.50 vs .54 accuracy

[Thekingd93]

Considering getting a .54 cal drop in barrel by green mountain 1:66 round ball twist. Just curious if there's is any significant accuracy differences between .50 and .54 sort of comparing apples to oranges here I suppose. I have two TC Hawken rifles one with .50 cal GMB 1:66 unfired and another with the standard TC 1:48 twist that I shoot frequently. I'm considering upgrading to the .54 and selling the 1:48 TC barrel. I'd really only be using the .54 for deer hunting and the .50 competition & target. I plan to shoot the Unfired .50 cal soon as well.

 

[rafterob]

Accuracy is not an issue between .50 and .54. From what I have witnessed, .59 is plenty accurate too.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

There are a LOT more variables than just the caliber that will effect your accuracy.

Green Mountain is a barrel company so they must produce accurate barrels, and you now have a GM barrel in each caliber, which means you have solved any problem with a TC barrel.

IF you use a powder load that is identical in both, in theory the .530 round ball will be going slower because it has more mass and more surface area to cause air friction, THUS it will have more drop, because the flight time from muzzle to target will be longer and gravity will have more time to pull down upon the bullet as it flies.

But you can mitigate this drop by using more powder in the .54 to get an identical muzzle velocity..., which will still mean a slightly quicker deceleration by the .530 due to the larger diameter ball, so further mitigation by sending the .530 ball faster than the .490, and you could in theory have identical, highly accurate results from both barrels

I doubt that a deer will be any more dead if you shoot it with a 224 grain soft lead .530 ball than with a 175 grain soft, lead .490.

You may also find that when using rather light loads, you like the .490 ball for targets, as it will be faster than the .530 and a "light load", and drop less, and perceived recoil will be less too.

You will be able to hunt as long as you don't run out of both .490 and .530 round ball at the same time that the stores are all out of stock, and you also have a larger caliber IF you think your .490 is too light for Elk and you get a chance for one of those.

LD

 

[2 shots]

i believe your .50 hawken is 15/16 the .54 was 1 inch atf

 

[Thekingd93]

i believe your .50 hawken is 15/16 the .54 was 1 inch atf

Track of the wolf has drop in barrels that fit .45 and .50 cal TC hakwkens with 15/16 barrel

 

[Thekingd93]

There are a LOT more variables than just the caliber that will effect your accuracy.

Green Mountain is a barrel company so they must produce accurate barrels, and you now have a GM barrel in each caliber, which means you have solved any problem with a TC barrel.

IF you use a powder load that is identical in both, in theory the .530 round ball will be going slower because it has more mass and more surface area to cause air friction, THUS it will have more drop, because the flight time from muzzle to target will be longer and gravity will have more time to pull down upon the bullet as it flies.

But you can mitigate this drop by using more powder in the .54 to get an identical muzzle velocity..., which will still mean a slightly quicker deceleration by the .530 due to the larger diameter ball, so further mitigation by sending the .530 ball faster than the .490, and you could in theory have identical, highly accurate results from both barrels

I doubt that a deer will be any more dead if you shoot it with a 224 grain soft lead .530 ball than with a 175 grain soft, lead .490.

You may also find that when using rather light loads, you like the .490 ball for targets, as it will be faster than the .530 and a "light load", and drop less, and perceived recoil will be less too.

You will be able to hunt as long as you don't run out of both .490 and .530 round ball at the same time that the stores are all out of stock, and you also have a larger caliber IF you think your .490 is too light for Elk and you get a chance for one of those.

LD

I live in Maine and the primary large game animals are whitetail deer, moose, black bears and turkey.

 

[William O.]

I've seen no difference in accuracy between the two. However, I have found that in my experience my .54 rifle with the 1:48 twist seemed easier to find it sweet spot and most accurate powder charge than my other .54 or .50's with slower twist rates.

 

[dave951]

Short answer- generally no difference. For the most part, any difference is from the nut behind the stock

 

[new2bp]

having just got my first BP rifle - a .54 - I can tell you that there seems to be a lot more availability of .50 stuff than there is .54 stuff as far as projectiles etc go.

on the other hand, if you are playing a target game where cutting a line counts as a hit, the .53 ball is gonna poke a larger hole, giving you that extra fraction of an inch...

 

[Rudall]

Around these parts official scoring dictates that more than half the hole must be in the higher scoring zone for it to count, so there is no advantage in a larger calibre.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Considering getting a .54 cal drop in barrel by green mountain 1:66 round ball twist. Just curious if there's is any significant accuracy differences between .50 and .54 sort of comparing apples to oranges here I suppose. I have two TC Hawken rifles one with .50 cal GMB 1:66 unfired and another with the standard TC 1:48 twist that I shoot frequently. I'm considering upgrading to the .54 and selling the 1:48 TC barrel. I'd really only be using the .54 for deer hunting and the .50 competition & target. I plan to shoot the Unfired .50 cal soon as well.

I’ve shot a .50 calibre most of my life…my primary shooting has been getting ready for hunting and hunting; deer & primarily elk. I then switched to .54 calibre after seeing much more effective the calibre was on elk.

Both calibres are very accurate. I love my .50’s, I’ll never sell them…but when it comes to hitting the woods for elk, it’s a .54 calibre that went with me.

Competition shooting is fun, my personal favorites are the woods walks…

 

[Thekingd93]

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/648/1/GMT-54-C-TC-32-B

 

[fleener]

ZERO difference

 

[frankie]

I’ve shot a .50 calibre most of my life…my primary shooting has been getting ready for hunting and hunting; deer & primarily elk. I then switched to .54 calibre after seeing much more effective the calibre was on elk.

Both calibres are very accurate. I love my .50’s, I’ll never sell them…but when it comes to hitting the woods for elk, it’s a .54 calibre that went with me.

Competition shooting is fun, my personal favorites are the woods walks…

I agree with rock home

 

[longcruise]

Those GM 54 barrels have been typically 1:72 twist. But, not like Track to make that kind of mistake. I've shot and hunted with both and just my opinion but I'd say you will like the 54 and you did say the moose word.

 

[Thekingd93]

Those GM 54 barrels have been typically 1:72 twist. But, not like Track to make that kind of mistake. I've shot and hunted with both and just my opinion but I'd say you will like the 54 and you did say the moose word.

I'll double check the twist rate. If it is 1:72 it should do mighty fine with roundball

 

[longcruise]

I'll double check the twist rate. If it is 1:72 it should do mighty fine with roundball

Yup. Either will be a good RB barrel. I put a 1:72 15/16 drop in on my GPR and find it shoots well.

 

[necchi]

Just curious if there's is any significant accuracy differences between .50 and .54

Nope. 10X is 10X,, no difference.

But when you compare An accurately loaded 50, too, An accurately loaded 54,,
The 54 will hit faster, it will hit harder, and it will cut a bigger hole while doing it.
The 15/16 GM .54 barrel,, once broke-in,, with an accurate PRB combo will out-shoot a 50 in the same,, any day of the week there's so much as a 5mph cross wind 20yrds down range.
Been there,,

 

[Art Caputo]

Loaded to the same muzzle velocity and optimal twist rate, the larger LRB will have a higher ballistic coefficient and technically be more accurate due to the larger LRB’s higher retained velocity. From a practical standpoint, at typical ranges, open sights, recoil, etc., the difference will be nil….

 

[LME]

Loaded to the same muzzle velocity and optimal twist rate, the larger LRB will have a higher ballistic coefficient and technically be more accurate due to the larger LRB’s higher retained velocity. From a practical standpoint, at typical ranges, open sights, recoil, etc., the difference will be nil….

I don't know about the B.C. of either rifle but I have shot both and wouldn't turn around for the difference.I will say that a .54 may slightly out perform a .50 as far as taking big game.