.54 for Target?

[Smokey Plainsman]

Hello all!!

I am desiring most strongly a Kibler Woodsrunner in .54 caliber. I am wanting that caliber as it allows the lightest weight and is reportedly very well balanced and handy. Years ago I had a Lyman Great Plains rifle and had a lot of fun shooting that caliber.

Also someday I might try getting a deer with the gun, but my main uses will be recreational target shooting and some woods walk and shooting competitions.

Does anyone here who shoots a .54 like it for that type of use? Is using a .54 for “just” target shooting/woods walks overkill?

Thanks!!

-Smokey

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I hunt with a 54 but target shoot mostly with 32 cal at 25 yard matches and 40 or 45 cal on woods walks of 50 yard and beyond matches. For targets the 54 burns to much powder and lead. I will bring it out on last woods walk before hunting season as a tune up but thats it. For example my 32 uses (25 grains) powder, 40 and 45 (50-60 grains depending on distance shooting) the 54 (95 grains is the go to load). Now add in price of lead. Some guys in my club shoot 50 and 54's but the guys winning are all shooting 40-45 calibers. Less recoil and less powder and lead. All to make a hole in paper or ring steel. Buy what ya want is my thoughts though. Woodsrunner comes in 45 cal but its a bit heavier, but if ya get a SMR its under 7 pounds in 45 cal and both are plenty for deer within 75 yards. Or go 50 woods runner or buy every caliber is what I did.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Mostly shoot targets with my 36 caliber rifle. For the November Woods Walk at Fort de Chartres, I shoot the King's musket. That's mostly for fun and hopefully bragging rights when we outshoot the French teams. It happens sometimes. I do shoot my 54 caliber 1803 Harper's Ferry rifle at the Gemmer woods walks. I like the use of a larger ball for a bit of extra mass when hitting the reactive targets. Card cutting has become a problem at my age. @Smokey Plainsman, you are not too far from the Gemmer Range that a visit might be in order.

 

[longcruise]

I'm a product of the TC Generation. 50 and 54 were predominant in the selection. So, I've hunted and shot matches with both calibers almost exclusively. Some years back I acquired a 45 tc Hawken barrel and I shoot that a lot for targets and competition. This time of year I usually turn to a 54 because hunting season is coming up.

So, it's really about what you want and what you will do with it. I'll say this; If I could have only one it would be a 54.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Hello all!!

I am desiring most strongly a Kibler Woodsrunner in .54 caliber. I am wanting that caliber as it allows the lightest weight and is reportedly very well balanced and handy. Years ago I had a Lyman Great Plains rifle and had a lot of fun shooting that caliber.

Also someday I might try getting a deer with the gun, but my main uses will be recreational target shooting and some woods walk and shooting competitions.

Does anyone here who shoots a .54 like it for that type of use? Is using a .54 for “just” target shooting/woods walks overkill?

Thanks!!

-Smokey

Smokey,
That was my main caliber from the 70s until 2019. No need for that large a bullet to kill paper and of course more expensive to feed charges. It was only because that is what I liked to shoot.
Larry

 

[Gtrubicon]

This thread reminded me I want a big bore! I want to punch big holes in little targets with it.

 

[Buff1958]

bigger the ball the better chance you have of cutting the line on your target

 

[Sidney Smith]

I don't shoot in matches, but I do a lot of hunting and the .54 caliber is what I hunt with. Even with a light load deer don't do well once being hit with that big ball.

 

[tenngun]

.54 is a great size. Handy to load and a killer for most all American game.
You will get about a hundred shots for a pound of powder and three pounds of lead.
A .40 will give you lots more shots for the money, but limited an hunting.
Handy for small game and deer can be taken if your careful
There is no right size.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I tried others but have success on targets as well as game with a 54 in various rifles. My Woods runner is a 54 and is as natural to shoot as pointing your finger. I’ve used as small as 40 calibre but never as good shooting as 54. Over all the expense of shooting a muzzleloader hasn’t been a fraction of cartridges.
IMG_0200 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Grimord]

I have used my .54 Woodsrunner on several of our clubs woods walks with good success. The targets range from 20-94 yards. Most of the targets are steel gongs or steel animal cut-outs. Some of the shooters using small calibers are not able to knock some of the targets over for score due to the lighter balls and powder charges. I use 70 grains of 3f, and hit the targets with authority. With that load, I get 1.5" groups on paper at 50 yards.

 

[andy52]

Depends on what you're looking for. The ability to kill a deer or win a shooting match? Smaller bores are a bit more predictable in the short range, larger bores are better out at a bit farther.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

It may be overkill but if you don't mind the extra cost in powder and ball, shoot what you want. I have both a .50 and .54 woodsrunner and the .54 is my favorite, it just seems to swing and point so naturally, I really like the gun. I don't shoot competition so I'm not sure how they work but would think a larger ball would cut more lines than a smaller one? I shoot mainly for enjoyment and hunting so it's mostly just targets, paper or steel and a couple wood walks when able.

 

[Beaverman2]

all my rifles are 54 and pistols are 45, run what you brung! no problems match shooting with a 54

 

[sheriff john]

Back in the day, shooting bullseye matches, we had a scoring aid that enabled the range official to score from the center of the hole, not by "cutting lines". Fairer way of scoring when shooters could use assorted calibers in the same matches. Never had an opportunity to see how scoring is done in serious m/l competition. Lines cut or center of the hole? Size does make a difference when talking .54 vs. 40.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

Hello all!!

I am desiring most strongly a Kibler Woodsrunner in .54 caliber. I am wanting that caliber as it allows the lightest weight and is reportedly very well balanced and handy. Years ago I had a Lyman Great Plains rifle and had a lot of fun shooting that caliber.

Also someday I might try getting a deer with the gun, but my main uses will be recreational target shooting and some woods walk and shooting competitions.

Does anyone here who shoots a .54 like it for that type of use? Is using a .54 for “just” target shooting/woods walks overkill?

Thanks!!

-Smokey

I was primarily a competition shooter before injuries sidelined me. I would not hazard how many shots I fired each year. I shot somewhere every weekend plus practiced a couple times each week . When I built my .54 light bench & cross stick rifle I also built a .54 flintlock for offhand and primitive shooting. Won a lot of matches with both of them. Biggest negative I had was the amount of powder and lead I was going through.

 

[longcruise]

This thread reminded me I want a big bore! I want to punch big holes in little targets with it.

Yeeeaaaaah! I'm liking 58 more and more..... but I think a 62 could be useful.

bigger the ball the better chance you have of cutting the line on your target

Our local matches require centering the line (half ball) so 25cor 75 all the same.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Most paper target matches are scored using the center of the ball.

Silhouette or reactive gong targets are scored when any part of the ball hits the target. Well, silhouette targets have to fall to score, and I have seen silhouette targets get hit but not fall and thus no score. Mostly a groundhog target that spins on the stand but does not fall. I have seen bear targets get hit and just rock on the stand and yes, a 45 caliber ball shot over 65 grains of powder is supposed to knock over a bear target set properly at 200 yards on the topple point will fall. It's a lot harder to split a card with a 36 caliber ball than a 54.

In any event, I use my 36 for most of the paper target shooting and my 54 for reactive targets. Pick and choose the caliber that is most effective for the target.

 

[flconch53]

Most places I shoot it is center of the ball. Not just a cut line. The big difference is in primitive matches. That's where the bigger ball shines. A cut string is a cut string

 

[hanshi]

A good, accurate load worked in a .54 WoodsRunner would make a fine target rifle, IMHO.