Minies for my Hawken?
- Thread starter Macgille
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Pancho
Member
I sure have and they are great.
Pancho
Member
Don't over power them. The typical bp load for a 58 cal. during the civil war was about 60 grains.
Busyhands94
Member
they shoot perfect in mine make sure you use pure lead (it's soft) to cast them or they will keyhole from not expanding enough. save the salvaged stuff for the round balls.
Pancho
Member
Mykeal, what would you consider a barrel too short for minies. I recently got a TC sidelock carbine and haven't tried minies in it yet. The twist is 1/48.
david58
Member
1:48 is a bullet twist. The other factor is rifling depth - you want shallow rifling for minies to be able to engage the rifling and seal - typically if the rifle has the 1:48, it will have shallow rifling. In a 1:66, or roundball, barrel, the rifling is usually deeper since the patch is doing the sealing work. As to barrel length, T/C made some real short barrel hunting rifles designed for bullet shooting.
All this info is worth what you paid - I've never contaminated any of my blackpowder guns with either bullets or Pyrodex - all patched round ball over black powder. Not a snob (well, not much) just never done it. And don't plan to...
All this info is worth what you paid - I've never contaminated any of my blackpowder guns with either bullets or Pyrodex - all patched round ball over black powder. Not a snob (well, not much) just never done it. And don't plan to...
Pancho
Member
Actually Mykeal it's a "Buckeye Carbine" being from southwestern Ohio I had a favorable issue with the model name. You mentioned in post #4 that barrel length was an issue along with rate of twist. The rifle barrel measures 19 3/8". Short little bugger
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Thanx for the replies gentlemen. I haven't had a chance to shoot for a while. I was hit in the ankle by a steel blade flying off a weed eater. Got infected and I have been out of action for a while.
The Hawken has a 1:48 twist. I shot round balls and the Lee R.E.A.L. bullet and the accuracy was not great. I don't like pounding the R.E.A.L into the barrel, but I did make a brass false muzzle for it so I didn't damage the crown. I think I have been using too much powder for this barrel. I know that some barrels like milder loads than others. I thought I would use a starting load of 50 gr. and go up 5 gr. at a time until I reach 80 gr. or the groups open up more.
The Hawken has a 1:48 twist. I shot round balls and the Lee R.E.A.L. bullet and the accuracy was not great. I don't like pounding the R.E.A.L into the barrel, but I did make a brass false muzzle for it so I didn't damage the crown. I think I have been using too much powder for this barrel. I know that some barrels like milder loads than others. I thought I would use a starting load of 50 gr. and go up 5 gr. at a time until I reach 80 gr. or the groups open up more.
Jefferson Herb
Member
As having a tc 50 hawkin since 1978,I've tried a number of things ,including a gm bl due to the new non corosive pyrodex[it was listed as such at first].I also have a .50 lee minnie mold hollow base,and my gm 1-28 will not shoot.I can shoot with maxi's and it's a wonderful rifle with 75-100 gr ffg and 370 maxi.
I was reading on Track of the wolf website when I found the reason,hb minnies were DESIGNEDFOR SLOW TWIST[1-60]bls,and will not stabilize in fast twist due to weight fwd. The 1-48 is middle of the road,so you may stabilize them;probably on the lower powder scale.
I was reading on Track of the wolf website when I found the reason,hb minnies were DESIGNEDFOR SLOW TWIST[1-60]bls,and will not stabilize in fast twist due to weight fwd. The 1-48 is middle of the road,so you may stabilize them;probably on the lower powder scale.
arcticap
Member
Sometimes loading a wool wad under the solid base conicals helps with the accuracy. It seals up the rifling grooves and provides a little bit of cushion upon ignition. It doesn't hurt to givr them a try if you can get the wads.
I've even loaded the .45 MaxiHunters in a sabot and they shot pretty good at 50 yards from a 1 in 48" loaded with about 90 grains of Pyrodex P. Remove the factory lube beforehand.
I've even loaded the .45 MaxiHunters in a sabot and they shot pretty good at 50 yards from a 1 in 48" loaded with about 90 grains of Pyrodex P. Remove the factory lube beforehand.
Pancho
Member
When Power-Belts first came out I was curious so I bought some to try, my intention was to use them strictly for hunting the advantage of being easy and fast to load was the main attraction. I liked them but I found that they were very expensive even to work up a load. Then it dawned on me that the Power-Belt is just a re-invention of the minie-ball. I bought moulds and haven't looked back since. That was over 10 years ago.
Busyhands94
Member
well my rifle is a 1 in 48" twist, it seems to work well for Minnie balls! you should be in good shape there. just start small with your powder charges and gradually raise them until you find what works best.
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