# Does most people shoot round ball in Thompson Center Hawkens



## smoke&arrow

I just got a thompson center hawkins 50 cal and the previous owner always shot round balls in it. I have some Shockwave 200 grain bullets and was wondering would I be better off just going with round balls since he has already got the barrell seasoned with bore butter. Thanks


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## Nicodemus

All I have ever shot is a patched round ball. Plenty of deer have died from both of my rifles.


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## smoke&arrow

it just seem more the right thing to do. The previous owner use pyrodex select 80 grains


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## Nicodemus

In my Plains rifle (Hawken replica) I use 70 grains of Dupont Goex FFFg blackpowder. In my flintlock longrifle, I use 60 grains of FFFg. Both of these rifles are 50 caliber.


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## Hawken2222

I hunted with a TC hawken 50 cal for twenty years, and all I ever used was a patch & round ball with 90 grains fffg.  It was very accurate out of my gun.  I shot a lot of deer with that set up.


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## Whiteeagle

Patched round balls are best bet for Hawken or any Flint/Cap Lock rifles. That is what they are designed for. Granulated Black powder, Pyrodex, 777, or any other BP sub. Find the load your gun likes and have a "ball"( pun intended) shooting! Like Nicodemus said, many Deer as well as other game have fallen to a prb since the White Man came across the big Water!


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## Nicodemus

Oh yea, let me add, that both my rifles have a 1 in 66 twist.


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## smoke&arrow

I have quite a bit of pyrodex but the person that had the gun before me said pyrodex select worked much better in the gun. Thanks for all replies. It really helps hearing from others with experience. I had a inline but sold it and got the hawkens. I think I'm going to enjoy the experience.


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## Nicodemus

Smoke, you`ll find out that you don`t need near as much powder down the barrel, as some might think. Usin` the loads that I listed above, I have shot through every deer I have killed with my rifles, except one. That particular ball lodged between two neck vertabrae. 

Congratulations on usin` a traditional rifle. These folks will go out of their way to help you.


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## smoke&arrow

the barrell has always been seasoned with bore butter 1000. I have some t-17 natural lube 1000 plus I used on the inline I had. Will it make a difference in the too or should I play it safe and only use orginal bore butter. Also I use number 11 caps which I reckon I should always use. thanks


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## tv_racin_fan

Seasoning a barrel is a an old school thing and may have worked on an iron barrel but wont do anything for a steel barrel. Clean it well with soap n water and use whatever lube you like, crisco or lard or olive oil will work fine along with several of the "store bought" lubes.


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## Flintrock

smoke&arrow said:


> I just got a thompson center hawkins 50 cal and the previous owner always shot round balls in it. I have some Shockwave 200 grain bullets and was wondering would I be better off just going with round balls since he has already got the barrell seasoned with bore butter. Thanks



.
Your gun most likely has a 1 in 48 twist and that sort of a hybrid twist that allows patched round balls or cronicals.I am not sure how a sabot that you mentioned would perform.
.
Check the barrel. It have the twist stamped on the barrel.
Slow twist is best for balls. Fast twist is best for cronicals.


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## NCHillbilly

Solid lead conicals like the T/C Maxi-hunters will usually shoot good out of the TC and CVA Hawkens. Sabots usually don't. But round balls are plenty effective.


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## 7Mag Hunter

smoke&arrow said:


> it just seem more the right thing to do. The previous owner use pyrodex select 80 grains



Sounds like a good load....
It would be best to verify the twist of your rifle to get
optimum performance from it...You "can" shoot conicals
from a slow twist rifle, they may not stabalize good
enough to shoot long distances...
I have a 20 yr old Hawken (1"in66") and do shoot conicals
but only at very short distances .(40yds max) imo...
I prefer very tight round balls...80gr with ball will shoot
thru a deer very easily....
Now go get your hands (and face) dirty !!!!


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## Darkhorse

I used Bore butter for awhile. And after awhile I noticed I couldn't get my barrel as clean as I used too. About this time I talked to a guy that had his barrel rust underneath the "seasoning" seems that stuff is mostly wax with a pine scent and can cover and trap moisture.
The I started shooting a .40 and the bore butter failed miserably. After 1 shot I had a crud ring.
Bottom line; I took brake cleaner and cleaned all trace of the seasoning out of my barrels.
For practice I use my dwindling supplyof Lehigh Valley or spit, or a LHV knock off. But all of those will evaporate and leave a dry patch and the patch can actually catch on fire and light the pine needles when fired. Don't ask me how I know.
Since whales are in short supply around here I only use 100% Mink Oil from Track of the Wolf, Or Crisco, for hunting.
And only a patched round ball. For all shooting.
If you have a 1-48 twist you'll likely find your best accuracy between 50 and 80 grs. Back when I shot my old Renegade (still got it too) it didn't seem to like the heavy loads and the groups would spread.
I shoot 80 grs. 3F in my .54 flint.


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## Flintrock

Darkhorse said:


> . ...a dry patch and the patch can actually catch on fire and light the pine needles when fired. Don't ask me how I know.
> .



I did that last Sunday.


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## smoke&arrow

Thanks for all the replies, This has helped me alot. Im excited about this season. I feel I have went backwards,Thats the idea to go traditional.I know I will enjoy it. I went from a inline to the traditional. Now all I need is a cool possible bag,thinking of buying a kit and making one. Have a great day. Thanks everyone


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## smoke&arrow

smoke&arrow said:


> Thanks for all the replies, This has helped me alot. Im excited about this season. I feel I have went backwards,Thats the idea to go traditional.I know I will enjoy it. I went from a inline to the traditional. Now all I need is a cool possible bag,thinking of buying a kit and making one. Have a great day. Thanks everyone.


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## FrontierGander

yeah dont buy into that bore seasoning Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----. 

Use a good quality gun oil for the inside of the barrel after its been cleaned.


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## Supercracker

FrontierGander said:


> Use a good quality gun oil for the inside of the barrel after its been cleaned.



then store muzzle down to keep it from running down and collecting at the breech and be sure to flush/patch it out before you shoot.


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## frankwright

I agree that the sabots will not work well in that barrel. 
I started out using the T/C Maxi Hunter bullets in two different 1:48 twist sidelocks. They will flat knock a deer in the dirt.

I also killed deer with the Great Plains Bullets and also the Ball-ets and they worked well also.
I used mostly 90 grns of Pyrodex RS and never had any problems.

I switched to 70 grns of Goex and a patched round ball and it will put a deer down also. I just enjoy shooting the round ball more and it is all I use now.
Enjoy your new gun.


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## sandhillmike

I only shoot round ball or conicals with my Hawkens (pecussion and flintlock), but use sabots with my inline.


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## Macbeau

...Or... Shoot Minie Balls... Yes, they make them (and moulds) in .45, .54, .58, .69 and .72 cal and they all shoot fine int 1:48 thru 1:72 if you lube and size them within .002 of bore size AND, use the appropriate charge.  I would put Minies above all others (PRB or "Conicals") in accuracy and distance - given the same charge...
[You can actually get away with much less powder for the same energy and more terminal performance... but don't tell anyone here that...  It's all about "conicals", PRB's, powder substitutes, pellets, scopes, 209primers, etc...]


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## LOVEMYLABXS

Smoke congrates on getting the Hawkins  I think you'll like it plus in my mind it  just looks COOL 


One tip after you clean it and put it up like what was mentioned before store barrel down but (now for the tip) before loading it back up pop some caps on it (I'll pop 5 or 6 sometimes) till ya can hear them clear the end of the barrel (you'll recognize the sound after a bit trust me) sometimes oil will remain in the nipple and there ain't nuttin worse in the world then to hear the cap go off and no BOOM follows. Caps are CHEAP


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