleaning rod and with a cleaning jag and a good tight patch push it in for 2' or 33" if you can go that far. If it turns half way with 33" than you have a 1/66 twist. If it turns half way with 24" you have a 1/48 and it should shoot conicals well also. Good luck!

[KCSO]

The T/C is 1-66 and my hunitng load is 85 grains of Elephant FFG and a 490 round ball patched with pillow ticking. Not a bad gun for a factory job.

[northmn]

Knew an individual who shot about 30 deer with a 50RB and 70 grains of 3f. Mine likes 80. As to finding the twist, its OK but not as critical as some think. Had quite a discussion on that in another web site. Even ML bench shooters use a variety of twists. 1-48 to 1-70 will often shoot well with the same reasonable loads. Twist is more important using bullets than ball. Don Getz of Getz barrels stated that if he used one twist it would be 1-48, but also stated that most of the advantages of other twists are in peoples heads. He did use other rates. Original Hawkens were either 1-48 or 1-60. Some claim the 1-48 got a bad name from the "comprimise" twists of the TC Hawken, but I have seen them shoot some fantastic groups with between 50-70 grains of powder, which shoots well in my 1-70. I quit shooting 90 grains in my rifle when I chronographed and found so little difference between 80 and 90.

Northmn

[10 ga]

Have a .50 PA hunter , 1X66 twist, and Cabelas .50 with 1X60 twist. I use .490 ball with home made pillow tick patch and mix beeswax-deer tallow-peanut oil for lube. Both shoot very straight. The charge only changes the elevation of impact. With the kids just shoot 50 gr of FF and then go on up to whatever hunting load u find comfortable. My favorite load is 95 gr of 3F. Of course use real black powder, Goex is good and Swiss is my personal favorite. 10 ga