Just picked up a .54 caliber TC Hawken...

[Uncle Duke]

I'm only a casual black powder shooter, one who bought a TC Hawken kit years ago only because it gave me an extra deer season. One of the hardest things for me to get through my head early on was the idea of using water for cleaning. Mix water and steel and that means rust, right? But when the water is hot enough, and it gets that barrel steel hot enough, it's amazing how quickly it evaporates. You can literally watch the water evaporate. And there isn't a better black powder solvent.

 

[willtill]

How much powder were you using? At 100 yards, you would have to increase the amount of powder to keep the ball velocity up. My 100 yard loads were 80 grains of 2F.

I was using 50gr of Triple 7. From what I know about Triple 7, it packs more energy than Pyrodex or Black Powder, roughly 15 percent more compared to them. So I load a little more carefully with that.

Maybe that heavy ball does need more “ooompf” at that range of 100 yards compared to 50. The elevation of where the ball was impacting looked good, but the windage was way off.

 

[Vic]

If the nipple is clean, it could be what doco said, I use pipe cleaners to clean the channel between the nipple and bore. Might not have a perfectly open channel. If 10s work for you, shoot 10s.
TC tech told me to never use petroleum solvents with BP guns. They tend to make super tough residue. You can do what you like.

I'd say you have a shooter there. Definitely minute of deer. Have you been able to track down any lead conicals for it?
V

 

[willtill]

If the nipple is clean, it could be what doco said, I use pipe cleaners to clean the channel between the nipple and bore. Might not have a perfectly open channel. If 10s work for you, shoot 10s.
TC tech told me to never use petroleum solvents with BP guns. They tend to make super tough residue. You can do what you like.

I'd say you have a shooter there. Definitely minute of deer. Have you been able to track down any lead conicals for it?
V

Have not looked at conicals yet. Just really wanted to get it out for a first look and feel. Lead balls were my first choice. I have 80 left to shoot, another 100 incoming.

 

[Vic]

My father told me the virtues of hot water when cleaning new M1s that were soaked in cosmolene. they boiled it off, at least that's what he told me.
V

 

[Vic]

Do you feel confident with shooting it with iron sights? I'm okay with that for targets. My eyes dont focus fast enough to use with hunting critters. I'm relegated to using scopes with age.
V

 

[willtill]

Do you feel confident with shooting it with iron sights? I'm okay with that for targets. My eyes dont focus fast enough to use with hunting critters. I'm relegated to using scopes with age.
V

Depends on the iron sights. I had a bit of difficult focusing with these particular sights on it. I wear mono vision contacts, and my right eye (while dominant) houses the contact lens for distance. So sometimes it’s a challenge. I normally shoot with my left eye shut, but sometimes I’ll open it just to get my brain to focus a bit on the sights, while my right eye argues for the distance. Anyone who wears mono vision knows what I’m talking about.

The black background splatter targets that I use don’t help. I like splatter targets though since I’m relying more and more on a spotting scope, I think I’m going to start using lighter backgrounds for targets.

But with saying all of that, I have used scopes for hunting deer and/or varmints. I like being more precise in that application. I don’t want to wound, I want a definite and quick kill.

 

[biermkr]

Nice shootin iron Will. My input is get some Ballistol. Great cleaner, lube, and wood and leather conditioner. Also works great for smokeless powder firearms as well

Ballistol: World’s Most Versatile + Safe Multi-Use Oil & Gun CLP

Ballistol is the fountain of youth for your guns, wood, metal & plastic. Skin safe + eco-friendly, nothing lubricates, protects and preserves like it. Shop now.

ballistol.com

 

[wilcam47]

Well, so far so good. This is my initial three shots out of it @ 25 yards. Using 40gr Triple 7 and .530 lead balls with .015 prelubed patches.

View attachment 430361

My little setup out here at the AGC

View attachment 430362

I did look at some of the fired patches shortly after shooting the first several balls. A little shredded

View attachment 430363

Once you set the trigger on this sucker; if even so much about thinking of pulling the trigger…. It fires.

View attachment 430364

I have experienced several misfires with the No 11 CCI percussion caps; I do have some Remington No 10’s with me though and they haven’t had any issues. Yet.

I’m going to hang out here and eventually try the “chicken wing” technique. Guess that’s Gangsta style for the old days. Ha!

These RWS caps are hotter, #11. They work good

RWS® #11 Percussion Caps – No.1075 – 250 to 1000 Pack - Midwest Reloads

Specifications SPECIFICATIONS/OPTIONS 1075-250 Ignition PERCUSSION IGNITION Type #11 STANDARD PERCUSSION CAPS Quantity 250 TO 1000 CAPS Clean Ignition REDUCES MISFIRES Higher Percussion INCREASES ACCURACY

midwestreloads.com

 

[Doco Overboard]

If you could find music wire in a hardware store (Lowes has it) that makes great cleaning tools for the nipple.
Just stick it into end of a small dowel.
Also a 10x32 nut welded onto a small bolt with a few threads exposed allows one to hold the bolt instead of the nipple when cleaning with one of those small wire detail bristle brushes. Thread the nipple right onto it.
Makes it easier to pull out of the scald pot too with some needlenose or other pliers.
Once that barrel drys from the heat of the water, every once in while if you dont get right to work with some WD it will very lightly surface rust. WD it soon as its dry.
Prep is all it is.

 

[Vic]

Cutting torch cleaning pick works well as a nipple pick too.

 

[smdub]

Good shooting!

Didn't know you were there this afternoon. We were on the far left of the range.

 

[linkstate]

I’d NEVER recommend chicken-winging while shooting any stocked firearm, ever. You’re opening the shoulder joint to that impact, and immediate or long-term injury. Not to mention you’re not as stable muscularly with that arm lifted up like that, the more stable position is with the arm down, letting the meat of the pectorals and shoulders form a nice soft pad to protect that joint and provide a solid, relaxed shooting platform. Just my $0.02.

So this is all IMO:

Having talked to muzzleloaders that have been doing it way longer than me, studied books about the characteristics of these historical arms and trying it myself: The mounting of historical longrifles or similar with moderate to extreme curved butt stocks were meant to be shot the way I explained. It just makes sense if you try it.

I man be wrong, it may not work for you but why not try it for a couple shots? Hawken style rifles are pretty heavy and even moderate to heavy charges of BP in a rifle of the type being discussed, isn’t in the same league as say, an 8mm Mauser. But if those points are in the shoulder pocket, it quickly become not fun. At least again, IMO.

This guy demonstrates what I was trying to say. Not with a Hawken type rifle but the concept is the same. Skip to 1:50 if you want.




ETA: Nice rifle and shooting OP.

ETA 2: This channel is great. Forget about the subject at hand, just fun well filmed videos that I challenge anyone to watch and not wish for the cool fall air to come and getting out there with a traditional muzzle loader.

 

[willtill]

Good shooting!

Didn't know you were there this afternoon. We were on the far left of the range.

That was youse guys were down on the left doing a little auto? That was like getting wisps of symphony music down on my end!

 

[willtill]

I'm more than likely to head back out to the AGC this morning; to solve the issue of my balls curving to the left after 50 yards while the are enroute to the 100 yard target. I'm upping the powder charge a bit.

Also, spend a good deal of time late afternoon yesterday cleaning her. I am a little concerned about the misfires, and I am again going to deep clean her before going out again, this time; focusing more on the fire channel. I stole a pic off of the web of a cutaway of the breech from another percussion rifle (50 Cal Renegade barrel). This fire channel is probably the hardest thing to clean on this rifle. I was tackling it with pipe cleaners and Q-tips, but just don't have a good feel in it's current condition. Due to the angle, it's tough to get in there...

 

[willtill]

These RWS caps are hotter, #11. They work good

RWS® #11 Percussion Caps – No.1075 – 250 to 1000 Pack - Midwest Reloads

Specifications SPECIFICATIONS/OPTIONS 1075-250 Ignition PERCUSSION IGNITION Type #11 STANDARD PERCUSSION CAPS Quantity 250 TO 1000 CAPS Clean Ignition REDUCES MISFIRES Higher Percussion INCREASES ACCURACY

midwestreloads.com

Yep. I have 750 of those inbound

 

[Vic]

That's why they recommend pumping hot soapy water through that little channel. Hard to clean otherwise.
V

 

[Doco Overboard]

I'm more than likely to head back out to the AGC this morning; to solve the issue of my balls curving to the left after 50 yards while the are enroute to the 100 yard target. I'm upping the powder charge a bit.

Also, spend a good deal of time late afternoon yesterday cleaning her. I am a little concerned about the misfires, and I am again going to deep clean her before going out again, this time; focusing more on the fire channel. I stole a pic off of the web of a cutaway of the breech from another percussion rifle (50 Cal Renegade barrel). This fire channel is probably the hardest thing to clean on this rifle. I was tackling it with pipe cleaners and Q-tips, but just don't have a good feel in it's current condition. Due to the angle, it's tough to get in there...


View attachment 430419

Hot soapy water will clear it right out. Try a 20 g increase.
I use Pyrodex RS powder.

 

[Archeryrob]

I use the hot water to clean also. Boil a pot to 180 degrees and pour half in a 1 gallon bucket and plunger good. dump bucket and the other half the pot and rinse the barrel with more plungering.

I would advise a nice insulated, waterproof glove for your left hand. The barrel gets hot fast and water comes out the top while plungering. You'll want to drop that barrel without it.

 

[willtill]

Ya, I did boil a pot of water yesterday on the stove. Was using a 5 gallon Homer bucket outside filled with regular hot tap water (with Dawn dishwashing detergent). Was pumping the barrel with the breech submerged with a tight fitting patch, definitely could see water sucking and pumping out of the nipple hole (nipple removed of course). I did finish rinsing it with the boiling water, had a towel wrapped around the barrel as I bored it in. Barrel DEFINITELY got too hot to hold. Punched it dry, squirted WD40 down it and pushed that out with a patch.

I was scoping the barrel just now, I now have an idea of how far the pipe cleaner has to go to get through the firehole: