.50 or .54 for deer?

[barebackjack]

What are your honest opinions on caliber for deer. Ive heard people singing the praise of the flatter shooting 50's, and the knockdown power of the .54's, what do you all shoot?

Is the .54 overkill for deer size game out to 100-125 yards?

Is the .50 undergunned for 100-125 deer kills?

All with a PRB.

Thanks

Boone

 

[gmww]

I think everyone has their own personal self imposed limitations. For me 100 yards is about as far as I want to take a shot at a deer. Either calib. would be fine. I like the smaller calibers including .45. However, I've been in situations where I've see some huge animals and thought, "Darn it, wish I had brought the .54!"

 

[Rebel]

I have used both and they will both work well on deer. That said, i would choose the .54 as you can never have too much gun, and it will work better for larger game like elk.

 

[roundball]

What are your honest opinions on caliber for deer.

IMO, if you can only get one, get the .54cal;

Is the .54 overkill for deer size game out to 100-125 yards?

IMO, I wouldn't say it's overkill at all...and in fact I'd even want to be very sure about a 125yd shot with it.

Is the .50 undergunned for 100-125 deer kills?

IMO, 125yds is getting on out there for a .50cal...I'd only take it under the most ideal conditions of a rock solid rest, maximum load, relaxed standing broadside deer, and had practiced enough to know I could hit the heart at that distance.

I believe in max RB loads for deer hunting and FWIW my idea of "practical" limits for the 4 calibers I use are:
.45cal=75yds
.50cal=100yds
.54cal/.58cal=125yds

Having said all that, hunting in thick Eastern woods like I do, 9 out of 10 deer I take are 25-50yds, with the longest being 70yds down an old logger's road...it was a .54cal and a complete broadside passthrough.

Even if it stops inside a deer at 125yds, as long as it hit the heart, it would do the job...BUT...the challenge we all face is being able to "consistently" hit a grapefruit at long distances under hunting conditions.

:grin:

 

I have killed all that I have shot with a 50 cal. I don't intend to at game shoot at 100 yds. if at all possible.

Garryowen

 

[Slake]

I've taken two whitetail deer with a 50 cal it was easy. If I was buying one new I might opt for a 54. My muzzleloaders have all come to me used, and they were all 50's until recently. Go compare a 54 ball to a 50. 50 stuff is a wee bit more common but 54 certainly is not odd

 

[roo shooter]

I would choose the .54 there is no disadvantage in using the larger caliber.

 

[Slake]

I should have added that both of my deer were under 100 yard shots. I don't think that makes a huge difference though when considering 50 vs 54. It's more your patterns of practice and loads. I use 100 grains when I hunt and I practice with it quite a bit. I would make a 100 yard shot with little hesitation if all was right. I had a 54 for a little while and I didn't see a huge difference.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

I shoot the 54cal roundball. I would not go over 100yds with any roundball (maybe 125 with the 58cal). A 54cal is what I am going to use for small antelope. 54cal is not everkill. I dont even think a 58cal would be overkill. Just go with the 54cal and you won't ever regret it.

 

[playfarmers]

I have taken many Whitetails ranging up to 210 lbs dressed weight with my .50 cal Lyman Deerstaker. Most were under 50 yards, but 2 of them were at or just over the 100 yards. That is about as far as I want to shoot with open sights. The .54 has more power, but I can think of no place I needed that extra power.

 

[Slake]

I agree. What's overkill any way? You're not gonna find it in muzzleloaders. Maybe a grenade. I'm intrigued with 58's but you're not gonna find 58 stuff at most gun stores. I think it's pretty amazing when you put a 45,50 and 54 on the desk before you and look at the size differences

 

[Stumpkiller]

What are your honest opinions on caliber for deer. Ive heard people singing the praise of the flatter shooting 50's, and the knockdown power of the .54's, what do you all shoot?

Is the .54 overkill for deer size game out to 100-125 yards?

Is the .50 undergunned for 100-125 deer kills?

All with a PRB.

Thanks

Boone

The .54 is not overkill on a 200 pound deer at any range, IMHO. A .50 is flatter shooting? Never noticed that. :grin: With black powder, add more and the muzzle velocity will be about the same for a .50 as it is a .54: 1,800 to 1,900 fps. If you're worrying about drop you're probably out of the range of a round ball. I've never taken a round ball past 100 yards for whitetail. 125 with a conical on a bedded buck once (took about 15 minutes getting set with a solid rest for that one). I sight 2" high at 50 yards and hold center chest on deer out to 100. Well, I do aim lower center up close. :winking:

Much as I hate to suggest it, if you need 125 yards regularly you might need something other than a round ball.

 

[jimeckersley]

What are your honest opinions on caliber for deer. I've heard people singing the praise of the flatter shooting 50's, and the knockdown power of the .54's, what do you all shoot?

First, I'm not sure who said that a 50 was "flatter shooting." But, respectfully speaking, that isn't true. The ballistic coeficient increases as ball size increases. Given equal velocity, the larger the ball the flatter it will shoot. A 54 shoots flatter than a 50, a 58 shoots flatter than a 54 and so on, given equal muzzle velocity.

My advice is to use the largest caliber you can comfortably practice a lot with. I'm not sure there is such a thing as "over kill" unless you mean your shoulder.

That being said, look up a recent post by another forum member, OUTHERN, in the post .50 cal for elk ... interesting information from an experienced hunter.

 

[roundball]

Much as I hate to suggest it, if you need 125 yards regularly you might need something other than a round ball.

Or at least consider a larger .58cal/279grn ball to carry energy further

 

[nchawkeye]

A .50 won't do nothing a .54 won't do.

 

[roundball]

A .50 won't do nothing a .54 won't do.

What?

 

[Rebel]

I think he might have meant a .50 won't do anything a .54 won't do as well or better.

 

[barebackjack]

Thanks guys.

Im not saying I would regularly shoot 100-125 yards (the fun of the hunt for me is getting uber close), but I hunt FLAAAAAAAT OPEEEEEEEEN country. CRP, cattail sloughs, and one or two row tree belts, so the opportunity to get within 50 yards isnt always there. I would only attempt a shot outside the "accepted" range if the conditions were p-e-r-f-e-c-t! Deer unalarmed, solid rest, lots of time, etc etc.
Thanks for the input, there are always two sides to every issue, but most here seem to lean towards a .54.

Thanks again

Boone

 

[AZ-Robert]

What are your honest opinions on caliber for deer. Ive heard people singing the praise of the flatter shooting 50's, and the knockdown power of the .54's, what do you all shoot?

Went through the same decision making you are now... decided on the .54. Boils down to personal preference for most folks, with lots of things to consider. As just one example, I can find a whole rack of accessories for .50 at the local WalMart. Ask about .54 and they act like they don't know such things exist.

But if you want to look at trajectories and "knock down power" (energy left when the ball gets to range), play around with this thing.
[url] http://www.norma.cc/htm_files/javapagee.htm[/url]

On the bottom of the buttons on the left, click on "Define your own bullet" then use these inputs based on a PRB in a 32" barrel with 1 in 60" twist, and sights "zeroed" for 80 yards....

50 cal (.490 ball):
ballistic coefficient: 0.068
weight: 177 grains

54 cal (.535 ball)
ballistic coefficient: 0.075
weight: 230 grains

Then use your mouse and left click to grab the slider at the bottom to move the muzzle velocity back and forth to suit; and to move that vertical red range line back and forth to set the range to your target.

Let's say I'm shooting the .50 with 80 grains of 3F.... should get a muzzle velocity of about 1740 fps and this gizmo shows me a bullet drop at 100 yards of 1.9" and 431 foot/lbs of energy left in the ball when it gets there.

And a .54 with 90 grains of 3F should get me about 1475 fps at the muzzle, and a bullet drop of 1.8" at 100 yards, with 599 foot/lbs of energy left in the ball.

But, respectfully speaking, that isn't true. The ballistic coeficient increases as ball size increases. Given equal velocity, the larger the ball the flatter it will shoot.

What he said :thumbsup: but the difference at BP velocities is pretty small.



*muzzle velocities taken from Lyman's Black Powder Loading Manual

 

[barebackjack]

Thats a great site!!

Thanks