Bullets

[Dave]

What is the most accurate bullet to be used with a Thompson Hawkins 50 cal Muzzle loader. It has never been fired would like to start hunting with it next season. Bought in in the 1970's.

[sbuff]

What powder are you using. Bullets very from gun to gun. You will have to try a few with different powder to find your best choice.

Prb and no excuses would be my choice.

[Doewhacker]

Im guessing that barrel has a slow twist in it so you will likely need to go with a patched round ball.

I use a Hornady Great Plains Bullett, 385 grains and 90 grains of black powder.

[Pygmy]

Your Hawken has a 1-48" twist. It will probably shoot very well with patched round balls.

That twist was chosen by TC because it also will shoot well with TC Maxi balls..

It is kind of a compromise..Should shoot either round balls or conicals with acceptable accuracy.

My advice would be to try the Noexuses 460 grain conical.

It shoots GREAT in my 1973 TC Hawken. Shoots flat enough for 100 yard shots and simply flattens anything you hit with it.

It is very accurate in my rifle and loads easy to boot..

[nyslowhand]

I've shot a Renegade for years. Basically the unadorned cousin of the Hawkin.

Shoot T/C Maxi-hunters with 90gr powder. Your rifle may require more or less charge.

These conicals are 275gr. and no you don't need a 400gr projectile to kill a deer.

Not a super accurate conical, but fairly predictable over its' effective range.

A suitable upgrade if you don't want to mess with a patched round ball in hunting situations.

[Pygmy]

I wasn't suggesting that 460 grain conicals were necessary to kill deer. Actually, most of my ML deer ( including my biggest EVER buck) were killed with 180 grain PRB's and around 90 grains of pyrodex 2F.

Back in 2004, I had a ML elk hunt scheduled and wanted to work up a good elk load. 50 Cal. round balls are a little light for elk.

I settled on the 460 NE and it shot so well and loaded so easy, I decided to use it for deer, also..Not surprisingly, it kills them as well as it did the elk I shot with it. I use 80 grains of 3F 777 loose powder.

PRBs should work fine in your rifle. I would suggest using loose Pyrodex, black powder or 777..

Lyman Great Plains bullets are another good alternative,as are the TC maxiballs or maxi hunters.. Depends on what your rifle likes...

[Doewhacker]

With a 1 in 48 a conical should do well as Pygmy stated, and they do load easier than a PRB. My Lyman loves the set up I use. Here is one I recovered from a doe this year, it went through the base of the neck, the off shoulder and stopped inside the skin. She didn't even flinch.