CVA Hawkins Question

Nuno

Nuno

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Calgary, Alberta
I recently picked up a CVA Hawkins 50 cal.
I am new to black powder and have a couple questions:
What type of bullet would be recommended for hunting?
What is the maximum load for this rifle?
Does anyone have any favorite load combinations they would like to share.

Thanks for looking
 
I used to have a CVA Hawken. I shot .490 round ball with a .015 patch over 50 grns of FFFG. I could hit a 6" gong at 50 yds any time I wanted. I don't know what the max load would be but that load will shoot a round ball through a 8" pine block at 50 yds. For hunting you might want to try a Maxi-bullet. They hit harder and are easier to load but more expensive. Either a RB or Maxi and 50 grns of FFFG will kill whatever you want to kill.
 
I would try to work up a load using a .490 round ball and real black powder or Pyrodex Rs. Try using 15-18 th pillow ticking patches, and the lube of your choice, try Hopps #9+. Most of the traditional style rifles I have had anything to with, get good hunting accuaracy with 70-80g of powder. Good luck and make smoke.
 
Average Range

What range are your shots going to be? A patched roudball is as effective as anything else up to 50 yards. I am not sure what the rate of twist is in your rifle but I suppose it is 1:48 which is a compromise twist.I have found that for round ball this rate of twist will give fine accuracy but you have to find the particular load it likes. This means ball diameter: .490 or .495, patch thickness, usually .015 for the .490 ball and .015 for the .495 and then the powder load. A good place to start is 50 grains of black powder or pyrodex RS and then work your way up. The 1:48 is fine for hunting as it will allow you to shoot both round ball and conical type projectiles. My advice is to try both tyes at your range and then practice shooting offhand as much as you can with your projectile load of choice.

Steve.
 
For saftey sake dont.Accuracy is usually best at 3/4 throttle anyways and people are gaining only 100fps for every 10 grain increase in their loads.The recoil is not very nice with a brass or steel butplate as well.Minimum ball load/plinker is 50gr of FFG to a MAX of 110gr.With conicals 80-100gr of FFG TC maxi-ball.No more in a sidehammer.Dead is dead.Try and find real blackpowder if you can as the 777 had a nasty habit of giving hangfires.Not pleasant in my .54 let me tell you.............................Harold
 
I'll be using Goex FFFG in mine. For projectile I will be trying Lee rb cast and Lee Improved Minie. I tried both at 50 yards with 70grs/vol. an was quite happy thus far. My hands froze up so I was forced to quit for the day.
The Imp. Minie hits the plywood backstop with a "WACK" and the rb with a "thud". More range time will offer better results and if I find a good load I'll pass it on. Until then,
Good Luck,
 
Yes but see'in I have a .54 as well FFG works in the .50 just fine and I only need one powder.Sure makes deer sick.........................Harold
 
My son had the St Louis Hawken, and found his best target load to be 55grs of FFFg and .015" patch , gave him a flat trjectory out to 75yds, and he bumped it up to 70 grs, for out to 100yds +
One thing to check is the sear engagement screw? it's a 1 mm screw,located just above the tumbler, good idea to loctite it, they have a tendency to back off. Very hard to find replacements.
Cheers nessy.
 
For scrubbing your bore every 3-6 shots mix 50/50 rubbing alcohol and windsheild washer fluid in an empty 2 liter plastic pop bottle.Lasts forever !Walmart...................................Harold
 
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