.50 or .54

[ekacpuc]

So I'm finishing up on my investarm .50 hawken.

I'm already sorta dreaming about a 32" 1 in 70" barrel instead of the 1 in 48" 29" long barrel I have. Thinking about .54 cal instead.. I wanna shoot roundballs and the heavy bullet seems to have an edge. Not interested in the maxiballs but I will shoot one to see what happens.

I wanna do a lyman great plains pistol kit next (not ready for harder ones yet). I'm trying to deciede on the .50 or .54 cal. I'd like them to be the same so I could use the same round balls..


Is there much of a difference from shooting the .50 and .54 RB in my hawkens

What would be the difference in the pistol? I you tubed it and it didn't seem to kick much (the big one).


Any thoughts?

Greg

 

[necchi]

All I can tell ya is I love the .54

Gave up the .50 years back and no regets. Oh I still have some 50's for olde times sake, but that 54 sure is sweet.

 

[ekacpuc]

I put this in the wrong forum... Still knew.. Sorry..

 

[BrownBear]

Is there much of a difference from shooting the .50 and .54 RB in my hawkens

I have GPRs in both 50 and 54 caliber, and there really isn't much difference in feel till you get right up to the top end of the scale with the 54- well over 100 grains of powder. And even that's not bad. Both have killed deer for me with a lot less.

One difference I notice is in balance. The 50 feels decidedly more barrel-heavy, and I prefer the balance of the 54.

Can't help you with the pistol, but I agree with the notion to have the same cal as the rifle.

 

[robtattoo]

I went from .50 to .54 on my Great Plains Rifle last year. I'll never go back!
Can't comment on the pistol, because I've never shot one, but as far as PRB from a rifle, that .04 of an inch makes a heck of a performance difference.

 

[nkbj]

Ditto on the .54 GPR barrel feeling better than the .50. I've considered trimming back the .50 barrel until it feels more like the .54.
Don't know. Maybe. But I've also considered just sending off the .50 barrel and having it bored to smooth to use a .53 round ball. Hoyt has a .55 reamer.
Hmmm, I've got a 9/16" arc punch for card wads for small game loads with 7 1/2 shot. Reckon I'll ponder that a while.

 

[BrownBear]

Ditto on the .54 GPR barrel feeling better than the .50. I've considered trimming back the .50 barrel until it feels more like the .54.
Don't know. Maybe. But I've also considered just sending off the .50 barrel and having it bored to smooth to use a .53 round ball. Hoyt has a .55 reamer.
Hmmm, I've got a 9/16" arc punch for card wads for small game loads with 7 1/2 shot. Reckon I'll ponder that a while.

I won't try to talk you out of reaming to smooth, because that sounds like a cool idea. But I will add something else to complicate your thinking.

I went to work on the forend of my 50 and slimmed it a lot, using my 54 or comparison of balance. It's still not quite as light out front as the 54, but it's a whole lot "better" for my tastes. In fact I think it looks better, too. I'm thinking hard about doing the same with the 54.

 

[Bill Hall]

I went to work on the forend of my 50 and slimmed it a lot, using my 54 or comparison of balance. It's still not quite as light out front as the 54, but it's a whole lot "better" for my tastes. In fact I think it looks better, too. I'm thinking hard about doing the same with the 54.

Brown Bear, could you go into some more detail as to exactly what you did to your barrel? It sounds really interesting to me, but I'm having trouble picturing it. Is this a taper job, but only started from a postion somewhere in front of the breech? Thanks in advance. Bill

 

[BrownBear]

I went to work on the forend of my 50 and slimmed it a lot, using my 54 or comparison of balance. It's still not quite as light out front as the 54, but it's a whole lot "better" for my tastes. In fact I think it looks better, too. I'm thinking hard about doing the same with the 54.

Brown Bear, could you go into some more detail as to exactly what you did to your barrel? It sounds really interesting to me, but I'm having trouble picturing it. Is this a taper job, but only started from a postion somewhere in front of the breech? Thanks in advance. Bill

Sorry for the confusion. I slimmed the forestock full length and did some thinning on the the side panels back by the lock while leaving the barrel the same. I wish I had weighted it all beforehand, but I'm sure I pulled several ounces of wood from out in front of the lock, and it made a big difference in the balance.

Like I said, I kept shouldering the 50 and shouldering my 54, then removing wood till the balance was similar. Still very slightly more barrel heavy than the 54, but not by much. I had considered adding a little lead under the butt plate of the 50 to accomplish the same thing, but didn't have to resort to that.

 

[Chris Hayes]

The .54 is the only way to go! My GPR is the bees knees!

 

[Bill Hall]

Got it, thanks. :thumbsup: I had barrel on the brain and my mind just went there. Bill

 

[larry wv]

.54 :thumbsup: Larry

 

[cowpoke1955]

I have two GPRs and a T/C Hawkens....all are .54 :thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

Since you are obviously so hooked it ain't funny already, here's what I would recommend;

The .50 is a great caliber. The .54 is a little greater.
You should shoot the Hawken for a while and build the .54 Great Plains Pistol kit. You'll like the pistol. Recoil is not bad with target loads. It will kick a little with max loads.
As soon as you're done with the pistol kit you'll be bored again so go ahead and get the Great Plains Rifle kit in .54 caliber. :thumbsup: It will go real nice with the pistol.

 

[ekacpuc]

Thank you for your replies. Great info


Greg

 

[cowpoke1955]

Good idea about the GPP and GPR kits in .54 caliber. Keep the .50 for a loaner rifle. Never know when a buddy may want to try their hand at muzzle loader hunting with you.

 

[longrifle346]

I went from .50 to .54 on my Great Plains Rifle last year. I'll never go back!

If you want the 54 to be the end of the story don't dare try a 58.... :thumbsup:

I went from 50 to 54...loved me some 54....til I shot my new GM 58. I'll save the 54 for my Renegade but the 50 will soon be turned into a jug-choked 62 smoothie to lighten it up and give me a turkey barrel.

It's a never-ending story with this addiction, ain't it? :youcrazy:

 

[ekacpuc]

Yeah addicting.. I'm gonna keep my 50 barrel to shoot maxi balls and get a .54 for my hawken and the great plains pistol in a .50 also.

I'm lookin into casting rb and maxiballs


Greg

 

[BrownBear]

I'm lookin into casting rb and maxiballs

It's so easy and straight forward, I bet you wonder why you waited so long. Of course, the addiction really runs deep when you start whapping game with balls and bullets you made yourself. :grin:

 

[Galen Futtrell]

50'S ARE GREAT, BUT ONCE YOU MOVE UP THERE IS NO END TO IT. I WENT TO 54, THEN 58 THEN 62 SMOOTHIE, HAD ED RYLE RIFLE IT. LOVE IT THE MOST.