First off, started working with the 50 cal T/C Hawken flinter that I had the barrel bored out, sleeved and re-rifled with a 1:28 twist. I knew it was fairly well sighted in so I set the target up at 50 yds. I first shot at the center orange dot using 80 gr of FFg and 300 gr SW with black CR sabot. Not too awful bad for open sights. Next, 3 shots at the bottom target with 80 gr of FFFg. Again not too bad. Now let's see what happens with 90 gr of FFFg. Well it got a little worse. Ok, back to the orange dot with 80 gr of FFFg and this time with .429" 300 gr XTP and green CR sabot. Now we're talking. Much better. Next time out, some more experimenting with the XTPs.

OK, next up - my $80 45 cal T/C hawken. Set the target up at 25 yds. 6O'clock hold. All groups shot with70 gr of FFFg. First the PRB with pillow tick patch. Very snug but not overly tight once short started. Then the 45 cal 255 gr MaxiHunters, followed by home cast 230 gr Maxiballs. All 3 of these showed promise. But then again we're only talking 25 yds. So my hopes weren't too high yet. Even though 2 of the MaxiHunters went into the same hole at 25 yds I elected not to shoot them at 50 yds. At 50, I first shot the PRBs. Well that sucked. About a 4" groups. I thought they would do much better than that! Next the 230 gr Maxiballs. With the 6 O'clock hold the first bullet hit just above the bottom of the dot, second just a bit left of it and the third right into the second hole. Whew, I was impressed. I believe that was the best $80 I spent in a while.

Looking pretty good Bronko. Flinters is fun! Those .429 XTPs really look to have promise. You should also try some .429/270 grain Speers. Those suckers really shot well out of my (now someone elses) Remington.

Heck, my wife and I took my daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters out to lunch today and spent way more than that. An I guarantee you that gun is going to last a lot longer.

Semi, I have some 300 gr .451" Sierras that shot well out of one of my other 50 cals. So I may take both out next time and see what works best. Maybe I will push out to 75 yds to get a better idea. 100 yds is getting to be a bit much for the old eyes and iron sights. Maybe I can get some 6" orange dots to shoot at. I should be able to see them at 100 and draw a decent bead on it.

Bronko, have you ever used those Sierras on game?

The reason I ask is several years ago I tried them in my Lyman Mustang and they shot real well. I then had an exchange of e-mails with a technician at Sierra about using them in muzzleloaders. His opinion was that they are very tough bullets and suggested that they would be great if you hit bone, but could not rely on them to expand on soft tissue.

Well pardner, expansion ain't needed when ya shoot em in the eye, offhand, 100 yds, in a stiff cross wind wislt a skeeter is bitin ya on the nose.
But no I ain't never tried them on game. But it would seem to me that they should expand. After all they are a pistol bullet and the velocities are relatively the same.

That's kinda the was I saw it too, and really wondered if that guy knew what he was talking about. But he clearly wrote "you'd better hit bone because it will not expand if you don't". That't the trouble with e-mail about stuff like that vs. verbal conversation. With e-mails you can't get a feel for the individual you're dealing with.

nice looking job there. It looks like you have a real good shooter.