.50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

I am wondering how light I can load a .50 TC hawken with ball for a slightly built teen for humane deer hunting.It shot 50gr best of FFG,60 wasn't bad and 70gr started to open up.On the other hand it clover leafed 80gr charges of FFG and a Maxi-ball.Too stiff for a kid ,can I load this one down and still drop a deer?My wife has a moose tag and her sister phoned last night to tell us a cow +calf were in her backyard eating her $$$ Trees.Opens Nov 1.I got a pair of scope mt bases from TC today one for his Hawken the other for my .54 Renegade..........Harold *along with two pre-bent free hammers

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

For deer hunting, 50 grains of powder and a ball will do the job if you stay close. Also be ready to track. I have a friend that hunts deer with that load. Another one uses 70 grains and a maxiball. The point is, no matter how powerful a load is, it does not good if you do not hit what you aim at. With 50 grains you might not get a pass through. You will get an entry and if you can put that into the vital organs, the deer might run off but it will die. So be ready to track, and maybe without a blood trail.

For moose I have no idea what kind of load would work best.

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

might want to try this load with 60-70gr powder. http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.p...61973.html#new

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

No worries about the moose the .54 likes 100 gr FFG .530 ball and .018 patch from a GM 1-70 barrel.I'm scoping them all as the eyesight is slipping yearly.I will try some light .50 loads for the boy and see how he holds up.He had no problem hammering away 1/2 box of 45-70 300gr factory loads in a Marlin Guide gun.The .50 liked a 80gr charge of FFG and the Maxi-ball..............Harold

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

Several of my brother's friends shoot 70g Patched Round ball for deer and they are effective to about 75 yards, not further. The problem is penetration, I have shot a doe with PRB at about 25 yards in the brisket, and it went right down. Before I could reload the deer got on it feet and ran and I never got it. I now shoot 300 Speer Gold Dots at either 70 or 80g of Goex in my flintlock, I have also used XTPs both with a crushed rib sabot. I would use the Maxi-ball, since it offers better penetration---remember a 45-70, that was 45 cal bullet weight about 450g with 70g of BP shot buffalo. If your young fellow can shoot a guide gun, drop your load to 70 and see if he can shoot a 300g saboted bullet in the Hawken. Drop it to 60 and then 50, 50 is as low as I would go. I believe the bigger bullet with lower charge is your best bet for a teen to humanely kill a deer. Good shoots broadside into vitals, no shoulder or brisket shots. Chap

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

Nice buck for first deer. Wow. I do believe a PB would also be an excellent bullet in the Hawken for 60 or 70g load, easy loading and accurate as heck.
Chap

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

If this kid can shoot a 45/70, he can shoot a Hawken loaded with 80 gr and a maxiball, no doubt about it. It may even kick less given the weight of a hawken. More of a shove than a punch too.

Sounds like a mental thing, maybe because the gun looks "big"? If he wants to practice with a lighter load just to get used to the gun that's not a bad idea.

I'd go back to the 80 gr/maxiball load for hunting. Heck, he won't feel that shot he fires at a deer anyway. Better to ensure a pass-through and create a bloodtrail than to risk losing a deer with a young hunter.

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

I'm hoping he can handle the 80gr conicle load as well.We saw 8 Wt bucks while grouse hunting in the foothills last Sunday.Pre-rut chasing one another around but all small nothing over 3 years old [Small 4 by 4]...........still entertaining........Harold

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

The 45-70 more than likely has a recoil pad. Theres a huge difference with brass buttplate vs rubber :D

RE: .50 Hawken load for teen..........
 

I cant give any better advice I just wanted to say good luck