Traditional but with modern twist

[cmac]

I have a customer interested in getting a Hawken half stock percussion rifle built. He'd like a 54 caliber with maybe a 1-24" twist for modern powerbelts or something similar. Rifle will be used out in western states for elk and mule deer. Looking for the barrel

[Ky-Flinter]

Charlie Burton can make the barrel for you.  https://fcibarrels.tripod.com/

Ron

[Austin]

Stoner has some experience with this. Maybe he will chime in

[cmac]

Yes I believe he's looked into the game laws. Am I missing something?

[Bob Roller]

I have a customer interested in getting a Hawken half stock percussion rifle built. He'd like a 54 caliber with maybe a 1-24" twist for modern powerbelts or something similar. Rifle will be used out in western states for elk and mule deer. Looking for the barrel

What is a "powerbelt"? I have shot a lot of 54 caliber hollow base bullets over a 90 grains of 3fg and it is not a feeble load.
Is there an advantage to this modern gizmo or an idea to make a "magnum". A rifle styled like the 58 caliber Clark recently
seen here would be an easier build and better looking than any Hawken from any era.
Bob Roller

[Daryl]

A "Powerbelt" bullet is a jacketed bullet, that is bore size, with an attached plastic base for gas sealing.
They work "best" with phony powder that doesn't foul the bore(apparently).
The owner/originator of them was up for an archery moose hunt some time ago - we discussed them
and I had to "button up" & "bite my tongue".

[ScottH]

Powerbelts are not sabots, and they are legal in Colorado at this time.

If I was going this route I would have the barrel rifled with square bottom grooves and not as deep as a round ball barrel is typically rifled.
Any twist from 1 in 28" or faster should be plenty to stabilize any factory available projectiles in .54 caliber.

[Daryl]

A "Powerbelt" bullet is a jacketed bullet, that is bore size, with an attached plastic base for gas sealing.
They work "best" with phony powder that doesn't foul the bore(apparently).
The owner/originator of them was up for an archery moose hunt some time ago - we discussed them
and I had to "button up" & "bite my tongue".

Sabots are jacketed undersized bullets held in a plastic jacket/wad/sabot.

[Wingshot]

My own experience with the “green” .50 cal power belts proved that they’re some hard hitting projectiles. It’ll pick a whitetail up and throw it down.

[bob in the woods]

My own experience with the “green” .50 cal power belts proved that they’re some hard hitting projectiles. It’ll pick a whitetail up and throw it down.

Sounds like an ad in a hunting magazine !  Now I'll bite my tongue too 

[Bob Roller]

My favorite 54 caliber rifle was a Colt dated 1861.I bought it from Turner Kirkland and had Bill Large rebarrel it to 54 instead of 58.
With the 90 grain load and the flat point hollow base bullet it was more than adequate for any critters seen here in WVa.It had a 1 in56
twist and was very accurate and the rear sight came from the original barrel that was ruined when reamed smooth and probably was a
shotgun for a while.I remember I gave Turner $65 for it.The one Hawken representation I built was also 54 caliber with Bill's barrel and it needed no weird or miracal/magic projectiles to make it work.
Bob Roller
I just looked at the projectiles that came in while I was typing this and they look like the kind that were seen on the Starship "Enterprise"

[doulos]

Rice barrels makes fast twist barrels. Im not sure if they are just made for TC Renegade and Hawken Stocks though.

[Hungry Horse]

 I just gotta ask, I’ll probably get censured, but here it goes. What are you going to do with you fancy smancy rifle that only shoot one kind of bullet, when the company that makes the bullets go out of business?

Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

There are moulds available at this time, seems to me. I wouldn't even consider the plastic based jacketed bullet.  If I was going to make a slug gun, it
would shoot slugs. Lyman makes a .54 calibre slug mould for the percussion Sharps rifles. I used a die out of the loose die box to size them properly for
my 1850something Sharps cap-lock.

[flehto]

Hunted Colorado many years for elk ad deer and used a .54 w/ a PRB.....never lost a hit elk or deer. The reason for the PRB was a flatter trajectory......Fred

[Daryl]

I made a hollow-based mould for my .69, that was adjustable. It cast what looked like a Foster slug, smooth sided and was adjustable. It case from 560gr. up to 1,200gr.
I rolled them on a towel with a coarse wood rasp. That enlarged the sided to hold lube and to fit perfectly in the bore of my rifle. I fired 3 of the lighter ones, then decided
that the 482gr. round wall was more than enough for moose. 

[HSmithTX]

If the customer has money and wants a Hawken to shoot powerbelts and I was in the business of building rifles to sell I’d make him exactly what he wants to the best of my ability.  If he has the money for what I’d guess a full custom Hawken is going to cost, laying in a lifetime or more supply of those bullets most here are opposed to isn’t going to cost a lot to this guy.  I see the issue as one of being able to find a barrel twisted appropriately in less than a year.  Wish I could help with that. 

[Stoner creek]

I’m working on a Longrifle built with the traditional stock and mounts. The only difference is that it has a 42” 50 cal barrel with a 1-28” twist. With a small amount of range time I have it shooting 8 ring on the 100 yard target at 150 yards. I’m using a 390 grain bullet with a plastic sabot. My goal is to have it in the 8-9 ring on the same target at 200 yards. This is only an 8 lb gun. My next attempt at a bullet gun is going to involve a C profile 38” barrel with the same twist. A little extra weight and a shorter barrel should help with the performance.

[HighUintas]

I’m working on a Longrifle built with the traditional stock and mounts. The only difference is that it has a 42” 50 cal barrel with a 1-28” twist. With a small amount of range time I have it shooting 8 ring on the 100 yard target at 150 yards. I’m using a 390 grain bullet with a plastic sabot. My goal is to have it in the 8-9 ring on the same target at 200 yards. This is only an 8 lb gun. My next attempt at a bullet gun is going to involve a C profile 38” barrel with the same twist. A little extra weight and a shorter barrel should help with the performance.

That's an intriguing peep sight, Mr Stoner.

[oldtravler61]

  Stoner that is one cool looking sight. It really should do the trick.
  As far as running out of power belt ammo. I really don't see that happening. Especially in my neck of the woods with the popularity of them and those in line things.
  If I remember correctly  Beraga  (?) already makes said barrel. They are very capable of hitting out to 400 yards.  Traditional they are not...

[Stoner creek]

Randy Grunkemeier RG Gunsmithing did all of the sight work.
Charlie Burton made the barrel.

[wapiti22]

I had a 1:28  twist made for my Hawken by Bobby Hoyt. He did a fine job and didn't take very long.

[cmac]

I have a barrel on order from FCI. It's what the customer wants folks.

[HSmithTX]

Stoner Creek, that  'tang' sight is excellent, like the idea and love the execution.