.54 or .50 cal.

[airborne1]

Lyman great plains, 1 in 60, percussion, prb, for whitetail with 100 yard maximum. Which one in your opinion. Thanks.

 

[swathdiver]

Either will do the job but I'm partial to the .54 nowadays. My shoulder however, likes .45s!

 

[faste350]

i think either is good, however i would look into the future and i might lean toward the .54 for elk or moose, if you think that might be a possibility.

 

[airborne1]

I don't think elk will ever be a consideration. I was just wondering if a hunter does his part, and the longest distance will be100 yards, is the .50 caliber sufficient.

 

[mooman76]

The 50 will do it.

 

[Alden]

If it's only a hunting gun and you've already determined the model, well, I guess I'd go with the .54.

 

[Black Jack]

Another vote for the .54. Bigger bore equals (a little) less gun weight, a little more punch.

 

[jethro224]

The .50 is more than sufficient for your purposes.
That said, get the .54 . :thumbsup:

 

[necchi]

The .50 is more than sufficient for your purposes.
That said, get the .54 . :thumbsup:

Nuff said!
There's just something cool about shooting a ball bigger then a 1/2" across.

 

[MC One Shot]

I have MLs in both and have taken all big game with them. I have taken moose and bear with .50 at closer ranges but the .54 has more energy and does a better job. The .50 works well for deer and smaller. I recommend the .54 for game larger than deer. The .50 is capable of taking bigger game with a well placed shot but the .54 does it a little better. Plus the .54 will also take deer and smaller game just as well as the .50.
Ask yourself what game you will be hunting the most and pick your caliber accordingly.

Good luck and good hunting.....

 

[Don Steele]

I don't know what other muzzleloaders you already have, if any..so this might not apply but since you asked I'm going to go ahead and tell you:
First: I have killed a small whitetail at a measured 100 yd. range with iron sights. Standing still...broadside... One shot..dropped in his tracks. I only took that shot because I knew the range having paced it off when setting up my stand so no range "guesstimation" was involved. So yes....50 will work if you know what you're doing, and have a perfect setup.
At closer ranges...20-40 yds. The 50 cal. PRB is absolutely a proven Whitetail killer with NO problems.
All that said...Back in the mid-1970's, when I bought my first muzzleloader, if I knew then what I know now, I would have bought a .54 to hunt deer and hogs...then added a .32,.36.or .40 for small game and targets. IMHO .50 is enough... .54 is better.

 

[Rat Trapper]

A 50 will work, but a 54 is better.

 

[fleener]

I have several .54's no .50's.

Fleener

 

[daniel collums]

when all i had were .45 and .50's i wanted .54 now that i have all 3 and know what each will do i don't think to much about the cal. but the fit of the rifle and how good i can hit . The .54 has more power and in the same type rifle will be just a tad lighter. When i am hunting if i take one of the .50's and a big pig comes by i don't worry about if it will do the job, but when i am sitting there holding the .45 i know my shot has to be a perfect head or heart shot or be ready to do some tracking. one big black boar i hit with the .45 took the ball and left with it so fast i didn't even see which way he went. others hit with the .45 hit the ground like they were hit by a bolt of lighten. So .45, .50 or .54 shot placement is really all that matters, a bad hit with a .54 means a long tracking job or lost game.

 

[will5a1]

I have had GPR's in both calibers and sold off the .50's, the .54 has, for me, better balance (the barrel is lighter and I like the extra mass of the larger bullet.

 

[Elkeater]

54

 

[BrownBear]

I have both, and for me the balance is considerably better (for my taste) in the 54. Yeah, the bigger ball sezz it would be better than the smaller too, but it comes down to balance when I'm picking one or the other to carry.

BTW- If you get one and decide you'd rather have the other, Lyman sells replacement barrels in both calibers as well as versions with faster twist for conicals.

 

[airborne1]

Optional barrels is a plus! Thanks.

 

[Crewdawg445]

With a .54 there isn't any game here in the states it won't take... Go .54 and call it a day, easy decision! :thumbsup:

Also .54's tend to balance better and are lighter.

 

[galamb]

I don't think elk will ever be a consideration. I was just wondering if a hunter does his part, and the longest distance will be100 yards, is the .50 caliber sufficient.

I hunt Ontario Whitetails with a 38 cal - so a 50 is like a Howitzer in comparison.