.50 and .54 or consolidate on one caliber?

[BrownBear]

Gotta watch out for the curiosity bug! That sucker bites you, and after a while you'll have more calibers than sense. :grin:

I have no ambition to keep things simple by owning only one or two. Heck, that's like owning only one book. Life is simple enough on hunts because I only take one. At home, I like to shoot and I like to dink around making stuff, so I have a whole lot more fun with lots of guns. Never spent much money on any of them comparatively speaking, but picking up one every year or two and never selling any, I've ended up with quite a stack. Of course, it helps that my wife enjoys shooting too and picks and chooses her own.

I say add the caliber and learn that one too. Then add another down the road when your budget allows. It sure keeps you fired up to have more than one or two to chose from. :thumbsup:

 

[Henry2357]

54 cal is my choice for the field, but I still will not limit myself due to the fact I may have to spend another 30 bucks, if that (supplies) to have a another cal. My new flintlock will be 45 cal.

Although, I did have to buy another possibles bag, horn, primer flask, period clothes for the flinter.... oh dagnabbit, I may not be helping here. :surrender:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I own 3 .54's, two 50's, a .45, a .40, three 20 gauges, a 16 gauge, and two 11 gauges. My most recent purchase was .54, and I use them and the 20 gauges the most for hunting.

There is some argument in favor of one caliber and gauge..., my best hunting buddy has .54 rifles, 28 gauge fusils, .54 pistols, and even a Traditions Blunderbuss (it's also .54) too. He finds it very easy to maintain ammunition for all of his guns and rifles...., and he bought the blunderbuss simply because it was in .54.
:idunno:

On the other hand as folks have mentioned..., variety is fun too.


LD

 

[Elkeater]

I am a simple man; 4 54 rifles, 1 54 flint pistol

 

[Semisane]

I too am a simple man. I simply have guns in .32, .40, .45, .50, .54 and .58 calibers. I keep it simple by avoiding .38's and 62's.

 

[Elkeater]

So, here's the question... Do you feel it's worth having both .50 and .54, or do you prefer to keep it simple and consolidate on one caliber?

The 50 is not worthy of consolidation. The 54 is.

 

[bender20]

I see your in pa. In pa it doesn't really make sense to own a .50 in my opinion. With the way the regs are set up your better off with a .54.. This assumes a patched round ball and not conicals.

 

[Scota4570]

Depending on where you are located, lead may be an issue for hunting. OR, already is an issue. IF you are thinking you may ever need to shoot ITX balls, then 54 or even 62. They make both sizes. They also make 50 but I would not hunt big game with the ITX in 50, ...low weight and no expansion.

I'm a 45 and a 54 guy. Anythign from now on will likely be one of those. 45 for targets and 54 to hunt. 50 just unecessarily splits the difference.

 

[hanshi]

Keep the .54 and lose the .50. I like the .50 a lot and have one but I like the .45 even more; in fact, the .45 is my favorite for both target and deer. A .54 and a .45 make a good pair. Of course other calibers will come along, just the nature of things. I have a .32, .36, .40, two .45s, .50, .54 and a .62 smoothbore.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I'll take a different slant on this.

What is more important to you, overall gun weight (be it light or heavy) or barrel stiffness. A 50 in a B-weight is going to be the lightest barrel in that barrel profile, while in a 54 you'll need to go up to a C-weight. Since they also make a C-weight in a 58 cal, that means you'll have thicker barrel walls, and thus, a stiffer barrel. Generally speaking, stiffer barrels are more accurate than whippier ones, but they are generally heavier too.

 

[smrkdown]

Gotta watch out for the curiosity bug! That sucker bites you, and after a while you'll have more calibers than sense. :grin:

I have no ambition to keep things simple by owning only one or two. Heck, that's like owning only one book. Life is simple enough on hunts because I only take one. At home, I like to shoot and I like to dink around making stuff, so I have a whole lot more fun with lots of guns. Never spent much money on any of them comparatively speaking, but picking up one every year or two and never selling any, I've ended up with quite a stack. Of course, it helps that my wife enjoys shooting too and picks and chooses her own.

You've hit on the other issue. I've hit my quota of gun stuff this year, and my wife would likely shoot me if I buy either. So, I guess they'll have to wait, but MidSouth has a good price on a .54 flinter, and it's in stock... calling my name.

I say add the caliber and learn that one too. Then add another down the road when your budget allows. It sure keeps you fired up to have more than one or two to chose from. :thumbsup:

 

[smrkdown]

I see your in pa. In pa it doesn't really make sense to own a .50 in my opinion. With the way the regs are set up your better off with a .54.. This assumes a patched round ball and not conicals.

AIUI, PA no longer has a roundball requirement for traditional muzzleloader season? In any case, I do plan to use PRB.

 

[bpd303]

To me having only one or two calibers is like going fly fishing with only one or two flies. :grin: :stir:

 

[PA16th]

I started with a .50 cal flint lock ,after some time I bought a .45 cal flintlock which I enjoy shooting at the range but I hunt with the .50 Some day I plan to buy a .54

My point is that you can not have a favorite till you try several calibers.

A GPR in .54 is a great choice for a second rifle and of course you need it. :grin:

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I have no ambition to keep things simple by owning only one or two

this is the kind of twisted thinking that drove me to start building, the options are truly limitless.

 

[Col. Batguano]

What, no votes for the eminently capable, but as yet unsung 52 caliber? :idunno:

 

[Danny Ross]

If I didn't already already have a 50cal lefty flinter I would take it off of your hands since all my ARE left handed. On the other hand I JUST DON"T understand why you don't just drill a hole in the other side of the barrel and shoot on that right handed rifle :stir: :rotf:

 

[uno676]

I love my .54 investarms killed several muleys they always dropped in their tracks. Used both prb and tc maxi hunters liked both.

 

[Gene L]

Consensus seems to be to get the .54.

Only real qualm was having to have two sets of accessories, but I guess I'll get over that.

I wouldn't do it myself, because I think a .50 will do anything you need done unless you hunt moose, and will probably do that as well. I don't own a .54 rifle and never will. I like the versatility of having one main caliber and a .50 will do just fine.

But that's just me. I like simplification and buying equipment for as few calibers as I can get by with. Do what you want, but don't fool yourself that a .50 isn't capable of taking big game. Or a .45, for that matter.

 

[kodiakmarine]

I used to have a Lyman GPR in.54 and I wish I still had it. It is fun to shoot, great on deer and larger game, and is also good for reenacting, if that is a consideration. I now have two .50 rifles, one flint and one percussion, and a 12 gauge double fowler. If I were to have only one gun, it would be a .45 caliber. As Hanshi has said, .45 is very useful and is probably all the power most hunters will ever need.

Having said all that, I am planning on adding both .45 and .54, and perhaps even a .62 and maybe a .32. People are right about variety being fun! Good luck. - John