.50 and .54 or consolidate on one caliber?

[ApprenticeBuilder]

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.

:thumbsup:

 

[nkbj]

John, .62 is purely awesome.
Mine is a 32" GM drop-in called The Rattler because of what it does to windows (in the house, not microsoft). That much metal cut out of a one inch barrel makes it feel just right.

 

[bangfxr]

I'd go with the .54 that is what I have in rifle, pistol and smooth bore. This way I only have to carry one size ball rolled into cartridges, one size flints, cleaning jags and ball puller (yes I've have to pull a couple :redface for one caliber.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I think the 54 came about from the dyslexics among us that could not spell 45, but I might be reading it backwards too.

 

[Jim Evans]

Why not just buy a .54 cal drop in barrel, they run around $200

 

[smrkdown]

Why not just buy a .54 cal drop in barrel, they run around $200

Wanted a GPR so mostly a question of which caliber in that rifle and the trade-offs of 2 calibers vs. 1.

Decided I'll get the .54 when I can get away with it without my wife kicking me out of the house.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Decided I'll get the .54 when I can get away with it without my wife kicking me out of the house.

You'll be the one with the gun. Why is she kicking YOU out? :rotf:

 

[Danny Ross]

If you don't tell her she'll never know. All muzzleloaders look alike to MOST women :grin: . Except the ones who come here :redface: . Honey it is the same gun I have been shooting. Now just DON"T let her see the two the two guns hanging out together :nono: or you will be in trouble. DANNY

 

[Critter Getter]

The best way to handle that is invite your wife to start shooting with you then your collection will grow easily. Pretty soon she will start hunting and the rest is history! I can speak from experience on this! :grin: Greg

 

[smrkdown]

If you don't tell her she'll never know. All muzzleloaders look alike to MOST women :grin: . Except the ones who come here :redface: . Honey it is the same gun I have been shooting. Now just DON"T let her see the two the two guns hanging out together :nono: or you will be in trouble. DANNY

I won't deny that I had considered this.

 

[Col. Batguano]

I won't deny that I had considered this.

Ah yes, the old "forgiveness route". The mainstay of husbands since Moses dropped the tablets.

 

[VTdeerhunter]

I agree with several other on here, it's not a matter of"need" the question is why in the world would you not want both?

 

[TerryK]

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.

I live and hunt in PA. They changed the regulations many years ago. Slugs, conicals and sabots are legal for the "primitive" post Christmas 3 week season. No inlines or percussion. In 2006 or so, they made peep sights legal.
I had a TC Renegade in 54 caliber for 30+ years because I wanted the heavier round ball. I personally think the 54 is the best caliber, and certainly better for round ball because it has a 25% weight advantage.

 

[satwel]

I have a .54 and two .50 flintlock rifles. I like both calibers, but if I had to choose only one, I'd choose the .54. I don't hunt, just punch paper targets. If there is any breeze, I like the stability of the .54, especially at 100 yards. FWIW, a very knowledgeable black powder gunsmith talked me into building the .54 when I told him I was planning a .50. He claimed that the .530 ball is one of the most efficient calibers. Something to do with the relationship between the diameter and weight of the ball. I didn't really understand his logic, but I have no reason to doubt him. He said the ballistic data can be found in Greener's book. I have a battered old copy. One of these days I'll look it up.

 

[Ridge]

I get bored too easily to stick with one caliber.

My muzzleloading experience started with a 45 and ran all the way up to a 62. Then promptly dropped back to a 25.

I will say that the 54 is my favorite whitetail caliber.

 

[Walks with fire]

I used .50's for years and still have some of them. The GM .50 flint 1/70 twist drop in and the 1/28 twist drop in will never leave my collection.

They are flat shooting and hard hitting barrels and all that is needed for the whitetail I hunt.

Lately I have been using some .54's and as far as ball shooting I like them a little more than a .50
I am in the process of making a 36" GM 1/70 twist .54 barrel drop in for my Lyman Deerstalker as my latest project. I do wish the twist was a little slower but it should do ok. My slow twist .50 is outstanding.

If I could only own one it would be a .54 slow twist. The .54 ball does have a bit more thump but then again I am a heavy charge shooter. My hunting loads are minimum 90 but I like 100 to 110 grains if the barrel will shoot it.

To make things quick and easy I keep all my .50 and .54 components in a different container. The usual stuff like short starter, pan charger, flint and the like stay in the bag all the time so I just switch out the small container in the bag and go.

 

[rdstrain49]

It is better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.