New to Black Powder

[Ontario Hawken]

Hi all,

I recently bought a T/C Hawken percussion and must admit that it is inexplicably addictive. I went to my friend Steve’s place last Sunday for an early morning shoot. I was surprised at the overall accuracy of a 175 gr round ball, even out to 80 yards.

After shooting standard deer loads (100 gr equivalent FFG Pyrodex) we tried 40 gr with a 175 gr round ball on a helpless piece of white ash firewood at 25 yards. The purpose of this was to try the Hawken on a Snowshoe Hare sized target at the approximate distance we shoot them with .22 in the winter.

Steve had the honour of shooting and aimed at the top of the firewood block – it died a quick death with a “headshot.” We were able to retrieve the ball by splitting the block, which was now an oblong flattened lead mass that had buried itself an inch into the wood. It was Impressive that it deformed so much.

Also, shooting later by myself I only had a handful of Traditions “pillow ticking” patches. I substituted with Butch’s standard patches cut into quarters. Surprisingly at 35 yards the Butch’s patches shot 3 inches higher than the Traditions patches.

[Swift]

OH Welcome to HC!

While I'm not a BP addict, I do take the TC Hawkin into the deer woods for our late season ML Flinter only season and have harvested a few deer over the years.

Enjoy the sport and as you have discovered they can be very different shooters with little in varying changes to their loads.

[Jack]

Welcome to Huntchat, Ontario Hawken.

[wrenchman]

smoke poles culd become a new hobbie in them self and culd become quit addictive.
smoke poles are guns with personalitys you can try all typs of patchs and find one typ the gun loves and one it hates there are so many things you could get into and do with blk powder there is not room here.

[Adam Helmer]

Ontario Hawken,

Welcome to the Forum; I see this is your first post.

I have been shooting Hawken flinters and caplocks for a long time. Yesterday I casted up a bucket full of roundball and maxis for my Winter shooting.

Again, welcome to this site.

Adam

[MtnMike2]

Welcome OH. I'm a fellow charcoal burner. Been shooting a TC Encore for years and this year built a Lyman Great Plains Rifle that I call "Sally". Lots of fun. Let us know how you do hunting with it this season.

Mike

[Ontario Hawken]

Hi Adam,

I got into BP for three reasons:

1) a week-long blackpowder season in December in Ontario (there are too many idiots, trespassers, etc. during regular rifle season - and I'm tired of it)
2) I've been spot-an-stalk hunting snowshoe hares for the past 9 years with a scoped .22 and I need more of a challenge.
3) I like to tinker and BP is a great way to customize the shot to the hunt, and with that I have a question; is it that hard to cast bullets? How long do they have to stay in the mould before you can make another?

Scott

Originally Posted by Adam Helmer

Ontario Hawken,

Welcome to the Forum; I see this is your first post.

I have been shooting Hawken flinters and caplocks for a long time. Yesterday I casted up a bucket full of roundball and maxis for my Winter shooting.

Again, welcome to this site.

Adam

[Adam Helmer]

Scott,

Casting muzzleloader projectiles out of pure lead is really a simple operation. I set up my Coleman stove on the wagon bed in the tractor shed. I ran 4 single cavilty moulds the other day: a .50 ball, a .50 maxi. a .54 ball and an .54 maxi. Once the lead pot and mould is up to temperature, the actual casting goes pretty fast. After the pour into the mould, the sprue hardens in about 5 seconds. One taps the sprue plate, opens the mould and out drops a shiny projectile on the folded towel. Then, you just repeat until the bullets begin to show a little frost-that tells me the mould is getting hot and I put it aside and pick up another.

Cast outdoors to mitigate the lead funes, wear heavy gloves and eye protection and keep water away from the lead pot. Hopes this helps.

Adam