Anyone hunt with 54 cal round ball?

[gearheart]

Yep. 54 is good medicine 'cept maybe for grizz.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Can't remember the last time I killed a deer with a cartridge gun.

Funny..., now that you mention it..., I've never killed a deer with a cartridge/shell gun. :hmm:

LD

 

[roundball]

It isn't weather I will hunt with a .54 this year, rather will I hunt with the rifled .54 or the smooth-bored .54. Decisions, decisions...

LOL...I finally solved that dilemma by selling my .54cal rifle and have a beautiful, accurate .54cal Early Virginia smoothbore in its place...doves, deer, squirrels, and hope to add the turkey notch this coming spring.

 

[Bob J]

I hunt (and have taken) deer and hog with my .54 roundball flintlock. My hunting load is 90 grains 2f Goex.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Keeping in mind they call it 'hunt' and not harvest for a reason. :redface:
I have gone hunting a number of times with my .54 flinter but no critter has ever stepped in front of it and committed suicide for me. :wink:
I have successfully taken a number of deer with my .45 flinter in the past.
I went to a .54 because black bears and elk are now legal in Arkansas and I needed more gun.

 

[sb 54 cal.]

.54 smooth bore only way to go :grin: love it

 

[Silex]

I hear you! :wink:
Two years ago I was a cartridge guy and was converted to .50 cal cap. Only one deer stepped out and just the cap went pop...

Last year I got the .54 Smoothbore flint and this is what I hunted with ever since - but deer just don't want to cooperate. Just yesterday, made a nice plan for a breakaway after work. But seems like the deer had different plans... :grin:

Silex

 

[hoochiepapa]

.54 for deer and elk!

 

[hanshi]

I have and it knocks them down for the count.

 

[BrownBear]

I bounce around between 50, 54 and 58 for deer and have formed my own impressions. The 50 is the flattest shooting to 100 yards with my "usual" load of 80 grains of 3f, but snorting up the 54 (100-110 grains of 3f) to get the same trajectory is not especially uncomfortable on the shoulder even with the heavier ball (224 grains). Snort the 58 up enough to get the same trajectory (120-140 grains of 2f) with the heavier ball (279 grains vs 177 grains for a .490), and the butt is coming back with lots of authority.

That's all academic because I don't feel the need for the same trajectory when shooting inside 100 yards, as is my practice. My hunting load of 90 grains of 3f in one 54 (100 grains of 2f in another) is still plenty "flat" while appearing to hit game with more authority. I've only ever recovered one .530 ball, and that was after it broke a whole bunch of bone at 55 yards.

My usual hunting load with the 58 is between 90 and 110 grains of 2f, depending on the rifle. That's a little more loopy in reaching 100 yards, but still okay. It certainly lets you know it's not a 177 grain ball rolling down the bore, but not uncomfortable. It MOST CERTAINLY smacks deer a whole lot harder than either the 50 or 54 even at the lower vels.

Much as I love the 58, I'd probably go with the 54 if I had to pick one for all around.... And if I moved away from moose country. Just feel better about that 58 for moose, even if I know the 54 can be made to work.

 

[laufer]

.54 could be the best "one gun" choice for north america. i have used it on deer, elk, bear, beaver, coyote, bobcats, rabbits, worked fine on all.

 

[tryinhard]

What kind of range do you like with your 54? I figure anything inside 100yds would be fair game but discovered I needed more practice after 5 shots, yes 5 stinking reloads and the deer WALKED away. I was a little perturbed!

 

[gearheart]

Y'all need to get better acquainted with yer rifle.

 

[nchawkeye]

I've dropped them out to 125 yards with mine...

 

[Little Wattsy]

To 100 yards I'd as soon have my .54 as a .30-30