It was the pre lubed, they smelled like mint. The rifle was new unfired, but I cleaned it well when I got it home, and ran three dry patches down it before i fired it. It being new I put two caps in it before I loaded it. However; it still had the wax, cosmalene in it when I bought it. You learn on the fly, I didn't put a pic in the breach hole before I fired the two caps. I'm going to grab some 295gr powerbelts and 90gr, hopefully it will like them too!

We had quite a few Kentucky and Hawkins rifles in 45 and 50 cal over the years.
They were all pretty good guns and shot well.

Then my older brother got a TC Hawkins kit in 50 cal.
He was pretty experienced from building "sporters" from various milsurp bolt guns back in the day and it turned out very nice.
He was a job superintendent working away from home and lived in a travel trailer at the job site during the week so he had lots of time to work on it.

The real surprise was shooting it.
It was pretty amazing using patched round balls but when he tried some maxi's, it was really accurate.
He hunted deer and varmints with for a few seasons and did quite well for a smokepole.
Don't remember what bullets or loads he was shooting in it as it was many years ago.

But I do remember the rifle well!

Put up a post and had two great forum members help me out, I got more than I bargrned for. One of them has yet been shot by us.



Needless to say I'm hooked! Here is the first two shots at 100 yards with the powerbelt 295gr with 90 gr poyrodex, out of the latest Hawkins by my uncle.

We tried patch round balls at 100 and 50 yards with the same rifle my uncle is holding. I tried 70,80,90 grains. .49 bullet and .01 and .015 patches. They shot horribly. We will keep working on it.

If I remember correctly all the T/C muzzle loaders (classic style anyway) were rifled 1 turn in 48" so they could shoot either round ball or the Conical type bullets. This was before people thought about shooting Saboted pistol bullets. Since most pistol bullets are shorter than the Maxi Ball they should be able to shoot ok.

I've got a Hawken 50 caliber with the 15/16" barrel, and a Seneca 45 caliber. Finally shot the Hawken few days ago with round balls, about 2" or so at 50 yards without trying too hard.

My buddy back up north has their 45 cal Hawken kit rifle and his seems to like patch and ball the best. Great looking rifle.

Has anyone shot elk with powerbelt? Everywhere I read they say use the 338gr. Is the maxi hunter the way to go?

My old TC Hawkins worked good on on two elk. One was taken above Toketee? Falls @ elk camus. Camus = isolated mountain meadow. Who wouldn't hunt one named Elk? The second in Beaver Salvage, another camus area a few miles from the first. Both shots right at 100yd, and +/- 3,000ft above sea level. Both traveled over 100yd (second one waay over) leaving good blood trails. I know the rifle can still do it - but my old body can't anymore.