54 cal TC Hawken

[Rifledude]

Hi guys,
I just picked an older Thompson Center Hawken rifle. I haven't had time yet to do anything w/ it, but thought I would ask the bullet masters here on the board about what bullet and loading of 2f would give me a start on this one. All advise will be appreciated. Thank You in advance.

[megasupermagnum]

Canvas patch, .520" ball, 80gr FFg Goex.

[LAGS]

Friday I intend to take out a TC .54 Renagade that I just rebuilt.
I had Hoyt reline the barrel to .54.
I intend on starting with a .535" lead ball with a .015" lubed patch.., and 60 gr of 2f to start.
The new liner on this barrel is cut to 1:66 twist for round ball shooting.
Also,
I just sold a TC Renagade that I rebuilt to a friend.
He is going to meet me at the range Friday and shoot his for the first time.
I will be also taking a TC .50 that is rebuilt and has an original rifled barrel out with me Friday.

[Minerat]

I use LAG's ball and patch combo with 80 gr ffg for my general shooting load in my circa 1985 - 54 TC Hawkens

[LAGS]

The only reason I am starting with the 60 gr loads , is because this is the first time I have shot the slower twist barrel.
The Relined barrel also has Deeper Rifling .
So the larger ball may use an .020 patch as well.
The Renagade I sold was always fired with 80 gr load or higher.
It with the 1:48 twist , shot REAL boolits and Conicals very well.

[Beagle333]

I use a .530 ball with a .015 patch in my .54s. (I like them easier loading) Powered by 80gr ffg.

[LAGS]

Also.
The 2f that I will be shooting will be some of my Homemade BP.
So far it has worked great in all my other TC's and other rifles including one that is a flint lock Blunderbuss.

[Walks]

I use T/C's .54cal Maxi over 75grs of 2F.

[725]

.530 ball, 0.020 lubed patch and 80 grains of FFg. Play up & down from there. Any of the suggestion above a good place to start. Just really depends on the gun itself.

[OverMax]

Clear the nipple first with a cap or two. Very first shot in a clean barrel. 90 gr charge of 2-FFG Gorex Black. 535 dia cast .010 lubed patch.__Very accurate. Past thru guarantee. "54-cal ball 90 gr charge knocks the snuff out of everything."

[Rifledude]

Thank You all for your insight and advise.

[sharps4590]

.530 ball, 0.020 lubed patch and 80 grains of FFg. Play up & down from there. Any of the suggestion above a good place to start. Just really depends on the gun itself.

^^^ This has been my experience with the several 54's I've owned over the decades.

[Sasquatch-1]

Was it just me or did you fail to mention whether it is a cap lock or flint?

I find that 70 grns. of Pyrodex R with a denim patch works well with the cap lock.

Just to clarify, I use 3fg Goex in my flint locks.

[megasupermagnum]

I don't thin it matters how it is ignited. 70-90 FFg is a sweet spot for a lot of 54 caliber rifles.

[Sasquatch-1]

I mentioned it because my experience is I have to use real black powder in my flint locks but I can get away with substitutes in my caplocks.

And I just thought it would be nice to know which lock system he had.

[LAGS]

We took the two 54s out and shot them today as planned.
They shot great with 60 gr base loads.
And did not kick that much more with 80 gr loads of 2f.
We did have to use the .015 thick patches with the .535 lead balls.
The .020" patches will work with that larger dia. ball.
But they are harder to load unless you swabe the bore between shots.

[longcruise]

All my 54s are fed 535 balls and .018 patch. Anywhere from 50 to 100 grains of Scheutzen 3f. Just depends on what the balls assignment is.

[armoredman]

It was grand fun, never shot a muzzle loading rifle before. Thanks to LAGS for a great smoke pole and great fun! It was fun when we managed to fire close together - the others would shout "They're shooting cannons!" and the smoke would waft over like a gentle summer stink. I think we were out there about 3 hours.
I tried adding some pics, but the attachment system here doesn't like the new jfif format...will try again at the home computer.

[Adam Helmer]

My .54 flintlock Hawken is my favorite ML deer gun. For some reason, my accuracy load is 75 grains of 3F Goex with the TC Maxi or .530 Ball and .010" patch. Both loads shoot to the Same POA/POI at 100 yards.

My caplock .54 Renegade likes 75 grains of 2F Goex or same volume RS Pyro and the .530 Ball and .010 patch and 100 grains 2F Goex or PYRO and the TC Maxi. I hope this helps.

Adam

[Huntsman]

I use T/C's .54cal Maxi over 75grs of 2F.

Same here, I cast from a TC Maxi Ball mould using pure lead. I lube them with a mix of alox and beeswax and seat in ox yoke lubed fiber wad and 80grs of goex 2f, sometimes 100grs. Unfortunately my TC 54 Hawken did not come with the threaded tang so I can’t install the TC Peep sight but still capable of launching the maxi ball out to 100yds thanks to the style of factory rear sight that TC uses.
I have tried prb but save those for my slow twist Lyman.
Enjoy shooting yours, they are a great modern traditional bp gun