.54 calibre shooting

[Bald Baron]

Group, I was looking in the, Blackpowder Handbook and there was not much testing done on .54 cals. Do any of you have any stats for .54 calibres? I am shooting a new .54 cal. 42" barrel, 1 in 72 twist. What's your preferred load for hunting and target shooting with a .54?

 

[Stumpkiller]

In my 1:48" Renegade I use 90 gr. FFg for hunting and long-range targets, and 42 gr. FFg for small-game and 25 yard targets.

Your 1:72" twist is going to likely prefer a faster ball for the best accuracy, so I imagine your target load might end up somewhere around 70 or 75 grains FFg, possibly higher. Personally, at that point I'd start to consider a single load for all seasons and uses. That way you're always ready for anything and you'll know the trajectory inside & out. :thumbsup:

You have to find the load the works best for your perticular rifle and your methods of lubing, loading, shooting and cleaning.

 

[Ohio Joe]

My T/C Hawken; 1 in 48 twist, 28" brl, .005 depth rifling, likes 80 grains of 2fg Goex pushing a .530 PRB...

My Hawken; 1 in 72 twist, 36" brl, .010 depth rifling, likes 90 grains of 2fg Goex pushing a .535 PRB...

I do not use a target load with these two rifles as they are strictly for hunting.

I did work up a 50 yard bench load one time for the T/C Hawken, and it was; 63 grains 2fg Goex, using a .530 PRB. I got 3/4" to 1 1/8" groups over six test targets of three shot groups. I didn't feel the load was quite what I had in mind for a hunting load, so I made the 80 grains work.

Every muzzleloader is different. You need to test, test, and test some more to come up with what you require. That's one of the fun, and frustrating, yet rewarding things about muzzleloading. :thumbsup:

 

[RussB]

Group, I was looking in the, Blackpowder Handbook and there was not much testing done on .54 cals. Do any of you have any stats for .54 calibres? I am shooting a new .54 cal. 42" barrel, 1 in 72 twist. What's your preferred load for hunting and target shooting with a .54?

Well sir, I don't know what book you were looking at but a .54 cal has probably had as much "testing" as any BP load, possibly even more.
It would sound to me like you have a rifle that was intended primarly for round ball use. The 1:72 is the same twist my .58 Colt Musket has, and it is a real hog for round ball.
I think you will like that combination once you've found your self a good load.
The others gave you some good information on the .54, so there is no need repeating it.

I am curios as to the gun you have with that barrel and twist. Sounds like one I would also like to have.

Russ

 

[Terry Zboril]

Baron,

My favorite hunting and Voos rifle is also a flint .54 cal, 42", 1 in 72" twist, straight tapered 1" to 7/8" . ( Old Montana Barrel Co.), so this rang a bell.

After extensive shooting, this barrel groups best with weighed .530 hand cast balls, .018 Ox Yoke tallow/beeswax patching, and 115 grains of 3F Goex Black!

This gun shoots exactly where I hold it, with resting one inch groups at 50 yards.

This sounds heavy, but this is where it shoots best. I tried everyting from 60 gr. to 150 gr. of different granulations in determining the load.

This gun was built (by me) in 1991 and has over 5000 rounds thru it, 15 or so deer to its credit, and won many a Rhondy shoot.

:results:


Regards,
Terry

 

A lot depends on the actual bore size. Just because its labeled .54, doesn't mean that it has an actual .540 bore.

Anywhose, I use a borebutter lubed prewashed patch wrapped around a patched .535 ball over 80 grains, volume measured, of RS Pyrodex in my Lyman Great Plains Rifle.

Group, I was looking in the, Blackpowder Handbook and there was not much testing done on .54 cals. Do any of you have any stats for .54 calibres? I am shooting a new .54 cal. 42" barrel, 1 in 72 twist. What's your preferred load for hunting and target shooting with a .54?