T/C Hawkin 50 cal question

[CROSSBOWFORBEAR]

I just purchased a mint used T/C Hawkin 50 caliber with a Green Mountain 36" barrel. It has a 1-70 twist. I was told to use round balls with patches and 50 grains of powder. The original owner shot competition with it for a while. Could I use 250 grain Power Belt bullet with 100 grain of power and be safe? I plan to bear hunt with it soon.

 

[HighUintas]

I just purchased a mint used T/C Hawkin 50 caliber with a Green Mountain 36" barrel. It has a 1-70 twist. I was told to use round balls with patches and 50 grains of powder. The original owner shot competition with it for a while. Could I use 250 grain Power Belt bullet with 100 grain of power and be safe? I plan to bear hunt with it soon.

With a 1:70 twist, I'm guessing it won't stabilize that bullet

 

[ElDiablito]

Safe? Yeah, but that’s a pretty slow twist for a conical.

 

[SDHNTR]

Not the right barrel for that bullet. That’s a round ball twist.

 

[CROSSBOWFORBEAR]

Thanks guys very much! I will buy some round balls and use a patch. What would be good for deer and hogs? Maybe a 100 grain ball or more?

 

[slatebuilder]

If you want to try a conical in your 70 twist, look at the Hornady PA conical, it’s very short. Honestly though a patched round ball will be just fine on a bear.

 

[hiker270]

T/C with a 1:70 twist is a round ball twist. A .490 or .495 ball with the correct thickness patch is required. A .490 ball averages 177 grains in weight. 2F powder charge 50-80 measured by volume not grains in a powder measure.

 

[CROSSBOWFORBEAR]

Thanks guys very much! I will buy some round balls and use a patch. What would be good for deer and hogs? Maybe a 100 grain ball or more?

If you want to try a conical in your 70 twist, look at the Hornady PA conical, it’s very short. Honestly though a patched round ball will be just fine on a bear.

Thank you Sir !

 

[HighUintas]

Get some 0.490 balls, and some pocket drill and bull denim from Joann's for patches. Use whichever one gives you the best groups that you can get into the bore. You might have to use a short starter, but the tighter the better as long as you can load it. If using real BP, get 3f and start at 70gr going up in 5gr increments. You might have to use a real hefty charge to get your best group with that slow twist. Use hoppes BP cleaner or spit as lube for practice and track of the wolf mink oil patch lube for hunting.

If you're using a tight ball and patch combo, and that barrel is like new, then you may need to smooth out the crown to prevent patch damage when loading. You can do that by using some 300 grit sandpaper wrapped around your thumb in a cone shape and twisting your thumb in the crown a bit, rotate the barrel 90° and do it again, repeat that until you've gone in a full 360. When there are no sharp edges on the crown perpendicular to the bore, then you should be able to load a tightball and patch without it cutting the patch.

 

[SDHNTR]

Just buy some Hornady round balls in .490 and some .010” and .015” pre lubed patches. Shoot the one that shoots best.