need a load

kumate

just bought a cabelas hawkin used. thinkin about 100 grs of pyrodex behind a 75 maxi-hunter

CapnMidnight

How long is the barrel? Are you trying to work up a hunting load, or a target load? You didn't specify what caliber your Hawken is, that is a pretty important item.
W.D.

kumate

50 cal, 29 in barrel and its for huntng

CapnMidnight

100 grains is more than enough, try 80-90 grains. Also, I've always had better results with real black powder, than Pyrodex.
W.D.

MIKE WISKEY

I'd check the 'twist' rate first, it MAY like round balls better. also Hogdon 777 works well also. I never did like pyrodex

kumate

tis 1-48, I think that's more for conicals than round balls but I'm not certain

CapnMidnight

1-48 is supposed to work for booth. I'm a 1-68 1-72 round ball shooter myself. As I said before, I'd back off the 100 grains a bit. Personnel choice, but I'd get away from the Pryodex also.
Stay off the sky line and keep yer ol' powder dry.
W.D.

Okie743

quote:Originally posted by kumate
just bought a cabelas hawkin used. thinkin about 100 grs of pyrodex behind a 75 maxi-hunter


You might take a gander at this thread: It's from muzzleloader barrels, the next thread down from yours.

http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=654471

I've hunted deer since 1980 (round ball and BP days) and shoot paper target with the T/C Hawken and Renegade BP guns. I seen several big bucks walk off as they tried to figure out what the snapping and popping was, as I was popping #11 and musket caps trying to make it fire on a cold and rainy day. I have the modern in-lines but since I went to the Mag spark ignition about 6 years ago I rarely hunt the inlines. I do use a scope and use the no tap and thread T/C scope mounts. You can find the mounts every once in awhile on flea bay very reasonable.

I use the 1:28 Green mountain LRH fast twist barrels, but a 1:48 twist and faster twist will shoot good groups with the proper sabot load.

First convert it too the mag spark 209 conversion kit then use triple 7 2F powder, not over 80 grains. (unless you are one of those BP purists and want to put up with misfires and real black powder smoke and hog lard for the round balls)
The Mag spark is a completely sealed ignition system and then use Winchester triple 7 209 primers available from wal mart or most everywhere.
Paint the cap of the mag spark bright orange so you can find it if you drop it in the leaves.
I use Hornady pistol bullets (XTP mag bullets for the 50 cal) and matching sabots (you can buy these in bulk instead of the small package cards and save some $$) and I also use Harvester sabots. (Harvester ribbed sabots will load easier than regular sabots on a cold day and produce good accuracy results)

You will find that playing around with each shot of a BP sabot gun is not cheap shots! (do the math) I make ever shot counts now days!
Stay safe and do wear safety glasses even thou the mag spark system is completely sealed type.