Barrel twist for deer hunting

[justinoldguy]

Good insight. So you'd recommend a lower twist rate with a PRB in a .54 caliber because you can load them hotter and get better energy down range without the recoil of a conical while maintaining accuracy? Where do mini balls fit into the discussion. Are those the same as the conical/great plains you mentioned in the post?

With a slower twist rate, you can load "hotter" and still maintain accuracy with a PRB. Every rifle I own with a 1 in 48" twist will not shoot a PRB at any velocity over 1550 fps. Other fellas report they get good accuracy with more energetic loads, but that is my experience in my rifles. With the slower twist rate, I can launch prb's at 2000+ fps and maintain accuracy. However, I don't use that heavy of a load for hunting, having just done it on occasion to see what is possible. I rarely use more than 60 grains, and 70 grains is really pushing it. In my long barreled .54's, I get 1750 fps with 70 grains (60 gr. 1600 fps) of Swiss 3f, which is more than plenty. I have killed a lot of deer with my 1 in 48" Investarms "Hawken" in .54, using only 60 grains of powder for about 1500 fps. In my 10.5 lb. Pedersoli RMH (1 in 65") I do shoot 90 grains of Swiss 3f to get 1900 fps, as the weight of the rifle makes recoil more tolerable. If I was to go after bigger game than deer, that would be my choice. The Hornady Great Plains Bullet in .54 shot well in most of my rifles using moderate powder charges. It is (or was, as it is no longer produced) a solid base bullet, unlike a hollow based Minie. I have never shot a Minie in .54, but have fired a bunch of .58 Minie's in my original Civil War era muskets with good results. As far as effect on game, I place myself in position to get very close shots, and in my experience the PRB's kill every bit as good, if not better than conicals. Perhaps at longer ranges, 100 yards or more, the conicals would be more effective, but that is not my way of hunting. Nowadays, I am a one buck a year deer hunter, my latest taken a few weeks ago at just over 20 yards. The .530 PRB smacked him right down propelled by the aforementioned 60 grain Swiss 3f charge.

 

[mtelkdeer]

With a slower twist rate, you can load "hotter" and still maintain accuracy with a PRB. Every rifle I own with a 1 in 48" twist will not shoot a PRB at any velocity over 1550 fps. Other fellas report they get good accuracy with more energetic loads, but that is my experience in my rifles. With the slower twist rate, I can launch prb's at 2000+ fps and maintain accuracy. However, I don't use that heavy of a load for hunting, having just done it on occasion to see what is possible. I rarely use more than 60 grains, and 70 grains is really pushing it. In my long barreled .54's, I get 1750 fps with 70 grains (60 gr. 1600 fps) of Swiss 3f, which is more than plenty. I have killed a lot of deer with my 1 in 48" Investarms "Hawken" in .54, using only 60 grains of powder for about 1500 fps. In my 10.5 lb. Pedersoli RMH (1 in 65") I do shoot 90 grains of Swiss 3f to get 1900 fps, as the weight of the rifle makes recoil more tolerable. If I was to go after bigger game than deer, that would be my choice. The Hornady Great Plains Bullet in .54 shot well in most of my rifles using moderate powder charges. It is (or was, as it is no longer produced) a solid base bullet, unlike a hollow based Minie. I have never shot a Minie in .54, but have fired a bunch of .58 Minie's in my original Civil War era muskets with good results. As far as effect on game, I place myself in position to get very close shots, and in my experience the PRB's kill every bit as good, if not better than conicals. Perhaps at longer ranges, 100 yards or more, the conicals would be more effective, but that is not my way of hunting. Nowadays, I am a one buck a year deer hunter, my latest taken a few weeks ago at just over 20 yards. The .530 PRB smacked him right down propelled by the aforementioned 60 grain Swiss 3f charge.

Thank you. With elk on a late season tag I’m trying to get a setup cable of 150 and under. I’ve hunted elk lots on late rifle hunts and it would be a fun challenge to get within that range. Most of my shots with a rifle on a late hunt have been much further but I’m interested in MZ hunting for the challenge of getting close and hunting late season. It’s just a little different than the Midwest woods I grew up hunting deer out of a stand and I’m trying to respect that fact in getting a setup capable at a reasonable range. I like the simplicity of a highly effective, available round ball setup. Appreciate the response.

 

[Ditt44]

With a slower twist rate, you can load "hotter" and still maintain accuracy with a PRB. Every rifle I own with a 1 in 48" twist will not shoot a PRB at any velocity over 1550 fps. Other fellas report they get good accuracy with more energetic loads, but that is my experience in my rifles. With the slower twist rate, I can launch prb's at 2000+ fps and maintain accuracy. However, I don't use that heavy of a load for hunting, having just done it on occasion to see what is possible. I rarely use more than 60 grains, and 70 grains is really pushing it. In my long barreled .54's, I get 1750 fps with 70 grains (60 gr. 1600 fps) of Swiss 3f, which is more than plenty. I have killed a lot of deer with my 1 in 48" Investarms "Hawken" in .54, using only 60 grains of powder for about 1500 fps.

My Pedersoli Scout in .50 with 60 grains Swiss 3F, .490 ball and .010 patch gets me an average of 1550 FPS. Plenty of speed and a very accurate rifle for a 1:48 barrel and round ball ;p It shot so well with the .010 patch that I never bothered trying anything thicker but I have to wonder how well it would do with a .012 or .015, but it's already touching holes at 50 yards.

OP: Find something you fancy. She has to be accurate but pretty goes a long way too I like the idea of the .54 for Elk and it's well more than enough for whitetail. The only reason to get a .50 now is to have a 'need' for a .54 later. That's what I think we call a win-win... depending on the potential of 'wife-is interrupt-is'... that's Latin for "No toys for you".

 

[Patched]

With a slower twist rate, you can load "hotter" and still maintain accuracy with a PRB. Every rifle I own with a 1 in 48" twist will not shoot a PRB at any velocity over 1550 fps. Other fellas report they get good accuracy with more energetic loads, but that is my experience in my rifles. With the slower twist rate, I can launch prb's at 2000+ fps and maintain accuracy. However, I don't use that heavy of a load for hunting, having just done it on occasion to see what is possible. I rarely use more than 60 grains, and 70 grains is really pushing it. In my long barreled .54's, I get 1750 fps with 70 grains (60 gr. 1600 fps) of Swiss 3f, which is more than plenty. I have killed a lot of deer with my 1 in 48" Investarms "Hawken" in .54, using only 60 grains of powder for about 1500 fps. In my 10.5 lb. Pedersoli RMH (1 in 65") I do shoot 90 grains of Swiss 3f to get 1900 fps, as the weight of the rifle makes recoil more tolerable. If I was to go after bigger game than deer, that would be my choice. The Hornady Great Plains Bullet in .54 shot well in most of my rifles using moderate powder charges. It is (or was, as it is no longer produced) a solid base bullet, unlike a hollow based Minie. I have never shot a Minie in .54, but have fired a bunch of .58 Minie's in my original Civil War era muskets with good results. As far as effect on game, I place myself in position to get very close shots, and in my experience the PRB's kill every bit as good, if not better than conicals. Perhaps at longer ranges, 100 yards or more, the conicals would be more effective, but that is not my way of hunting. Nowadays, I am a one buck a year deer hunter, my latest taken a few weeks ago at just over 20 yards. The .530 PRB smacked him right down propelled by the aforementioned 60 grain Swiss 3f charge.

I have 5 54 cal slow twist guns…. Shoot 60 grs under a roundball, easy on the shooter, the patches, the ball and the world at large…

I step up that charge to 120 grs with an over-powder felt wad under the tightly patched ball….the main reason for this is to flatten out my trajectory…I’m in Nevada…shots are most often 80 to 150 yards…

The real gain is the trajectory…drag on a RB is severe…so energy gains are minimal but the trajectory arc flattens enough to make a 125 yd shot if needed…( but nowadays tags are 1 every 3 years anyway)