T/C hawkin sighting in.....

[sussexmuzllodr]

Hello All,
Sighting in a .50 cal flintlock and I just cannot seem to get it to shoot straight no matter what .
Sight adjustments left ,right up down , bench rested. Seems it is about 4 inches to the right at about 50 yards. Conicals or patched RB,s 50 grains powder.

The gun lock is tuned well for what it is....ignition is pretty reliable and consistent
I think I may have read on here that some barrels when made just have inherent qualities
when they leave the factory that might attribute to this.

I can live with it and still hunt with it knowing its aimpoint and still take game.
I know the barrel is not ringed and the bore grooves and lands are in great shape.

Just wanted to put it out there for the input of others and if they have experienced the same.

Many thanks as usual

SM

 

[SDSmlf]

What kind of group are you getting?

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

What kind of group are you getting?

At best three shots about 2 inches apart
Enough to take a deer but there is something funny about that barrel, maybe I should send it to Hoyt and have him turn it into a smooth .54 or .56

SM

 

[Kansas Jake]

If using round ball, what diameter, what patch, lube, powder type. All make some difference. I have found TCs like a tight patch. Also do you shoot other flintlocks and if so how well. I still have trouble with flinching with a flintlock from a bench at times let alone offhand.

You also might want order Dutch’s system and try his suggestions.

 

[Sidney Smith]

You are most likely flinching which is causing you to pull the aim. If this is not so, then drift your front sight a little to the right. I bet the problem goes away.

 

[bang]

50gns seems light. Might try 60-70.
If you are using a .490 and .010 does it fit tight enough? Might try a .015 patch. Thicker patches better about not cutting and tearing when rammed. Might be better off with a mini instead of a conical.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Thanks for the replies fellas, I could be a little more flinchy with age.
SM

 

[Thunder14]

My Hawkins wont shoot good with anything less than 60gr I’m pretty sure if you bump your powder up to 60 + gr you will see a big difference

 

[Thunder14]

Go down to Joann’s fabric and get red pillow ticking for patches wash them first it works well

 

[Zonie]

T/C Hawkens rifles have rather shallow rifling grooves in the barrel. Their .005 depth was kind of a compromise between having them shallow enough to be used with cast lead bullets and still work with patched lead roundballs.

Many of us who shoot T/C Hawkens and other T/C guns have found they shoot patched roundballs most accurately if the patch is fairly thick. By fairly thick, I'm talking about .018 to .020 thick.

The blue/white and red/white pillow ticking sold at cloth stores and many Walmart's stores is about .018 thick and it works very well in a T/C.

Because of the tight ball/patch combination, it does require something like a "short starter" to initially start the ball and patch into the muzzle. Once started, it is not difficult to ram down to the powder load.

I wouldn't even consider loading a T/C Hawken with anything looser than a ball that was .010 under the bore diameter (.490 ball in a .500 bore) along with a .015 thick patch even with a light powder load.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Thanks again Fellas,
Funny thing my new englander is a tack driver using the very same loads.

SM

 

[Grenadier1758]

Reading all these posts on accuracy, one thing becomes apparent. Each firearm will likely have different performance than a similar firearm. One 54 caliber firearm will perform best with a 0.535 ball using a 0.015" patch lubricated with Ballistol mixed 1 to 7 parts of water over 60 grains of 3fg. Another 54 caliber firearm may need a 0.530" ball wrapped in a 0.020" patch using spit over 70 grains of 2fg. Load development for each specific rifle is required.

 

[No Deer]

I have a TC .50 flintlock. I have never worked up a load for patched round ball, but it works great with the TC Maxi ball. I can hold about a 3-4" group at 100 yards (bench). I use 325 gr maxi and 90 gr. 3f powder. It is my understanding that the TC barrel is best suited for the maxi ball, but with enough work you may find a good prb load. I use it mainly for hunting, and the maxi ball knocks the deer down in a hurry, so never attempted a prb in it, and I use other guns for competition shooting.

 

[Bighorserider]

After trying many combinations my TC Hawken 50 cal shoots by far the best with 60gr 2Fg, 490 ball and 20 thousandth patch. Lube doesn't seem to make much difference.