# Black powder rifle ?'s



## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

I am going to be purchasing a black powder rifle soon and was wondering what your guys' opinions are. The only m/l i have shot has been the traditional hawken style rifle, I really like the way these guns feel and shoot. I may eventually get a modern in line but for right now I like the idea of a challenge because I don't want a scope or any real "modern" advantage with exception of conicals as opposed to round ball.

The rifle I have picked out is a .54 caliber so I can use it for everything and I can get an extremely good deal on it. What types of loads do you guys shoot in yours. The rifle has a 1 in 48" twist so I should be able to shoot conicals or sabots, correct?

Thank you.


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

from what i was told when i got my tc omega. the longer guns with a slower twist shoot conicals and round balls very well. i believe the higher twist barrels shoot sabots better. this is what i heard anyway.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

The 1 in 48" twist is a compromise made so that round balls and conical bullets like the T/C maxi ball can be used in the same rifle. Using the new saboted bullets in these will give marginal performance IMO. But you could try them just to find out.

My T/C Thunderhawk inline has a 1 in 28" twist, ideal for conicals and sabots and it shoots both really well. On the other end of the spectrum is my T/C Hawken which has a custom made barrel that has 1 in 66" twist, this rifle shoots patched round balls only and does so very accurately. (both are in .50 cal)

The 1 in 48" in a Hawken or Great Plains type rifle makes a very nice traditional type hunting rifle and will give good hunting performance with both round balls or the Maxi type conicals but the sabots really need a faster twist to perform well.

huntin1


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

thanks guys that helps a lot!!! I can't wait til i get it.

I can also get a brand new CVA Hunterbolt extremely cheap in a .45. I will be buying an inline eventually I was thinking of starting with this.


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## Boobzilla (Dec 6, 2004)

You know what, the 54 cal .338 gr Buffalo ball-et would probably work real well out of the 1 / 48 twist. I have a Rem 54 and the T/C 365 gr maxiball in front of 110 gr of Pyro select does fantastic. Also shoot a T/C system 1 in a 58 caliber with a 380 gr Buffalo Ball-et. I've shot maxiballs up to 555 gr in wgt, but that ball-et does the trick. Experiment with different bullets, but the conicals and ball-ets (half conical, half round ball) will work a heck of alot better out of a gun with a slower twist. If your gun was somehting like a 1/66 twist, i'd pretty much stay with a patched ball. Hope this helps some.


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