ORIGINAL: cayugad
ORIGINAL: phall2
I have a .50 cal Hawken a friends built for me. I use the smokeless powder. and 150 grain pellets. How much powder do I put in? 150? If not how much? thanks.
Most Hawkins rifles have a max load of 110 grains of loose powder. Also a Hawkins, depending on the maker, T/C, Traditions, CVA, what ever are not made to shoot pellets. Due to the shape of the breech and the #11 ignition pellets are not the kind of thing to use. The only traditional rifles that shoot pellets are the T/C Firestorm and the Traditions PA Pellet as far as I remember.
Get some loose powder. Pyrodex RS or Pyrodex P would be good powder, Goex 3f is my favorite in a .50 caliber. If you want to use the APP or Triple Se7en 2f, again, do not load more then 90 grains of powder.
Get some Pyrodex RS and some .490 diameter roundball and .015 pre lubed patch. Load 70 grains of loose powder and a patched round ball and start from there. If the accuracy is good, then increase the charge 10 grains to 80 grains and see how the group holds. Keep moving up the powder scale until the groups fall apart. Stop at 110 grains of powder.
If you're going to shoot Triple Se7en as a powder you might want to add a wonder wad/bore button between the powder and the patch. T-7 likes to burn patches sometimes...
No smokeless powder in your muzzleloader. We want you to enjoy the sport. Also try and find a manual for your rifle. In the manual there are loading guidelines and other useful information.