Pedersoli Hawken 54 Cal

[Thunderchild]

Pedersoli Hawken


I ordered a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawkens in maple from Cabellas. It is 54 cal with deep six band rifling with 1 and 60 (something) twist. I wanted to get one before the prices went up given the strength of the dollar to the euro. I was right. The price went up 100 dollars the week after I bought the rifle. I am told that the price is expected to go above a thousand.

First impressions.

Cabellas shipped fast. I got the rifle in a couple of days. It arrived in good shape and double boxed. I was very impressed with the fit and finish overall with only a couple of negative things worth commenting on. First the but plate was not all the way flush with the heal of the butt stock. There was a very very slight gap you could see light through. I also did not like the fact that the edges of the metal butt plate were some what sharp. If the rifle is not properly mounted before firing Injure is sure to result. That being said the finish and wood to metal fit was the best I have ever seen on a rifle (no I have not seen many). The Stock was tiger striped from the lock back to the butt stock. It is even translucent in areas. Very beautiful. I liked the browning, it should make a very good hunting rifle with out any camouflage required.


First shots.

I set up a target at 50 yards. I was shooting from a benched position. I loaded a 530 round ball with a .015 patch lubed with bore butter and a 1/8 in felt over powder wad. I was using CCI #11 caps and Pyrodex RS 60grains. My first shot was 6” below the bull’s eye on center. I adjusted the ramp of the rear sight two clicks and took another shot. I clipped the one inch bull’s eye at the 11oc position. Third shot clipped the bull’s eye at five o’clock. The fourth shot clipped the bull’s eye at two o’clock. The fifth shot was two inches low and two inches right (flyer). The sixth shot nearly went through the same hole as the fifth. Wow, First shots were making a sub two inch group. I increased the load to 80 grains and the shot landed two inches high dead center above the bulls eye.

 

[Zonie]

That's a nice rifle (although at the price they want I don't think it should have had the little flaws you found).

As you try different powder loads I think you will find one that will shoot even better than it did on it's maiden voyage. Of course the more you shoot it, the better it gets just because the little sharp edges on the rifling will be smoothed out.

Have fun with it.

 

[romeoh]

Sorry, I´m a bit late with my answer.
I´m a little busy at the moment so I didn´t check all the categories of the forum during the last week. :surrender:

Congrats, you bought an accurate shooter. :thumbsup:
It´s normal that it shoots a bit low out of the box. Nearly everyone who got one reported that. Mine was low too. No big problem at all, easy to adjust.

I use 65 grains of what would be similar to your goex ff.
With that load I get hole-in-hole groups with .530´s, .535´s and Maxis. - As long as the part behind the stock does it´s job well... :wink:
Looks like that´s some kind of sweet-spot-load for mine. :grin: Could work with yours too.
I also remember that I used to find a range-report somewhere in the internet about a hunting load of, I guess it was 95 grs. It also ended up with hole-in-hole groups.

Ah, and it would be a good idea to take a look at the patches after the shooting. Sometimes the rifling is a bit sharp on the new pedersoli hawkens. But that´s also easy to correct.

.

 

[faw3]

Reading what you wrote about bullet hits around a clock like hit a mmory out of me. For a 1 or 1.50 get Muzzle Blast 2001 March starting on page57. Bet you cut your shots down to 1/2" easy. Fred :hatsoff:

 

Just out of curiosity, you mentioned that you used a load of 65 grains FFg. That's not your hunting load is it? I may use more powder than I need, but I always use the same loads for practice as I use for hunting. No mess, no fuss.

 

[pab1]

Cherry's has about the best price I have seen on this rifle. It seems like they listed it for a bit less than this a while back though. I thought about getting one, but keep talking myself out of it.
[url] http://www.cherrys.com/ped_rif1.htm[/url]

 

[romeoh]

Just out of curiosity, you mentioned that you used a load of 65 grains FFg. That's not your hunting load is it? I may use more powder than I need, but I always use the same loads for practice as I use for hunting. No mess, no fuss.

No, my load isn´t a hunting load.
That´s why I mentioned a hunting load extra. :wink:

I don´t like the german hunting-laws, so I don´t hunt. And therefore I don´t need a hunting load. Simple as that.

 

Sorry, I must have misinterpretated you. I'm just of the habit of using my standard hunting load of 90FFG all the time.

 

[romeoh]

No problem! :hatsoff:

 

[Runner]

I use 70 grains of 2f in my fifty for hunting deer. 65 in a 54 is plenty for any whitetail born at close ranges. The only time you need more is if you are going for larger critters than deer, plan on shooting farther than about 70 yards or so, or if you plan on shooting at running deer where the bullet might need to travel thru the game at a less than optimal angle.
I use 90 grains under a minnie when I plan to shoot farther than about 70 yards. I have three or four of them in the box just in case. I figure that is about a ten year supply for me!

 

[romeoh]

:bow: Thank you for posting this runner.
So my sweet-spot-load wouldn´t be complete useless for hunting.
Good to know, just in case I´ll someday change my mind on hunting in germany. :wink:
So taking a maxi - as I said, same accuracy with 65grs - to increase the bullet weight and it should be enough for every critter running around in our woods.

 

[Runner]

I use the higher charge behind conicals because of trajectory. The target minnie I use shoots better at the higher powder levels and the trajectory is pretty much not a factor hunting within reasonable ranges.
I used to use magnum powder charges in everything for years, but I have moved to much lower very comfortable loads, lots of practice, and shot placement these days instead of magnumitis. I am not dismayed by having to let a huge buck walk at 100 yards. If I was, I would load the conical all the time.