Hawkins help.

[Al]

During the last move, I came across my old (early 80's) laminated stock TC 50cal Hawkins. Been forever since I've played with it, I remember 100gr of FFF black and the old TC Maxiballs pretty decent, I also remember #11 caps and it not going off all the time too.

So been looking around and see TC has a musket nipple for it now, I also seen a thing that took a 209 primer, are either of these worth while to switch too?

Also see 2-3 new black powders out there, is any particular one better then the other?

thx

[mountainam]

I used one of those way back then. I'm not certain if the head of the hammer will fit over or hit squarely on the musket cap. I still use a #11 Uncle Mike's "HOT SHOT" nipple on all of my outside hammer guns. Back then you didn't have the choices for #11 caps. I found that the above said nipple along with the caps made by RWS were the most dependable in the inclement weather that our late season Ohio muzzle loader hunts take place. The CCI #11 Magnum is also good but can absorb moisture and fail in humid conditions. The new Remington #11's look like they are RWS caps just repackaged. I would take a birthday candle with me and drip wax around the cap and nipple to waterproof it.Don't forget to scratch the top of the cap off with your thumbnail. As for as the black powder is concerned, it depends what's available in your area. Her in Ohio Goex is most prevalent. Elephant semms to be in use as you go south. My cartridge BP buddies tell me that the Swiss brand works good. I don't see why T7 wouldn't work. It has a pretty low ignition temp. Boy,just going through this stuff makes me think how lazy we've become over the years. Good Hunting!

[DHinMN]

I got my TC Hawkin 50 cal. in the form of a kit that I had to finish. It had some nice grain in the walnut stock I couldn't resist. Anyway after getting it finished and professionally blued I hunted with it for several years and it has accounted for several deer. I cast my own round balls and Maxi-balls with TC moulds. Some changes I made on it was to get the TC peep sight and convert it to a single trigger. I didn't like the double set trigger for cold weather hunting. IMO the round balls just were not the thing for hunting and I used the Maxi ball. I shot black powder with those two. Then I tried Pyrodex and I guess it was Ok. I switched to Hornady 240 grain bullets in 44 cal with the supplied green sabots and they were much more accurate than Maxi-Balls. The latest load I would recommend is 70 grains, weighed, of Triple 7 using Thompson Center Mag Express Sabots and bullets. That is a 45 Cal 240 grain XTP bullet with a black sabot. I the last ones I bought the sabot was too long and needs to be trimmed back. I get good 100 yard accuracy with this load. You could also buy the 45 cal. 240 grain bullets by the box and use harvester sabots. Short black would be about right I think. With a 1 in 48 twist do not go over 240 grain bullets or they will not stablize as well. As for primers I use CCI mag or the RWS #11. I wouldn't bother trying to change that part out. Way back when, I had trouble with Remiington primers. The little primer caps inside the copper cup would fall out. Some of them in the container had no primer in them, all I had was a copper shell. No more remington caps for me. My son still uses the Hawkin when he hunts. It is still a good rifle and really is no harder to clean than an in line once you get the procedure down pat. It helps if you can remove the little screw on the side by the nipple and use a pipe cleaner to clean out that area of the breech. I replaced that screw with a cap screw so it can be removed easily. As you see I am not a traditionalist with this gun. When my son started hunting with it I bought another gun that I won't mention, but it was heavy and not as accurate. When my son wasn't using the Hawkin I would use it. I did that till I got a Savage, which is also heavy. I hope this helps. DH

[10ga]

I have Mt. State Mfg. musket nipples on all my black powder guns(6). They are called "Spitfire" nipples. If the hammer hits the current #11 nipple true, square and centered then the musket nipple will probably be OK. I prefer the German RWS musket caps and used them when I had #11 caps too. They seem to have more fire than other caps. I also think CCI are good caps. As for powder, I prefer Swiss, however it costs more and does have more power per measure than the others I have tried. It is also very consistent in grain size etc...
Goex OK, Graffs OK, Kicks OK, Have used the subs, 777 and Pyrodex but prefer the "HOLY BLACK" in my hammer guns and others that can't handle smokeless. 10 ga

[Al]

Thanks guys.

I'll have to scope out the local shop this weekend and see what he has for powder, my luck, no BP to be found around here.

DH, we must of had caps from the same lot from Remmy, I remember seeing the same thing in a tin of them, that's what got me thininking on the musket caps

[swampmen]

Try a mag -spark .they use a 209 primmer then 10 gr. of 3fg and 2 hot shots pellets with sabot just this way .This is a great way and forget the in-lines tc hawsken , new england , rengrade ,most all mine shoot great this way. I am new here and like what here