choosing a caliber

[Matt85]

im in the process of saving money for a custom or semi-custom Jaeger rifle. but, i have a few details i havent figured out yet and a big one is caliber. im torn between the 58 or the 62 and i just cant seem to make up my mind.

the rifle will be primarily used for targets and deer. but i have coeworkers who hunt black bear and id like to get in on that someday aswell.

which would you prefer and why? thanks

 

[William O.]

Either caliber is going to work for your intended purpose but I would choose the .58 to save a little on powder and lead costs.

 

[roundball]

Personal opinion, I'd get the .58cal.

A .570"/279grn ball will take almost anything on the continent, certainly game like a black bear.
Plenty of power, better trajectory at distance than the larger / heavier .600"/325grn ball.

Both balls are pretty big for target practice, but IMO, the .58cal wins again as it would be a little better on the wallet and the shoulder for range sessions.

 

[BrownBear]

Plenty of power, better trajectory at distance than the larger / heavier .600"/325grn ball.

I agree in your preference for the 58. To get sufficiently flat trajectory for my needs out to 100 yards I need around 110 grains of 2f with the 58 cal. For approximately the same trajectory I have to load 140-150 grains of 2f behind the ball in my 62. Considering both the ball weight and the extra charge, the extra recoil is really noticeable. I haven't shot enough game with either 58 or 62 using those loads to swear on a bible, but I don't really see any "improvement" from the bigger ball on game.

Opening a real can of worms for some folks, I'd go so far as recommending a 1:48 twist in either cal for the broad range of uses you contemplate. Lots of originals were 1:48, and in my experience really slow twists just don't like light powder charges for plinking, target and small game. But at 1:48 mine sing with the lighter charges as well as with the heavies.

Maybe that's why so many originals were made with similar "intermediate" twists, if I can use that term. It's my understanding that those guys had one powder measure, using a single scoop for general shooting and a double scoop when they needed more range or power. Sure works that way for me in my 1:48 barrels. That's a pretty unpopular thought with the slow twist crowd, but it works for me. And yes, I have the slow twist guns too and have made the comparisons.

 

[necchi]

Another vote for the 58,
We hunt Black bear here in Minn, and a 50 with a hunting load is plenty

 

[Matt85]

i should mention, i do have a 50 cal rifle aswell. the Jaeger will be more of a hunting rifle then a target rifle. but i love shooting all year round, so it will serve as a target rifle aswell.

 

[jethro224]

I'd go with the .62 just because it's Jaeger. Or maybe .69. :hmm:

:stir: :wink:

 

[buttonbuck]

Bob Hoyt was recommending 1 in 56 or 1 in 48 for my project of refreshening a pitted TC barrel. going from 56 to 62 cal. I went with 1 in 66 because I was intending to go with a charge around 100 grains. I am good out to 50 yards so far approaching 75. I have not shot a 58 yet. I like the 54 as well. SO...maybe the next trashed barrel I run across will become a 58.

 

[biliff]

.58 works fine on bear (ask me how I know). I use mine as my primary monthly bullseye match rifle as well as a hunting rifle. 1/56 twist rate. 70 grains fffg Goex out to 75yds. 90 grains for 100 yds to bring up the POI. If you build your custom Jaeger with an additional flip up sight you could stick with a single powder charge.

 

[dyemaker]

Not to slight anyone's rifle but... I would suggest a 1:72 twist rate for .58 or bigger for hunting. Forgive me but I think maybe a younger percussion jaeger with a tang sight might be worth considering also. just a thought.

 

[Matt85]

dyemaker, i will most likely be using a Rice Jaeger barrel which usually have 1-72 twists for 58 and 62 cal. as for it being a flintlock, i already have a couple percusion rifles and pistols its time for something new.

 

[asbrown]

One more vote for the 58, Hornady makes a swaged ball for the 58 but not the 62. Makes getting a "perfect" ball much easier.

 

[Rat Trapper]

If you are going big, then I'd also go with the 58. Brown Bear has a good point regarding twist.

 

[Lonegun1894]

I would go with the .58 just to save on powder and lead, because I think it is big enough for just about anything in North America. As to ball availability, I would say just buy a mould and cast your own. You will spend much more buying balls than you will casting them, except for the initial purchase of the mould itself. Moulds start at about $20 for the Lee brand, and go up from there, so you might look around and see which you like, if you're interested. also, casting them, you know that every single ball is from the same mould and if anything is off, you have no one but yourself to blame. Just because the box of balls you buy says they are .570" diameter, doesn't mean they all actually are if you were to measure them. Try it and see if you dont believe me sometime. I used to buy all my own, and the vast majority of balls were what the box said, but got enough bad boxes (and got tired of having to beg my local shop at the time to stock them) that I just bought a mould and have never looked back. My accuracy has increased, as has my consistency, while my shooting costs have decreased (per shot anyway, as I still spend about the same money, just shoot many more shots for the same cost).

 

[Rifleman1776]

Anything larger than .50 cal. is gross overkill for paper and deer.
A .54 will drop anything on the continent although I would not use for big griz.
Another consideration these days is lead and powder availabilty and cost.
Twist is a never ending debate. My .54 is a 1:72 and requires heavy charges for accuracy. I suggest a 1:66 for more versatility. That in anything .50 or larger and it would work with a .45.

 

[roundball]

Different ways to get lead balls:
1) Hornady / Speer / Buffalo Bullet brand swaged balls...very expensive;
2) Cast your own...time, space, fumes, initial investment;
3) Buy commercially cast balls;

When Hornady / Speer prices went through the roof I started using a commercial caster that Birddog6 posted about...been using Eddie May for a few years now in several calibers.
His prices are 1/2 to 2/3rds the price of cast balls at BP supply houses and brought my overall cost down close enough that I decided against getting set up / involved with casting my own...so it's another option for you.

Eddie May Cast Round Balls
159 Ridley Rd.
Chatsworth, GA. 30705
706-581-8225
"Best Quality Round Balls, Minnie, Rifle Bullets and Modern Cast Bullets...Please Call or Write to place Order"
(Eddie does not have a website so I've always just called him)

PS: Very reasonable shipping:
Regardless if I've bought 500, 1000, 4000 quantities in different calibers, he simply packs them up in a Post Office Flat Rate carton for about $11 bucks.

 

[DEWB]

Never had a .62 but I have 3 .58's. 1 has a 1-72 and the others have 1-66 twist. I like the 1-66 twist better. My newphew and I were in colorado a couple years ago muley hunting. We needed to unload our rifles one night to clean them so we shot into a tree. Both guns were .58 and used the same ball,patch,lube and powder charge. The only difference was the gun I was using had a 33" 1-66 twist and the other gun had a 32" 1-72 twist. After we unloading we looked at the tree. The ball from the 1-66 barrel penatrated much deeper than the other ball from the 1-72 twist barrel. I don't know if it was just a fluke or what and I know more testing would have to be done to be sure but it seems like I would of had to use more powder to get the same results out of the 1-72 barrel than the 1-66. Wandering if any of you all have found simular results? Charge was 120 grns.

 

[rkite]

My buddies use .58 and .62. Both are sufficient for black bear. The vitals are farther forward on a bear so you should aim even with the front leg not behind it like you do on deer. It is amazing the exit hole a .62 makes on deer. You can nearly look right through it. With the .62 you will need to mold your own balls. Many original .58 rifles used 1/48 twist cause they shot mini balls which require a faster twist than a round ball barrel. 1/66 or slower twist for large caliber round ball barrels. 1/72 twist will work great.

 

[MJMarkey]

I'll vote for the .58 if those are your only choices. But if you really want my opinion I'd go with a .50. Again less lead and powder costs and a little flatter trajectory. I think a .50 is just about the perfect round ball caliber. Just my opinion.