# Traditions Hawken Woodsman .50 cal



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I'm thinking of getting one of these muzzleloaders to add to the collection. Does anyone shoot one? whats your load with it and how is your accuracy?


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I've never shot the Traditions Hawken. I own a T/C Black Mountain Magnum .54 and that thing is deadly accurate. I changed the standard #11 nipple out, and replaced with a Musket nipple. That seemed to help with more efficient shots.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Whats the barrel twist rate? If its 1/48 nothing will ever shoot great. 1/48 is a crappy compromise twist. Its too fast for round balls and too slow for most slugs.




-DallanC


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Whats the barrel twist rate? If its 1/48 nothing will ever shoot great. 1/48 is a crappy compromise twist. Its too fast for round balls and too slow for most slugs.
> 
> -DallanC


My T/C mentioned above has a 1/48 twist and is very accurate! However, it did take a year of stuffing different powder charges/projectiles down it to get it there. I have two "go to loads" that I use. One is sabot load, and the second, is a great plains bullet load. Both loads have taken Deer and Elk.

I know you shoot enough "front stuffers" to know that any make of rifle may need to be "played with" to fine tune an accurate load. That's the fun and charm in the BP world I think. Who doesn't like to spend a day shooting, and cleaning a BP Rifle?:shock:


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Ball-ets usually work better than most other types. Buffalo Bullets used to make an AMAZING Ball-et, but they've long since been out of production. I still have half a box remaining, I've considered casting them and making a mold to make my own based off their design. 



I rebarreled my hawkin years ago though to a 1/28" twist with a Green Mt kit (also decades out of production). Its every bit as accurate as my inlines with the same load (90gr Pyro under a 240gr XTP).


I still have my original hawkin barrel, I've always wanted to drill out the riflings and make it a .50 to 54 cal smoothbore shotgun, using sabots as wads. One of these days I'll buy a bit to drill it or find a shop to bore it.



-DallanC


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I think it is a 1-48 twist.. I dont know much about twist rate on a muzzleloader but, i'v toyed with the idea of adopting more of a traditional style muzzleloader for the hunts where I want to have more of a Jeremiah Johnson feel to it..

I dont think I would shoot patch and ball. I'm leaning more towards a great plains style of bullet


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

goosefreak said:


> I think it is a 1-48 twist.. I dont know much about twist rate on a muzzleloader but, i'v toyed with the idea of adopting more of a traditional style muzzleloader for the hunts where I want to have more of a Jeremiah Johnson feel to it..
> 
> I dont think I would shoot patch and ball. I'm leaning more towards a great plains style of bullet


Take your time when you begin to shoot it and find out what it wants to eat. My T/C is capable of a "magnum" load, but I've never loaded it to the max. I shoot loose powder, and never go more than 120gr. volume.

I'd start out at 80gr. and begin working up in 5gr. increments. When you begin to loose accuracy, back off 5gr.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

taxidermist said:


> goosefreak said:
> 
> 
> > I think it is a 1-48 twist.. I dont know much about twist rate on a muzzleloader but, i'v toyed with the idea of adopting more of a traditional style muzzleloader for the hunts where I want to have more of a Jeremiah Johnson feel to it..
> ...


What powder are you shooting out of your T/C?


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Triple 7 FFF.


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## neverdrawn (Jan 3, 2009)

I have an old Thompson Renegade that I built a couple of decades ago. With 85 grains of loose pyrodex RS it would shoot really well out to 100 yds. Beyond that the front sight covered too much of the target. It may have had a little more range with a peep sight but I never put one on. I'd just shoot patched round balls but it took several tries to find a patch it liked. I let a friends son borrow it a couple of years ago to try out the muzzleloader hunt and he ended up killing a coyote at 85 yds and a yearling buck at about 95. Both animals shot through the lungs.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

I have various sidelocks I enjoy shooting. I find more enjoyment shooting an open sighted side-lock than I do my inline with a high power scope. I don't own a Traditions, but a friend does. It is a decent gun.

As Dallan stated, the 1/48 twist isn't ideal, but playing with loads you can find something accurate enough hunt with. I killed a lot of animals with a TC 1/48 twist. I always shoot FFF Black Powder. It requires a little more cleaning, but I like the smell and added nostalgia. I have had luck with Powerbelts, Hornady SST, and Roundballs. I never could get the ballets, maxiballs, plains, etc bullets to shoot well enough and they were always a pain to load. Also had trouble with accuracy from many other sabots. I always have some roundballs in my pocket for a quick follow-up shot (contrary to popular belief- you don't always have to patch a ball).

taxidermist- I think the Black Mtn Mag in 54 cal had a 1/38 twist. I have a 50 cal BMM and it has a 1/28 twist. I really like my BMM and am always looking for another 50cal for the kids to use.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Packout, I'll have to open the safe and see for sure what the twist says on the barrel. You may be right, and I might be wrong. It's a great rifle, and fun to shoot!


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## fobit (Mar 1, 2017)

My son has killed 2 bucks with his. He uses the 250 gn REAL bullet he molds himself.


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## fobit (Mar 1, 2017)

I use a CVA mountain rifle kit I built in 1987. My most accurate load is a 240 gn 1-66 bullet in front of 100 grains of FF powder. I have killed several bucks a 5 point bull and a mtn goat with mine. The R.E.A.L. bullet should be pushed by no more than 70 gn of powder or the rifling's may strip and your accuracy sucks. The 1-66 needs 100 gn of powder to ensure the skirt expands into the riflings.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

fobit said:


> I use a CVA mountain rifle kit I built in 1987. My most accurate load is a 240 gn 1-66 bullet in front of 100 grains of FF powder. I have killed several bucks a 5 point bull and a mtn goat with mine. The R.E.A.L. bullet should be pushed by no more than 70 gn of powder or the rifling's may strip and your accuracy sucks. The 1-66 needs 100 gn of powder to ensure the skirt expands into the riflings.


The real name of that bullet btw is the "PA Conical".

https://www.hornady.com/muzzleloading/browse/50-cal-240-gr-pa-conical

-DallanC


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## Stinky Boots (Jul 10, 2019)

I shoot side locks, cap and flint. I have no problem with a 1in48 twist just takes tinkering with powder and patch thickness to find the sweet spot. I use 3f of real black powder. my charge is usually way down there around 60 to 75gr. If you are going to hunt with that side lock think of it as a extended range bow. Not a magnum type weapon. If you do decide to use real black keep in mind that 3f is about 10% more kaboom than a load of a 2f.


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