I been visiting various muzzle loading forums and there is alot of discussion about caliber and loads for big game. But almost no mention of barrel length and twist rate on performance.
If you are using a typical factory "Hawken" rifle with the usual 28" length barrel with 1/48" twist rate then one should be using the conicals like the T/C Maxi-Hunter as that barrel is really too short and too fast of a twist to get optimum performance with patched ball.
A factory "Hawken" rifle of the usual type produced by CVA, Investarms, and T/C really should have a .54 caliber, 33" length barrel with 1/72" twist rifling rather than the usual 28" length, 1/48" twist barrel. I would be much pleased if Investarms were to reintroduce their Model 120A rifle with the longer 33" barrel with 1/72" twist rifling. Make .54 caliber standard and don't bother with the smaller .45 and .50 calibers. Call this rifle "Big Elk Medicine".