Help with powder

[Twinks46975]

I received a Hawkins .50 muzzleloader when my father passed away. I don’t remember the type of powder it takes.
It’s an older style that takes a percussion cap and has round lead balls. If I recall the powder came in a metal can with a screw on lid.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[Nevernoluck2]

Go to bass and bucks, get FF powder or a suitable supplement, if you can't find what you're after still, take the gun with you and try will set you up, I have caps for it and am rather close to you

 

[Nazgul]

Black powder only!! No smokeless, if that is your question.
Black powder is a little difficult to find right now, you can find Triple 7, or Pyrodex.

Use the Rifle-Shotgun grade. Percussion caps are hard to find as well but they are available.
Probably 50 cal, so a .490" ball and a patch around .015"-.018". Walmart or JoAnn fabrics has pillow ticking. Be sure and lube the patch with a vegetable or animal oil. Crisco works to try it out. You can try different luibes until you find one you like.

Hope this isn't too basic, my apologies if I assume you didn't know this. There is a learning curve with muzzle loaders but they are a hoot when you get going.

Don

 

[MrSmitty]

Back when I had a flintlock, I used 3f for the pan, and 2f for the load……

 

[Mgderf]

I received a Hawkins .50 muzzleloader when my father passed away. I don’t remember the type of powder it takes.
It’s an older style that takes a percussion cap and has round lead balls. If I recall the powder came in a metal can with a screw on lid.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?

We need pictures.

 

[Twinks46975]

Go to bass and bucks, get FF powder or a suitable supplement, if you can't find what you're after still, take the gun with you and try will set you up, I have caps for it and am rather close to you

I appreciate the help

 

[Twinks46975]

Black powder only!! No smokeless, if that is your question.
Black powder is a little difficult to find right now, you can find Triple 7, or Pyrodex.

Use the Rifle-Shotgun grade. Percussion caps are hard to find as well but they are available.
Probably 50 cal, so a .490" ball and a patch around .015"-.018". Walmart or JoAnn fabrics has pillow ticking. Be sure and lube the patch with a vegetable or animal oil. Crisco works to try it out. You can try different luibes until you find one you like.

Hope this isn't too basic, my apologies if I assume you didn't know this. There is a learning curve with muzzle loaders but they are a hoot when you get going.

Don

It is .50 cal. I have a dozen balls and looks like a hundred patches. If I recall the caps used to be in a small metal can smaller than a Skoal chewing tobacco can. Just can’t remember the number that was on it.

 

[warren5421]

Goex was the go to brand but they stopped making it, new owners are to come back this year. Swiss is a real good brand you might find. Can order on line-FFg is recommended for .50 Cal but you can use FFFg also. The nipple should be a No. 11 but could be a number 10. Start with 50 gr by volume of powder then move up or down by 1-2 gr to find the best load.

ordering on line you will pay a hazmat fee, think around $20 for 1can to 20 cans.

 

[Twinks46975]

Goex was the go to brand but they stopped making it, new owners are to come back this year. Swiss is a real good brand you might find. Can order on line-FFg is recommended for .50 Cal but you can use FFFg also. The nipple should be a No. 11 but could be a number 10. Start with 50 gr by volume of powder then move up or down by 1-2 gr to find the best load.

ordering on line you will pay a hazmat fee, think around $20 for 1can to 20 cans.

Thank you. I’ll post a picture after work tonight.

 

[Twinks46975]

Goex was the go to brand but they stopped making it, new owners are to come back this year. Swiss is a real good brand you might find. Can order on line-FFg is recommended for .50 Cal but you can use FFFg also. The nipple should be a No. 11 but could be a number 10. Start with 50 gr by volume of powder then move up or down by 1-2 gr to find the best load.

ordering on line you will pay a hazmat fee, think around $20 for 1can to 20 cans.

Thank you for the information! I wish I could remember the information. This was enough to make a good online search.

 

[Twinks46975]

Thank you for the information! I wish I could remember the information. This was enough to make a good online search.

 

[Twinks46975]

Thank you for the information! I wish I could remember the information. This was enough to make a good online search.

I was able to locate this. It says FFFG EQUIVALENT. Does this look correct to you?

 

[Twinks46975]

Goex was the go to brand but they stopped making it, new owners are to come back this year. Swiss is a real good brand you might find. Can order on line-FFg is recommended for .50 Cal but you can use FFFg also. The nipple should be a No. 11 but could be a number 10. Start with 50 gr by volume of powder then move up or down by 1-2 gr to find the best load.

ordering on line you will pay a hazmat fee, think around $20 for 1can to 20 cans.

I found these. One says FFFG EQUIVALENT, I found what you originally said. It’s RS, FFG equivalent. I’m going to grab the RS, FFG.

 

[Twinks46975]

Black powder only!! No smokeless, if that is your question.
Black powder is a little difficult to find right now, you can find Triple 7, or Pyrodex.

Use the Rifle-Shotgun grade. Percussion caps are hard to find as well but they are available.
Probably 50 cal, so a .490" ball and a patch around .015"-.018". Walmart or JoAnn fabrics has pillow ticking. Be sure and lube the patch with a vegetable or animal oil. Crisco works to try it out. You can try different luibes until you find one you like.

Hope this isn't too basic, my apologies if I assume you didn't know this. There is a learning curve with muzzle loaders but they are a hoot when you get going.

Don

I found RS, FFG equivalent. It says NOT smokeless powder on the side. I think this is right?

 

[Max Volume]

I have the same rifle for 30 years. It has taken deer, coyote and even a squirrel and here's what I have found. First make sure to clean it. I take the barrel off and submerge the breech end in HOT water then run a .50 cleaning jag up and down the barrel with a patch. The suction will draw water all the way up so hold the barrel with a rag unless you don't care about water all over the place. The reason for hot water is it dries quickly to avoid rust. You can also use a black powder bore solvent but I like the hot water method. Get either some two F powder or a BLACK POWDER substitute of which I've used Pyrodex RS. I use 90 grains by volume so a black powder measure is needed. Some #11 caps, a .490 ball and I have used a .15 patch. It takes some pressure to push down the barrel so be careful if you have a wooden ramrod. I have not tried a .10 patch which would be easier to load simply because the aforementioned is very accurate.

 

[Twinks46975]

Goex was the go to brand but they stopped making it, new owners are to come back this year. Swiss is a real good brand you might find. Can order on line-FFg is recommended for .50 Cal but you can use FFFg also. The nipple should be a No. 11 but could be a number 10. Start with 50 gr by volume of powder then move up or down by 1-2 gr to find the best load.

ordering on line you will pay a hazmat fee, think around $20 for 1can to 20 cans.

Sorry to bother you again, the gentleman here just got me this, he said it would be much cleaner. I’m for sure getting the triple seven.
I’m having a little trouble navigating the site, be excuse me if I’m not replying on the correct post.

 

[Max Volume]

Triple Seven will work also as would American Pioneer powder, Blackhorn 209 (expensive).

 

[Twinks46975]

I have the same rifle for 30 years. It has taken deer, coyote and even a squirrel and here's what I have found. First make sure to clean it. I take the barrel off and submerge the breech end in HOT water then run a .50 cleaning jag up and down the barrel with a patch. The suction will draw water all the way up so hold the barrel with a rag unless you don't care about water all over the place. The reason for hot water is it dries quickly to avoid rust. You can also use a black powder bore solvent but I like the hot water method. Get either some two F powder or a BLACK POWDER substitute of which I've used Pyrodex RS. I use 90 grains by volume so a black powder measure is needed. Some #11 caps, a .490 ball and I have used a .15 patch. It takes some pressure to push down the barrel so be careful if you have a wooden ramrod. I have not tried a .10 patch which would be easier to load simply because the aforementioned is very accurate.

Thank you, I remember my dad using the hot water method now that you said that. He cleaned the this Hawkins like that and he had (2) cap and ball muzzle loader pistols he cleaned like that. I found powder today, im looking for caps still.

 

[Max Volume]

These will all work though some may be more dirty. Can't tell by the pic but the Goex is FF. Some use FFF or Pyrodex P which is a finer granule powder though I never tried and believe you may need to reduce the charge a bit with that. Forgot to mention you will probably need to swab the bore after every couple of shots or it may be too difficult to load. I never use solvent meant for smokeless powder but water, black powder bore solvent or Ballistol. Spit will work too even for a patch if you are shooting it right away. Don't forget to lube the patch or get pre lubed patches. Bore butter, lard or any number of things work as patch lube but spit will dry up before you shoot if you are hunting.

 

[Max Volume]

There's a meet 'n shoot at Winamac coming up if ya can make it there for moral support. Brian's surplus may have #11 caps and is located in Greentown.