RE: T/C Hawken round ball question.
I used a PRB for hunting a lot more years than an inline, a rule of thumb for you,
45 cal to 75 yds
50 cal to 100yds
54 cal to 150 yds
use around half the ball weight in powder.
Of course you still have to have a tight lubed patch and work out the exact load according to the harmonics of that particular barrel.
My 50cal TC hawken uses 110gr RS a 495 ball and a bore butter lubed patch and has taken several deer at right around 100yds and groups 3 inches with iron sights, but in all truth I much prefer the 54 cals of which I have several and have taken over 25 deer at all ranges from 10 yds to 180yds, the 54 tends to use more powder 12 is the commens load in my guns. The inlines are just the newest toy but in all truth at least for me I have never gotten a deer with them that I could not have gotten just as well with PRB, I just like how easy they are to clean and that extra range capability that I may never actually us for hunting. Lee