.54 cal deerstalker

[kevin beers]

Looking for help from the old timers!My question is ..I have a.54 cal deerstalker with a 24 inch barrel.I shot t/c conicals 435 gr did not paper well so I tried hornady hollow base hollow point390 gr with 90 gr ff black powder. I shot at 50 yds about 1 inch between shots.I was told that if I lower the powder charge I may be able tighten this shot group up.Is an 80 or 85gr charge enough for a 54 cal 390gr conical and shoud I consider maybe fff instead of ff powder with the 24 inch barrel?I would like to shoot ballets out of this gun however I can't find them.Does anyone know where I can get these?

 

[nw_hunter]

Welcome to the forum!
I'll leave the powder question for others on the forum, but for Ball-ets google up....RMC Sports.I think they have them in stock.

Have fun makin smoke :wink:

 

[BrownBear]

Try a lubed felt wad between the bullet and powder. That made a huge difference in my own short 54 (not a Deerstalker). I'd definitely use 3f. The Possibles Shop lists Ballets.

I've been pondering a Deerstalker in 54, but my decision depends on it's center of Gravity. Is it right between your hands? The 50 I've handled is very slightly muzzleheavy, but I've already got that to a greater degree in my GPRs. Looking for a COG a little further back than the 50.

 

[playfarmers]

I would try 2f and 3f from 75 to 90g, and I would also try other bullets. The 1 in 48" twist shoots lighter conicals in the 300g range better from what I have seen. It will also shoot a round ball very well. I would most definatly try a felt wad under the bullet/patched ball. Good luck.

 

[boar]

When I shot the maxis&maxis hunters, I would shooot at 50yrds then go back 90yrds to see if they carried up. I used 110grs 2ff in 54 and 100 in 50. Shoot RB now, 80&90. I shot the maxis in TC hawken's and shoot the RB in St Louis hawken. They are older and have slow twist,Have 2. I allways use 2ff in anything above.45. My buddy got me to try 3ff in the 50, used 85 grs with the maxis hunter , was good at 50yrds, dead center, at 90 yrds hit the dirt at bottom of target, put 100grs 2ff, back in target. You have to remember a heaver bullet wants to drop faster if not pushed harder. My RB weight is 224 and I use 80&90 grs. I shot the 50 .St Louis in match using 60grs and got 3rd 3 weeks ago.Going this sun for another try. Just made up some balls. Dilly

 

[kevthebassman]

I've been pondering a Deerstalker in 54, but my decision depends on it's center of Gravity. Is it right between your hands? The 50 I've handled is very slightly muzzleheavy, but I've already got that to a greater degree in my GPRs. Looking for a COG a little further back than the 50.

You could always take off your buttplate and add weight to the stock. I've done that before on CF rifles and it was no big chore.

 

[kevin beers]

In response to your question about balance I actcually cheated a bit.I mounted a deerstalker .54 cal barrel onto my t/c .50 cal hawken stock just had to modify the breech a bit but fits nice.However I created another problem finding .54 cal conicals that seem to shoot well in that short barrel but I ain't givin up its all part of the challenge.Can you shoot an OP patch under a hollow base bullet like the hornady great plains hollow base hollow point bullet ?

 

[kevin beers]

Can you shoot a op patch under a hollow base bullet or only flat base bullet ?

 

[kevin beers]

So what your telling me is you'll get a better push out of ff powder for a longer shot with a conical bullet?I thought because fff is finer it would burn faster thus giving you better push am I thinking wrong? I haven't been at this long so sorry if I'm asking dumb questions.

 

[playfarmers]

3F will have more preasure than 2f, thus it should have more fps. Your rifle will tell you what it likes best, all you have to do is experiment. It would also help to have a chronographer to tell you the velosity of each load. It's all about shooting lots and keeping records.

 

[kevin beers]

thanks going to the range tomorrow to experiment.hey do you know if you can shoot an op wad under a hollow base bullet ?

 

[bart_anastasi]

There are two parts to this.

If your max load for a gun and bullet is 100-grains of 2F 175 RB and around 2000fps

Then your max load for that same bullet is 90 grains of 3F 175 RB and around 2000fps

The velocity you get will then be the same for a max load but the kick will be harder using 3f.

The higher pressure of 3F gives you a quicker burn and more immediate recoile in a shorter time frame.

Using 2f gives you velocity with reduced precieved recoil.

Sometimes I shoot a 425 grain maxi with a max of 120 gr of 2F and the recoil though substantial is OK.

I took the same bullet using 110 grain of 3F and a whole different world of hurt.

 

[kevin beers]

Thanks for all the info fellas I'm headed to the shooting range to let the smoke fly!

 

[boar]

I guess this gun liked the 2ff better, it was a flint TC .50.I have never shot a RB in this gun only maxis. Killed 5 deer with it. TC max for this gun is 100grs. Book says 90 most accurate. In a cap gun the caps play a part in fps. In back of Dixie Catalog it has a cart showing the difference. The german the hotest.I would try differnt loads at different ranges to get what you want out of the gun. I always figured if I had a good shot at far distance I wanted to be sure I could shot at it. Have killed two at over 100yrs with .54 RB. Dilly