DD, I really do not have a solution for you as I too have a TC Hawken, probably 3 years old now and I can not get any combination of sabot/bullet to go down the barrel, without standing on the ram rod. It does however, accept PowerBelts with out a problem in fact they even seem a bit tight. Another, odditiy of this particular gun, don't ever dry patch it, especially after a after a shot because you will not get the patch and rod back out, it is that tight. If you put a damp patch down no problem, but a dry one you are looking for trouble.

Most conicals are really tough to get down also...