OK I am quite sure 50, and 54 will kill deer. I am thinking on purchasing one other rifle. I have a TC Hawkens already and thinking on a Lyman Great Plains or Trader in percussion cap. New or used will be OK with me. My question what is the advantage of 54 over 50 or 50 over 54. I am not in a hurry to purchase I need to do my homework before I decided so all opinions are welcome.
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Caliber question on 50 -- 54
- Thread starter Ole Mule
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Shot lots of deer with both, and it always "seems" the deer go down a little quicker, especially as the range stretches past 50 yards, using the 54. Very subjective, because I don't feel like they die any too slow with the 50 either.
Haven't shot elk with them myself, but guests on our place have killed several with each. Long and short of it, the guys with the 50's are all shooting 54's now.
Though I'd use something even bigger for moose, I'd surely pick a 54 over a 50 if I only had the two. Lots of moose killed up here every year with both, but the guys packing 50's are almost all stuffing conicals rather than RBs, while most guys using 54's are using RBs.
One measurable difference I notice, and my wife notices even more, in identical models the 54 is always a little lighter and a little less muzzle-heavy than the 50. For that reason my wife is a 54 shooter.
Haven't shot elk with them myself, but guests on our place have killed several with each. Long and short of it, the guys with the 50's are all shooting 54's now.
Though I'd use something even bigger for moose, I'd surely pick a 54 over a 50 if I only had the two. Lots of moose killed up here every year with both, but the guys packing 50's are almost all stuffing conicals rather than RBs, while most guys using 54's are using RBs.
One measurable difference I notice, and my wife notices even more, in identical models the 54 is always a little lighter and a little less muzzle-heavy than the 50. For that reason my wife is a 54 shooter.
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OleMule,
You might look at even smaller caliber ML rifles for WT & smaller game. ======> My first cousin, Randy W. B__________, has taken numerous deer, coyotes, feral pigs & other medium/small game with his .42caliber TN flintlock rifle.
(Randy is a MUCH better shot than I am.- FACT.)
yours, satx
You might look at even smaller caliber ML rifles for WT & smaller game. ======> My first cousin, Randy W. B__________, has taken numerous deer, coyotes, feral pigs & other medium/small game with his .42caliber TN flintlock rifle.
(Randy is a MUCH better shot than I am.- FACT.)
yours, satx
50 is plenty to take down deer and uses leas lead and powder. 54 is a good choice also just uses a little more lead and powder.
And the .50 is a little flatter shooting. Some have argued it is the best balance between inherent accuracy, efficiency, comfortable recoil, and effectiveness within typical ranges up to medium game.
I gravitiate towards .50 rifles as my go-to and 20 ga. fowlers but shoot longarms from .45 to .77.
Elk and bigger I'd probably up-scale (as in .30-06 Ackley Improved)!
I gravitiate towards .50 rifles as my go-to and 20 ga. fowlers but shoot longarms from .45 to .77.
Elk and bigger I'd probably up-scale (as in .30-06 Ackley Improved)!
nchawkeye
58 Cal.
.54...Because like us up here in North Carolina you guys have swamps and thick cutovers down there...A bigger hole puts a little more blood on the ground... 
AZbpBurner
54 Cal.
I have 2 - .50 cal rifles and a .54. The .50's do shoot with a little less ball drop out a little farther, but they took more work to find the optimum load for accuracy.
The .54, on the other hand shoots accurately with a little wider powder charge range.
I initially got my .50 flint because it was the only option available at the time, and the ol' tome about cheaper to shoot due to less powder and lead was fed to me.
Given a do-over, I'd get that flint in .54 cal. and maybe wait to get one in .50 sometime later.
The .54, on the other hand shoots accurately with a little wider powder charge range.
I initially got my .50 flint because it was the only option available at the time, and the ol' tome about cheaper to shoot due to less powder and lead was fed to me.
Given a do-over, I'd get that flint in .54 cal. and maybe wait to get one in .50 sometime later.
I've used a .54 PRB for deer and elk and also have used the .50 w/ a conical for both. The conical for deer isn't necessary, but is for elk....the developed .50 conical elk load was just "handy" for deer.
Neglecting the few more pennies to shoot a .54 VS a .50, I'd opt for the .54. The trajectory for the .50 VS the .54 could be the same....depends on how much powder is used. My .54 PRB elk load is 120 grs 3f and has a low mid-range height. This rifle has shot an adult elk at 107 yds w/o any guesswork...zero was 100 yds. This rifle has also shot a few elk at shorter ranges...all travelled a short distance after the shot.
Although I am enthused w/ the .54, the .50 w/ a PRB would do quite nicely on deer....Fred
Neglecting the few more pennies to shoot a .54 VS a .50, I'd opt for the .54. The trajectory for the .50 VS the .54 could be the same....depends on how much powder is used. My .54 PRB elk load is 120 grs 3f and has a low mid-range height. This rifle has shot an adult elk at 107 yds w/o any guesswork...zero was 100 yds. This rifle has also shot a few elk at shorter ranges...all travelled a short distance after the shot.
Although I am enthused w/ the .54, the .50 w/ a PRB would do quite nicely on deer....Fred
I was looking for particular components in a rifle, simple but accurate. I would have taken a .50 or a .54, but the one I found was in .54. I have no regrets. As long as you get a good quality rifle, either caliber will serve you. I have found that .50 though is so popular, that toward the end of the hunting season, .530 round ball is easier for me to find.
LD
LD
Easy solution. Buy one of each. What caliber is your other? Do you want to stay the same or try something else assuming you already have one of these calibers? If you have one in this caliber you are already set.
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IF you are married to a blond, you could try to convince him/her that "The One Gun a Month" law means that you MUST buy a gun each month.
yours, satx
yours, satx
I have both .50 and .54 rifles and I like my .50's better. Can't say exactly why, just that I do.
cowpoke1955
58 Cal.
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You don't have to buy one of each. Get a .54 and if you are bot happy with that, just get a .50 caliber barrel for it. You will find followers for each caliber. I am a .54 lover. I bought my first muzzle loader in 1980, a .54 GPR percussion. It will shoot one ragged hole groupa at 50 yards. I still have that rifle and it remains trouble free. When I retired, my wife bought me a .54 GPR flint kit. For kicks one day, I benched that .54 gpr flinter at 100 yards. I was amazed that some groups were as small as 3/4 inches, center to center. But, when it comes down to caliber, I think it's more of a personal taste. The GPR is a great rifle :thumbsup:
Kylongrifle
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Ive always enjoyed shooting both..Ive owned several .50's and a T/C hawkin .54..Im down to two .50's and Im getting ready to pick up a nice renegade in .54..I really miss my .54.
hanshi
Cannon
Truth be told, you don't need anything over .45 caliber and prb to be sure of success killing whitetail deer. I've killed oodles (a technical term used by scientists) of deer with two different .45s and a heap (another technical term) of deer with various .50s. I've only killed one deer with a .54 so am not qualified to comment on it - the .62 smoothbore and prb is in a class by itself. My go to deer rifle is now another .50 x 38" swamped barrel longrifle. It weighs (just guessing) around 6.5 lbs. Just thought I'd chime in with a little food for thought. :thumbsup:
Kylongrifle
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My dad did all his hunting(smpokepole) with a cva Kentucky rifle he built from a kit in .45. you all remember the ones? with the brass spacer in the stock :grin: He hunted squirrel and deer with it.
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Ole Mule said:
Heck, I even shoot snowshoe hare with my 58 calibers and 62 calibers! (As well as with 50 and 54 caliber, plus 30, 32 and 36 caliber).
With all of them, from 30 cal (.290 ball) to 62 caliber (.610 ball) there's two secrets:
Numero Uno- Hit em where the meat isn't. Head shooting only for me.
Numero Dos- Drop your powder charge waaaay down. Save money while you're getting your favorite "big game" rifle in the field for a lot more days a year.
Some states have max cals for small game, but I'm not saddled that way up here.
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