.54 Deer Load

[tx50cal]

I have my rifle shooting beautifuly with 65 gr FFFg Goex with pillow ticking lubed with Natural Lube.Is this load strong enough for deer out to 75 yards? I am not sure and was looking for advise. Thanks for the help.
Rob

 

[rabjr]

I have my rifle shooting beautifuly with 65 gr FFFg Goex

Having said that, I would say hell yes!

beautifuly being the key word here. :thumbsup:

 

[lizz]

If you have got the rifle shooting center at 100 yrd's or what ever range you think you my be taking a deer at you should be OK. If you think its a little weak' try upping your charge about 5 grs for every 5 shot group. If the patern starts to open up' back off 5 grs and see how the patern holds. I shoot 100grs in my 58 cal, it does kick a bit but it sure nocks the stuffins out of a deer. Doc Or

 

[playfarmers]

I would try to work it up a bit. I use 80g of Pyrodex Rs in my .50 cal Deerstalker, and 80g of 3f Goex in my .54 Lyman Trade rifle. It is nice to have a litle extra power to flatten trajectory.

 

[BrownBear]

My 32" Lyman GPR 54 chronied +/- 1290 fps with 60 grains of 3f, and almost 1600 fps with 90 grains. Based on experience with other projectiles weighing roughly the same (220 grains) at 1100-1200 fps (cartridge handguns), I'd be tempted to hold your shots to 50 with that load. That velocity and weight has been fine for deer with more aerodynamic.429 240 grain handgun bullets out to 75 yards, but I'm a little skeptical about the ability of a RB to provide enough velocity and impact that far. I settled on 90 grains for my rifle, but would have been just as happy if 80 had shot as well.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I'd say that's on the light side, but it should get the job done. It's the "iffy" shots where a twig interferes or the deer jerks or moves that the extra "oomph" pays for itself. I use 84gr 3Fg in my .54, 90 gr 2Fg in my .50

Personally, if I had two loads that, from a rest, put five shots in 2" at 75 yards with 65 gr or five shots in 4" at 75 yards with 85 gr I'd use the latter for hunting. The kill zone of a deer is 10". Better a hole all the way through both lungs than a well centered hole only in one and stuck part way through the other.

I'd say my average in 33 deer harvested is between 30 and 40 yards. That includes muzzleloaders, shotgun slugs and centerfire rifle.

 

I'd say out to but not beyond 75 yds that load ought to do it. Think of it this way--you are starting off that big ball at better than .22LR velocities. I have long been impressed with the effectiveness of the lowly .22 on game up to 50 lbs or so out to 50 yds or so. Imagine the big .54 ball whistling out there at 50 yds with .22 speed--impressive! That said, my .54 deer load is more like 75-80 gr.

 

[PreglerD]

I have done several muzzlevel and energy measurements and based upon the calculations for 100 yds/m. I think also the 65 grs are a bit weak when shooting more than 50 yds/m, because the PRB loses very much energy after 50 yds. I use 90 grs WANO PP, and sometimes when shooting at 100 yds I use 120 grs. With this load I get about 700 ftlps at 100m out of my Investarm Hawken .54.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[jdixon]

I'm a .50 guy, but one of my hunting buddies uses a .54 in a custom Hawken - barrel is a bit longer @ 38" but his standard load is 90 grains of Swiss Fffg for hunting behind a .530 PRB. We have graphed that load @ 1970 fps at the muzzle. With that speed he is good to go out to 100 yrds on a whitetail.

 

GOEX 80 grains is the walking load I use for deer. Follow up shots (from a speed laoder) are at 60 grains. - Take no chances.

 

[billk]

I want to use my Hawken style .54cal rifle for deer this season also. It patterns really nice with GOEX FF and .530 ball. Would that be enough load for up to 100 yards?

Thank you,
Billk

 

[roundball]

Just as another reference, IMO, a .54cal is easily a 100 yard rifle for deer and I choose to hunt with strong charges in Flintlocks to cover the[url] range...in[/url] a .54cal I settled on:

90grns Goex 3F
Oxyoke wonderwad
.018" pillow ticking
Hornady .530

 

[tx50cal]

I am going out tomarrow with some wonder wads over the powder and see if I can get better result with larger charges. I think the wad along with ticking should help me. I will see what happens.
Rob

 

[44-henry]

I run 110 grains of RS Pyrodex in my Browning Mountain rifle since that seems to give me the best accuracy. That load has totally flattened a couple deer at the 100 yard mark, but less would probably do just fine. I also hunt in North Dakota where close shots at deer typically are 100 yards +

 

[gmww]

Timing is everything. I just sighted in my fast twist .54 with 65 grns 2F pushing a 366 grns. conical. Holding a 1.5" group at 80 yrds. I'm hoping this is enough. The barrel seemed to like this recipe for accuracy.

 

[gmww]

Oops my mistake. It was actually a 2" group with 70 grains of 3f. I had to wrap the conical with Teflon tape to keep it from sliding out. It is loose fitting but shoots pretty good. Anyone know what kind of conical this is that I'm casting. It has a hollow base that goes about half way up the conical. I found it with my other stuff and tried it out.