What Happened?

Been happily shooting my extremely accurate CVA sidelock for years with Great Plains bullets. Allways wanted a TC Hawken & finally got one. Went to reup on bullets & they are discontinued. Found out Smith & Wesson now owns TC & has abandonded the Hawken totally!
Figured is better find some folks who still care about shooting their traditional muzzleloaders.
Happily minding your own buisiness has its downside i guess?
( Please do not respond with "inlines" )

Casting your own solves all availability issues.

bang said:

Casting your own solves all availability issues.

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Now if i just had a Hawken rifle mold.

Welcome to the Forum... pick up a Lee mold, .490 cal for your Hawken if it’s a .50 cal rifle. Fix yourself a pot of coffee and cast some balls. Easy and relaxing.

If you like the Hornady Great Plains, look into the Lyman Plains bullet molds in 50 and 54 caliber. They don't have the little dimple of a cavity in the rear like the Hornady, but my rifles haven't noticed. Just be sure to cast them from pure lead.

BrownBear said:

If you like the Hornady Great Plains, look into the Lyman Plains bullet molds in 50 and 54 caliber. They don't have the little dimple of a cavity in the rear like the Hornady, but my rifles haven't noticed. Just be sure to cast them from pure lead.

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Gonna have to start casting my own. Had what i thought was an adequate supply but i shot em all up. (Over 500 ) .54 cal. The .50 is available for now, expecting to pick up 2 more hawkens like these in .54. (Pic. Is .50 cal. Model)

Thx for mold suggestion

Welcome Sir there are many different molds out there too choose from.

This topic about guns really belongs in the main forum areas, not the Welcome To The Camp area so, I'm moving it to the Percussion area.

Before the Gander Mountain closed here a year or so ago they always had a stock of TC Maxis and Maxi Hunter bullets.

Became well stocked up with Hornady Great Plains years ago when WallyWorld had their annual end of season sales. Bought hundreds in 54 caliber for $2 to $3 a box (15 bullets per box) that shot well. If and when I decide to shoot them again I will have to decide if I shoot as is with the lube flaking of or re-lube.

Have Lee’s mini ball molds in 45, 50 and 54 caliber. Shot the 415 grain 54 caliber mini the most. All were accurate in my 1-48 shallow rifling barrels. The relatively thick skirt could handle heavy charges.

Currently only shooting conicals in 45 caliber (paper patched). Lately seems all my 32, 50, 54, 58 and 62 caliber shooting has been with round balls.

Final thoughts on casting your own bullets. Doesn’t take more than a few trips to the range for a mold to pay for itself. Lee molds with handles run $20-$30 or so. Lead can be found cheap from many sources.

I don't know what happened to Gander Mountain, Seems like they were bought up. Then prices also rise.

I believe Gander Mountain was bought out by Cabela's who was intern then bought out by Bass Pro Shops. Maybe not quite a monopoly yet, but BPS sure is by far the biggest fish in the pond now and will do as they please with pricing.

I believe Gander Mountain went broke and stores were closed. I don’t know who bought the name and assets, but I see a few are opening again.

Camping world bought out Gander and reopened some as Gander World or something like that. Cabela’s/Bass Pro merged and is a separate company.

BASS PRO SUCKS !!!!!!!

Gander went bankrupt and was bought by Camper World. Some stores reopened as Gander Outdoors.

JB67 said:

Gander went bankrupt and was bought by Camper World. Some stores reopened as Gander Outdoors.

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Isn't camping world owned by a liberal gentlemen

Buffalo bullets makes a 385gr 50 cal conical

https://buffalobulletindustries.com/