Which bullets work best for 54 Renegade?

My LH 54 Renegade which is old style and had never been shot until about 3 yrs ago gave me fits on which projectiles to use. PRB shoots ok, but shoots 6 inches high at 50 yds and I have rear sight as low as possible.
I tried several of the bullets like leaded powerbelts and copper with neoprene tip powerbelts and they were "AWFUL" with 20 inch groups at 30 yds. I tried the T/C maxi-hunters 2 different sizes with same results and they all just fell down the barrel and I was afraid to lower barrel they went down so easy!!!!!
The 435 gr Buffalo bullet (without sabot) on other hand goes down easy, but with a little resistance to them.... and they are shooting lights out using 90 gr of Goex[url] BP....in[/url] the bullseye everytime with good bench rest at 50 yds. Sorry about long post, but wanted to tell all....LOL
Since I have always shot PRB in all my guns....I don't know much about the conicals or bullets. Yes, I forgot that I tried several brands of sabots along with the buffalo sabots and they had the 20 inch groups as well and I want to "hock as much lead as possible" at these Idaho Elk and don't like idea of taking up room in my barrel with plastic anyway.
I haven't tried the smaller grain buffalo bullets (without sabots) yet...I have a new box of the buffalo "ball-ettes" that are 310 grains and will try them too and see if they shoot as well. Has anyone tried these in 54 Renegade? Should they go down real easy in barrel????? For some reason that bothers me when they load that easy.....thanks all!
Jim in Idaho

My 54 renegade likes only 430 gr.T/C maxi-ball. I have tried PRB and it would take a deer at 65 yds. but that's about it. But some barrels shoot PRB'S BETTER THAN maxi? This is the reason I like this sport, you have to shoot the gun and find out what it likes not just throw a brass case in the chamber and shoot. Good luck. :thumbsup:
Plus it loads very easy with the MAXI-BALL.
I can shoot several times without running a patch down the barrel.

Lee REALs usually work very well in TC barrels.

Jim Bob said:

PRB shoots ok, but shoots 6 inches high at 50 yds and I have rear sight as low as possible.

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Don't know how your shooting your rifle when you get those RB results, but every TC .54cal barrel I've tried shoots .530's very well.

If you're certain it's not printing high due to resting it on a hard surface or something, and are certain your shooting form/style is not causing it, you could send the barrel back to TC for them to test / realign (bend) / replace as necessary, no charge under lifetime warranty.
Attn: Service Manager Tim Pancurak

Roundball,
I have been shooting .535 RB Hornady. It seems like I tried .530 when I first got it, but have learned a lot since and am using .018 lubed pillow ticking for patches now.
I have 100 .530 RBs on order from Midsouth right now and will give them a try. This barrel seems loose to me, as most everything wants to go down real easy compared to my other GPR barrels in same caliber. I will give T/C a call as I was thinking that anyway. Thanks again....Jim

Mine likes 430 maxi's also.

250 grain cleaning jags too :redface:

Mine has even shot a bullseye with the ramrod.

JimBob,

The last time I hunted with a .54 caliber Renegade was when Pennsylvania allowed PRBs only for Muzzleloader hunting, but it worked beautifully with both .530s and .535s depending on the patch.

My brother is still using that gun (it was my dad's when I used it.) and he has killed more deer than I can remember with Maxi-Balls.

I am wondering if my bore is bigger for some reason on my 54 Renegade? I tried all the T/C Maxi-balls and Maxi-hunters and they practically fall down the barrel, even after shooting several and no accuracy at all. The only bullet I can get to half way act like it won't fall out is the 435 gr buffalo bullet and it shoots it very well. It still goes down almost too easy though. I am calling T/C today and ask them about it. Maybe I will be smarter tomorrow....lol
Jim In Idaho

Jim Bob said:

I am wondering if my bore is bigger for some reason on my 54 Renegade? I tried all the T/C Maxi-balls and Maxi-hunters and they practically fall down the barrel, even after shooting several and no accuracy at all. The only bullet I can get to half way act like it won't fall out is the 435 gr buffalo bullet and it shoots it very well. It still goes down almost too easy though. I am calling T/C today and ask them about it. Maybe I will be smarter tomorrow....lol
Jim In Idaho

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Maxi's are pretty much like that in all TC's barrels...once you punch it into the muzzle, the ends of the rifling cut through the bands around the conical (as they should) and then there's not a lot to hold it in place.

In fact, when walking/carrying a rifle loaded with a maxi, it's usually recommended that an occasional check be made with the ram rod to ensure the maxi is still seated snug on the powder.

It's also a reason why it's often recommended that only a short starter be usd to start a maxi with one quick sharp blow to the starter...they make a quick clean cut through the rifling.

If a short starter is skipped, and someone tries to manhandle starting the maxi with just the end of their ramrod, a little "wallowing" around can occur before all the bands are cut through by the rifling, which opens up the width of the cuts some, and the conical will be even more loose in the rifling...compared to being cleanly, tightly punched in with a short starter.

And FWIW, IMO, a stout powder charge, with an Oxyoke wad, then a tightly patched Hornady .530 will take all but the largest game in our country to 100yds...cheaper, faster, flatter, and sure won't move in your bore.
:v

my 54 renegade is a tack driver with the 400 grain remington bullets, look like buffalo bullets, with 100 grains of FFG clean shot. For PRB I use 80 grains of FFG clean shot hornady 53 balls and a TC Patch. Have fun, Maybe someone punched out that gun to a 56 cal smooth bore have fun eh...

In response to Roundball's post:

I have always used PRB application and just tried the bullets lately and just don't like how damn easy they fall into barrel after starting them. Your point about striking the starter stick sharply to seat the maxi quickly so to not damage the cuts makes sense.

One thing I have never used is the wads under the patched ball. How do you seat the wad and make sure it is straight across the powder? I might try them as I see quite a few like them and I see you (Roundball) use them in your posts.
Jim in Idaho

Recently tried .54 caliber power belt aero tips over a felt wad and 80 grains of Swiss 2-F in my old TC renegade 1:48 twist,,, it shoots lights out at 60 yards. Easy to load bullet stays put, going to back off to 75 -80 yards over the holiday weekend. Keep you posted. These cloverleaf at 60 much better results than my cast Lee’s. Trick like others have said don’t push them too hard.