60 or 100 grain?

[TribalSmoke]

Im a newbie to this and im going to the range in a few days to shoot for the first time with my newly aquired lyman gpr .54 cal. should i go straight to 100 gr or start off at 60?

 

[Rebel]

Why would you think that 100 grs is the place to start? Start at 60 and work up 10 gr at a time, after firing a few 5 shot groups with each load, until you find the most accurate load. You really don't need 100 grs of powder to target shoot or hunt with. 80 grs is really enough unless your rifle will only shoot accurately with more.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Rebel's got it right! Start with a little more than 1 grain per caliber, then work it up to say 80 grains, then go slow: 85, 90, etc. and watch if the groups spread out some.

You are the only one that will know what your rifle likes, and how it hits at different charge levels :wink: .

Dave

 

[bucktales]

What they said.
When I dialed in my GPR .54, I ended up with a hunting load of 80gr fffg. This pushes a .530 rb with .015 prelubed patch. That's plenty enough to dump a deer in these parts.

Almost forgot, Welcome. Keep reading and you'll have this figured out in no time.

 

60 is a little anemic for a .54...I'd start around 70-75 gr and experiment in 5 gr increments. Also, I use ffg, but many here use fffg--some rifles like ffg better.

 

[Zonie]

As your new to shooting your .54, here are a few quick things to remember:

Don't use pelleted powder. Only loose powder will work well.

If your using a roundball, a .530 or .535 diameter one is right for your gun.

Use patches that are .012-.018 thick.

Before loading, with the gun pointed downrange from the firing line, pop a couple of caps on the nipple to clear the flame channel of oil etc.

Put the patch lube on the side that will be against the bore. Don't use too much.

Before pouring the powder into the bore, make sure the nipple is uncapped and the hammer is at half-cock.

After pouring the powder into the bore and before ramming the patched ball, rap the side of the stock in the area of the breech a couple of times with your hand.

Most folks find that using a short starter to start the patched ball into the bore is a good idea.

When ramming the patched ball, do it in short incriments. Do not grab the ramrod more than 12 inches above the muzzle or you may break it and drive the splintered end thru your hand.

If your gun mis-fires keep it pointed downrange.
Remove the nipple and pour some loose powder into the hole working in as much as you can. Replace the nipple, recap and then fire.
This will either fire the main charge or it will blow the ball out of the barrel if you forgot to pour the main charge in (we've all done that).

"Setting" the rear trigger makes the front trigger a "hair trigger".

Clean your gun as soon as you get home. All Black Powders and their substitutes fouling will rapidly rust the bore.

Have fun!
zonie

 

[roundball]

Im a newbie to this and im going to the range in a few days to shoot for the first time with my newly aquired lyman gpr .54 cal. should i go straight to 100 gr or start off at 60?

Depends on what you're wanting to do...I use a charge of 50grns Goex 3F for 25-50 yard targets and plinking on the weekends...90grns for deer hunting.

Just starting out and getting used to the rifle, 50-60grns 3F is plenty for range sessions...if you're planning to use it for deer hunting this fall/winter, you can make a range trip a couple weeks before the season opens to make any final adjustments using a hunting load based upon the game you'll be hunting and the average shot distances, etc.

 

[BrownBear]

My 54 GPR is real proud of 60 grains. It is a good break in charge, and just might turn out to be your best target/plinking load. In my fairly extensive use of my GPR however, I found 60 grains a little too heavy for small game and a little too light for deer and such. I settled on 30-35 grains for head shooting snowshoe hare and 80-90 grains for large game. Still shoot a whole lot of 60 grain charges, though.

 

To add a little confusion, and hopefully some insight to the discussion. I agree on the 35 to 80 grain load range for different purposes. But know this, while some will pattern well at 25, and 50 yards, they may be all over the place at 75, and 100 yards with the same charge, and patch combo. So it really gets down to range time, and seeing what your rifle likes, and will do with different loads, Thats why a lot of us use a notebook at the range to record what happens. You will probably come up with two or three loads you will use. That's all part of the fun with this hobby, whether it's building, target shooting, hunting, trekking, or reinacting. There is just so much to learn, and share. Get some real black, and make lots of smoke, and share what you find. We just gave you a general starting point. Leave the 100 plus grain loads for the guys with those inlineys, who think they have powder to burn. :rotf:

Bill

Mayor of Nagasaki's last words--What the He77 was that Noise!

 

[Morgana918]

As I am new to the art of BP shooting, this question will prove usefull. Thanks for asking this. I just have to get a gun to shoot with now... happy shootin'. Let us know what you work out.

 

60 is a little anemic for a .54...I'd start around 70-75 gr and experiment in 5 gr increments. Also, I use ffg, but many here use fffg--some rifles like ffg better.

I guess I assumed he was looking for a hunting load. 60 gr may be a good close range target load, I don't know. I typically do not change loads for different ranges, but rather find the most accurate load at say 50 yds, then learn where to hold for other ranges. But I am not primarily a target shooter. I do not consider the .54 a small game rifle, therefore have had no interest in small game loads for it. Do you folks really smack poor little bunnies and tree rats with those howitzers? :surrender:

 

[MikeChapin]

It depends on what you want to use the rifle for. If it is mostly target work I would start in the 40-45 grain range. If it is primarily for hunting start a little higher.

I use my rifles for both. I usually have a lighter load for 25 and 50 yard target work. I then stoke it up to get the same point of impact at 100 yards. That's what I use for 100 yard target and hunting.

I have a .53 that will cloverleaf at 50 yards off the bench with 50 grains FFFg. For 100 yards and hunting I use 80 grains FFFg. That load will keep everything inside 2 1/2" to 3". About as good as my eyes can do with open iron sights at that distance. That load will drop an elk within 100 yards. Have done it more than a few times.

No Mike I don't use the .53 on any kind of small critter no matter what the load. I always like to have a little to eat when I shoot them. :grin:

 

[BrownBear]

"Do you folks really smack poor little bunnies and tree rats with those howitzers?"

You bet, and it's the smartest thing you can do with your big bore rifles. I'd use a 75 too if I had one. No meat loss on head shots, traded off against many weeks each year of stalking and game shooting with your favorite big game rifle.

Bunny head shots make big game seem mighty big, and hitting them in the right spot is no problem. Sure I love shooting my 32s and 36s for bunnies, but I don't usually take them out till well after the venison is cut and frozen.

 

"Do you folks really smack poor little bunnies and tree rats with those howitzers?"

You bet, and it's the smartest thing you can do with your big bore rifles. I'd use a 75 too if I had one. No meat loss on head shots, traded off against many weeks each year of stalking and game shooting with your favorite big game rifle.

Bunny head shots make big game seem mighty big, and hitting them in the right spot is no problem. Sure I love shooting my 32s and 36s for bunnies, but I don't usually take them out till well after the venison is cut and frozen.

Hmmm, well, if I was running around in parts of Alaska, I'd tote a big bore rifle, too.

 

[longcruise]

Do you folks really smack poor little bunnies and tree rats with those howitzers?

Heck yes! And, grouse and ground squirrels too!

My .54 does way less damage than my .17 HMR :shocked2:

Gotta get those grouse and anything else you plan to eat right in the head or neck. No body shots!

 

[Zonie]

"...Gotta get those grouse and anything else you plan to eat right in the head or neck. No body shots! "
----------------
Oh, I don't know.
If you hit a squirrel in the middle with a .54 it skins and cleans them in an instant.
The meat falls while the hide gently floats to the ground. :rotf: :rotf: :grin:
zonie

 

[50cal.cliff]

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are! :wink: :grin: :blah: :youcrazy: :haha: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: