Came across a Greyhawk yesterday...

[newton]

Well, I came across a TC Greyhawk yesterday. Heard some about them, but simply like the idea of having a stainless sidelock. I also wanted to fill the niche in my collection with a .50 1:48 twist.

Anyone have one and can comment on loads and such? I am planning on just plinking some roundballs with it for now. Seeing how I do not have my custom built yet, I am also planning on taking it to a muzzle loader shoot they have each year not far from me. They only allow sidelock/flintlock(except in one category) and only round balls. They also restrict the sights used which nulls out the other sidelocks I have.

Seems that when I get a gun I cannot leave it alone and have to tinker with it. So I am needing some good roundball loads to shoot this 'tournament' with. I think that I'll be shooting 25, 50, 75, and 100 yard targets. My plan is to start with just a small 50 grain load as they are all paper targets, but I am curious if the trajectory is going to be so outragious that adjusting the rear stock TC sight will be out of the question.

Any input?

[10 ga]

Should be a nice shooter. I have 1 .50 cal with a 48 twist hammer gun. It shoots PRB just fine. 50 gr. of FFF is an accurate load. Easy to shoot and load. For 100yd. w/o changing sights or hold you have to go pretty hot loads. 85-90 grains and 0 poa at 100 and then be good at the shorter ranges. The 50 gr. load be good out to 50 yd. but drop at 75 and more at 100. With practice you can use the 50 gr. load and just hold over at 75 and 100. Didn't take long for me to be able to bust clay birds 8/10 out to 100 yd. shooting the 50 gr. load and shooting offhand, with a rest 10/10. Practice, practice, practice! I use the .490 RB and pillow tick patch and beeswax/deer tallow/grape oil cakes for lube. I did retrofit all my hammerguns with "Spitfire" musket nipples and there are no problems with ignition. The Spitfire nipples are available from most retailers that have ML gear.

[newton]

Interestingly enough it has a musket nipple on it. I know that they were not made that way, so I am sure that someone retrofitted it.

[skullmount]

Guy acroos the road from me has a musket nipple on his too. Could not get it to go off reliably with the #11 and the subs. Use black if you want to go back to the #11

[johnson1942]

newton. if you hunt with it try a mmp sabot made for a .451 or .452 .45 pistol bullet. i just sent track of the wolf a thompson 1/48 twist barrel, as it was an extra, to sell. i did sight it in at 100 yards with 100 grains of 2f black, a mmp sabot and a 250 grain flat nose .452 pistol bullet. 1 inch groups at 100 yards. it shot round balls ok but dont go over 70 grains. that sabot load is a accurate deer and antelope getter. when you start your new gun project keep us all posted.

[shane438]

I shoot 75 gr of ffg (only black powder). No ignition problems. I cast my own .490 rb and patch with anything thats snug enough. I have killed many deer with it.

[newton]

Yea, this was just one of those deals that you don't pass up when it comes along. It was really only meant for light target shooting, specifically for the traditional shoot coming up. They are strict about the rules and I want to play.

The new build wont fit in there shoots except for the one that is unlimited. It will be my hunting gun. After seeing what a BIG slow moving boolit does it's hard to go to anything lighter.

[quilbilly]

I have had my Grey Hawk for well over a decade and it has taken many deer and a couple elk. It is my gun for the "monsoon season" which is our late deer/elk muzzleloader season starting around Thanksgiving when if it isn't raining, it is sleeting. The only problem with it is that it had a terrible trigger. Should have had the factory fix it but got used to it instead. I use 78 gr of Goex FFF and PRB for both deer and elk.

[OverMax]

Like quilbilly said. Single trigger is the only draw back (when left in its original condition.) I have a w/mtn carbine in 54 here that's been shot at best maybe 3 or 4 times in 25 years. With its single trigger (if there all the same) I find it amazing how anyone could get use to them. Anyhow. No powder/shooting recipe I can offer you Sir. I don't shoot a 50 cal. But for the activity your intending.(wanting little or no sight adjustment) I would think you would have to know and be able to shoot your rifle using that term called: Kentucky windage. To have those skills. That calls for a lot of experimenting. Any how good luck with that Grey Hawk

[subiker]

I was just shooting my grey hawk this past weekend. Somewhat new to muzzleloading but was doing fine at 100yds. I was shooting 90 gr pyrodex, hornady ball with a lube patch, using #11 caps at about a 6 inch group. This was a bench rest shoot but pretty good as i dont consistentaly shoot rifles. The guy i bought my grey hawk from supposibly won a shoot using this rifle. At 50 yds i was shooting 70gr and had no problems putting up 2 inch groups.

[newton]

Good info guys. Thanks.

[quilbilly]

Overmax; I also have a White Mtn Carbine and its trigger is worse than the Greyhawk but once I got used to it, that rifle is so accurate out to 250 yards I named it "Sweet-Thing". Sweet-Thing shoots better than I do.

[majg1234]

I've got 3 GH in all.2 50 cal and one 54 The 50's like 80gr goex ffg with a hand cast 490 ball patched with 018 ticking and a felt wad over the powder.One of these has killed over 15 whitetail.the other load they seem to like is a hand cast MAXIHUNTER with 90gr RS pyrodex.....a real whitetail slapper

[speedball]

i also have a greyhawk 50 cal im one of those that likes the modern and classic style muzzy's, my hawk is a converted 209 primer and has the t/c scope mount and 3x9 swift scope on top, this is a fifty yard pioneering range event that my 19 year old daughter shot most of this group, 90 grains 777 with a 348 powerbelt, not bad but im gonna tweek it, any ideas here guys or just leave it?, i was thinking going up or down 5 or ten grains to tighten the group??

[speedball]

here she is, i love mine!!

[Lefty Red]

I had a TreeHawk and it was a shooter!

[speedball]

excess, what sabots in 240-70? were good for your .50

[speedball]

ok well since im kinda new to muzzleloading im gonna try the hornady prb 350 grn next, i know most guys who are in the know dont like the powerbelts but since we got the 348 to shoot like that in the photo its not too bad, i heard the PRB is a better choice? (hard to load)?

[speedball]

duh my mistake i meant the hornady FPB 350 grain sorry

[speedball]

excess, maybe in the future i will "cast" my own, for right now though yes its a money thing although im positive its cheaper for you to make them i dont have any molds or the know how to do it correctly, i have 2 boxes of great plains 385's that i began to shoot when i first mounted the scope, and they seemed all over at best, i still swab with a 777 solution clothe and swab twice with a dry one every shot, ive just seen the hornady fpb after and animal and it looks like it held together exceptionally well, thank you very much for your input about this rifle i want to learn all i can its a beautiful gun and it will make a great family treasure, Rick..........