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I have a thompson/center hawken thats 50cal.I shoot 80gr.pyrodex to 90gr. with a 350gr.thompson/center maxi bullet with the lube in the groves.Is this a resonable powder charge and how high of a powder charge can i go?I shot one 6point buck with it at 40 yards,perfect behind the shoulder hit,and the buck ran for 125 yards like nothing ever happened?Is this normal?I got total penetration but sure had to track & drag a long ways up a mountain......How much powder do you guys load for 50caliber?

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The conicals are not going to greatly increase your killing power on deer sized animals. I have seen deer run this far or farther lung shot with a 7mm mag. Sometimes they don't know they are dead.
In your case the superior velocity of the RB using 90 grains or so of powder may have actually worked better. While this may sound like heresy to some, the 50-54 RB is much better hunting projectile than most modern gun writers will admit out to 100-120 yards.
I have killed a number of deer sized animals to 140 or so yards with a 50 with a 490 rb and 90 gr of FFFG and most only traveled about 40 yards, some less, some farther.
54 works better as would be expected.

Dan

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