50 vs 54 FlintLock Rifle

[Rod Man]

I haven't been keeping up with the Arkansas G&F regs. in recent years. Was not aware of this new requirement. In the past ml regulations were changed on much less than expert recommendations. I used to lobby against many of these.

No Sir, not for Arkansas. I was speaking of Hunting Elk in Colorado.

Respectfully,

RM

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I don't get to the field much anymore so my most dangerous game is an empty gallon jug. Using fifty or fifty-four inside of a hundred yards with seventy grains of powder, I have not noticed any real difference. .45 recoil is noticeably lighter as you might expect.

.50 caliber accessories are much more readily available in most locales, so that might have some impact on your decision.

Honestly though, the difference between the two is almost moot. Look for a used T/C Hawken or Renegade in either caliber and let the condition of the gun be the deciding factor.

Soon enough you'll be after a .36 and maybe a .32. They are just as much fun to shoot and don't use as much powder or lead.

 

[hanshi]

I have a .50 and a .54 and both have killed deer. But the .50 is lighter at 7 lbs 2 oz, while the .54 is 10 lbs 6 oz. I've killed lots of deer with various .50s including the two farthest shots at 100+ yards. But The .45 is the rifle(s) that have taken the most deer. I never had one run very far and quite a few dropped where they were standing, same with the .50 & .54.

If I still hunted and the whitetail & black bear were the biggest game I hunted I'd be fine with the .50 just as I am with the .45. But if I hunted other states and critters like elk and moose I'd use a .54.

 

[beardedhorse]

I like the ballistics of the .50 for target shooting but prefer the .54 for heavier ball and charge. Here in Colorado you have no choice but to go .54 when using round ball. The weight of a .490 or .50 caliber round ball does not meet the minimum mass or weight. But you can use a Lee. Thompson Center, Great Plains, Buffalo bullet and other conical bullets if the rate of twist in your .50 will shoot them accurately.

 

[RIDE-RED350R]

I like the ballistics of the .50 for target shooting but prefer the .54 for heavier ball and charge. Here in Colorado you have no choice but to go .54 when using round ball. The weight of a .490 or .50 caliber round ball does not meet the minimum mass or weight. But you can use a Lee. Thompson Center, Great Plains, Buffalo bullet and other conical bullets if the rate of twist in your .50 will shoot them accurately.

50cal balls go about 180gr. What's a 54 ball weigh?

 

[FlinterNick]

I’d go with a .45 before a .50 caliber.

I prefer a .54 over a .58.

 

[Rod Man]

50cal balls go about 180gr. What's a 54 ball weigh?

224 -230 depending on dia.

 

[roundballman]

I can tell no difference on deer with 50 or 54. My only ml elk was killed with a 54 round ball . Shoulder shots put them all down in my experience.

 

[Harmonica Bob]

Question for all of you that may have both a 50 and 54 flintlock and use them for hunting deer. Also question for those who have a 50 and wished they had gotten a 54 or for those who have a 54 and wished they had gotten a 50 and hunt deer with them. I understand all the technical stuff about a smaller caliber (ball) traveling maybe a bit faster (fps) and that a heavier (larger) ball having more knockdown power. Interested in a future project flint rifle in either 50 or 54 to be used for both target and whitetail hunting. For those of you who have both, which do you prefer and why. For those who have only the 50 or 54 and wish they had gone with the other, why. For deer hunting I'm seeing shots under 50 yards (25-35 average) for the most part, mostly in timbered areas or on the fringes.

I do have a 45 percussion rifle at the present so not wanting to build a flinter in 45, although aware the 45 will drop Mr/Mrs Whitetail. I know one of the most important aspects of hunting is shot placement in the vitals but have always wanted to step up to a 50 or 54. At present just getting started in the preliminary building of a Kibler SMR (36 caliber) that I bought sometime back but due to losing good closeup sight for a build I never got stated. Have a flint 45 pistol I quit working on because of. Cataract surgery recently improved my vision so will be starting the SMR next month hopefully after I finish the pistol. Just thinking ahead on a future 50/54 build.

It's a personal choice. I like the .530 patched round ball for killing deer. They flatten out like a quarter. I have killed countless deer with them, with 80grs FF.

 

[GBG]

.54 round ball to the brain of an American bison.

https://trapperman.com/forum/attach...9/full-2625-149857-img_20200914_093036756.jpg

 

[david w]

Question for all of you that may have both a 50 and 54 flintlock and use them for hunting deer. Also question for those who have a 50 and wished they had gotten a 54 or for those who have a 54 and wished they had gotten a 50 and hunt deer with them. I understand all the technical stuff about a smaller caliber (ball) traveling maybe a bit faster (fps) and that a heavier (larger) ball having more knockdown power. Interested in a future project flint rifle in either 50 or 54 to be used for both target and whitetail hunting. For those of you who have both, which do you prefer and why. For those who have only the 50 or 54 and wish they had gone with the other, why. For deer hunting I'm seeing shots under 50 yards (25-35 average) for the most part, mostly in timbered areas or on the fringes.

I do have a 45 percussion rifle at the present so not wanting to build a flinter in 45, although aware the 45 will drop Mr/Mrs Whitetail. I know one of the most important aspects of hunting is shot placement in the vitals but have always wanted to step up to a 50 or 54. At present just getting started in the preliminary building of a Kibler SMR (36 caliber) that I bought sometime back but due to losing good closeup sight for a build I never got stated. Have a flint 45 pistol I quit working on because of. Cataract surgery recently improved my vision so will be starting the SMR next month hopefully after I finish the pistol. Just thinking ahead on a future 50/54 build.

Either 50 or 54 is good enough for deer. I used to hunt with a T/C Hawken 50 and took a few deer with it. Only two ran a short distance before falling. The worst part is one decided to go into a ditch that was over 6 foot deep.. I later built a .58 just because I had a barrel I bought for cheap. I also bought a .62 from the same shop. They were Hoppy Hoppins barrels. I wish I had bought the other barrels he had. I didn't now at the time how high quality they were, and that Hoppy had kicked the bucket.

 

[david w]

I like the .50, been shooting it for a long time. Just recently acquired the .54 due to game laws (Elk). It's got a touch more thump with full house loads but not terribly so.

RM

My main deer rifle now is a .62. It has even MORE thump! I wish I could go Elk hunting, but at my age,, I'll bypass. I don't hunt deer anymore either. I would love to taste Elk. I've heard it's really good.

 

[Zapadach]

Question for all of you that may have both a 50 and 54 flintlock and use them for hunting deer. Also question for those who have a 50 and wished they had gotten a 54 or for those who have a 54 and wished they had gotten a 50 and hunt deer with them. I understand all the technical stuff about a smaller caliber (ball) traveling maybe a bit faster (fps) and that a heavier (larger) ball having more knockdown power. Interested in a future project flint rifle in either 50 or 54 to be used for both target and whitetail hunting. For those of you who have both, which do you prefer and why. For those who have only the 50 or 54 and wish they had gone with the other, why. For deer hunting I'm seeing shots under 50 yards (25-35 average) for the most part, mostly in timbered areas or on the fringes.

I do have a 45 percussion rifle at the present so not wanting to build a flinter in 45, although aware the 45 will drop Mr/Mrs Whitetail. I know one of the most important aspects of hunting is shot placement in the vitals but have always wanted to step up to a 50 or 54. At present just getting started in the preliminary building of a Kibler SMR (36 caliber) that I bought sometime back but due to losing good closeup sight for a build I never got stated. Have a flint 45 pistol I quit working on because of. Cataract surgery recently improved my vision so will be starting the SMR next month hopefully after I finish the pistol. Just thinking ahead on a future 50/54 build.

I acquired a year ago or so a Kibler smr in .40 caliber because the owner was having some medical problems. As he happened to be my older brother, he gifted the rifle to me. I had not been involved in black powder shooting for some time and building that rifle rekindled my love for the sport. Now as regards
what caliber is best for Whitetail Deer, I would say they all are. I have hunted with a .50 a .54 and a .58 caliber and they were all good. I used the .50 caliber dixie gun works southern mountain rifle back in the east coast hardwood forrests in the early 1980s as well as a .58 caliber civil war minie ball rifle. When I moved to the west coast, I hunted with a .54 caliber Lyman's plains rifle. And don't forget get, countless Deer have been taken with .62, .69 and .75 caliber smoothbore muskets. They are all good, happy hunting.

 

[Bullit]

Either or. I have both but for me it really depends on the rifle and not the caliber. Both cals will kill cleanly and there isn't anything on this continent that I wouldn't shoot with either. Just pick your shot carefully and both will get the job done.

 

[Crow Choker]

All interesting posts. As has been said a 50 will drop a deer as well as a 54. A good shot with a 50 IMO is more important than a poor shot with a 54. A good shot from a hunter with a 20 gauge run of the mill shotgun will drop more birds than poor shots from a hunter with a pricey 12 gauge wonder shotgun. Just simple facts. Ifin I were to order today, I'd go with a 50, I don't make iffy shots when hunting and feel confident what I'd be hunting and the conditions I'd be hunting in, I'd have no problem with the 50. No offense to those of you who prefer the 54 or anything larger.

Sort of reminds me of all of the present day hunting bow brouhaha. Started bow hunting back in 1969 with a Herter 50# recurve, dropped many a deer with it, shooting instinctive, using a Ben Pearson shooting glove. Sometime in the 80's or so when compound bows were the rage, I continued with thee Ol recurve. In the early 90's my top limb separated, I did buy a Golden Eagle compound, but a simple one with wheels just at the ends of the limbs. Continued with no sight, shooting instinctive and using my tried and true shooting glove. Have dropped deer with it, still hunt with it today, no sights, no fancy release. Seems today most hunters are consumed with bows with more wheels than my car, warp speed arrow fps, the latest sight contraption hanging on the bow, state of the art arrow releases, and all other kinds of gadgets hanging on the bow.

Went into a nearby gun/bow shop last fall looking for a new bow string. The owner advised me he didn't have any in stock and advised me I should get rid of that antique and get into the 21st century and get a modern bow that will drop deer. He wanted me to bow once of his newfangled $600-800 bows. Advised him basically without saying it to 'pound sand'. Said all of this to say as has been posted on this thread, shoot what you feel comfortable with, what you like, and what will work for ya. Still have and use the Golden Eagle with my out-of-date shooting glove and no sights. Hit what I aim at.

 

[Bushfire]

All interesting posts. As has been said a 50 will drop a deer as well as a 54. A good shot with a 50 IMO is more important than a poor shot with a 54. A good shot from a hunter with a 20 gauge run of the mill shotgun will drop more birds than poor shots from a hunter with a pricey 12 gauge wonder shotgun. Just simple facts. Ifin I were to order today, I'd go with a 50, I don't make iffy shots when hunting and feel confident what I'd be hunting and the conditions I'd be hunting in, I'd have no problem with the 50. No offense to those of you who prefer the 54 or anything larger.

Sort of reminds me of all of the present day hunting bow brouhaha. Started bow hunting back in 1969 with a Herter 50# recurve, dropped many a deer with it, shooting instinctive, using a Ben Pearson shooting glove. Sometime in the 80's or so when compound bows were the rage, I continued with thee Ol recurve. In the early 90's my top limb separated, I did buy a Golden Eagle compound, but a simple one with wheels just at the ends of the limbs. Continued with no sight, shooting instinctive and using my tried and true shooting glove. Have dropped deer with it, still hunt with it today, no sights, no fancy release. Seems today most hunters are consumed with bows with more wheels than my car, warp speed arrow fps, the latest sight contraption hanging on the bow, state of the art arrow releases, and all other kinds of gadgets hanging on the bow.

Went into a nearby gun/bow shop last fall looking for a new bow string. The owner advised me he didn't have any in stock and advised me I should get rid of that antique and get into the 21st century and get a modern bow that will drop deer. He wanted me to bow once of his newfangled $600-800 bows. Advised him basically without saying it to 'pound sand'. Said all of this to say as has been posted on this thread, shoot what you feel comfortable with, what you like, and what will work for ya. Still have and use the Golden Eagle with my out-of-date shooting glove and no sights. Hit what I aim at.

With all due respect it sounds like you already knew your own answer before posting the thread.

 

[Crow Choker]

NO, not really as I've read alot of different posts on various threads of shooters giving pros and cons of both calibers. I'll admit that since buying my first MZ back in 1974, a 45 cal percussion TC I'd always thought of going with a 50 on my next buy. Over the years and recently I've read here, on the American Longrifle forum, other forums and magazine articles of the 'pros' of a 54, but was never swayed. I did go back on the 'search' here and found the same question in different wordings has been asked over the years about basically the same topic. Posts seemed to follow this threads responses. Thinking was if I were to buy a kit in the not too distant time, I'd want to make sure the caliber was one I'd be satisfied with and not have buyers remorse. I didn't start the thread because I didn't have nothing else to do or just for the sake of starting a thread. But hey, can see where you might have thought I did. Take care!

 

[appalichian hunter]

54 hands down, bigger is better.

 

[oldwood]

In 1975 , I built myself a .50 cal. long rifle to use for competition and hunting deer. The rifle used a .490 r.b. with 80 gr. FFFG , and was very accurate , and flat shooting. I still remember the first deer I downed with the rifle. The measured distance was 130 yards , and I was amazed the gun would kill at that distance. I was a newbee back then. Over the next 10 years , one deer after another were was downed, with only one doe requiring tracking. The shot was about 75 yds. in an open big timber woods. I found I needed glasses about that time , and the standing deer's head was hidden by a tree trunk , and I just picked the wrong end as my target. What should have been a heart /lung hit , was a liver hit. My hunting buddy is the best tracker I have ever known. An hour of looking found the deer. My point telling this , is a .50 has it's limitations , and a .54 wouldn't have made a difference. A bad hit on a deer , is not excusable. I built a late lancaster longrifle in .50 cal. for a friend , and he moved to Colorado for employment reasons . Every year he sends photo's of the elk , and or mule deer he harvests for his freezer. If I had to choose a cal. for an all around rifle ,it would be a .50.........oldwood

 

[Terry Lightle]

I am in the group that where you put it is more important than what you hit it with,BUT I shoot a 54 when deer hunting,just me