Fav Loads for T/C 54 Renegade?

[Quirt Evans]

I've seen Bill in Oregon's thread on the T/C Hawkin in 50 so it prompted me to also leverage the tacit knowledge data base here regarding favorite round ball and conical for the T/C Renegade in 1:48 twist.

Suggestions?

 

[cowpoke1955]

If it counts, I have a .54 T/C Hawken, with a 28" 1 in 48 twist barrel, that loved 80 grains of FFg Goex behind a 380 grain Lee REAL bullet.

 

[buttonbuck]

I see your 80 gr. 3f REAL load with a wonder wad, and raise you a 530 round ball with a .018 patch and 60 grain of 3f, The Real and RB hit almost in the same place. With a tc 54 cal renegade

 

[mloader40]

My .54 cal T/C Renegade likes a .535rd,.017 ticking patch with 80 grains 2f Goex, accurate and drops deer fast.
BPWRL

 

[Quirt Evans]

Thanks guys! Keep them loads reciepes coming along!

Did I mess up by getting some .530 r/balls and .15 patches then? Too loose?

 

[roundball]

.530/.015"s are nominal sizes that should fit and shoot well in any typical .54cal bore.
A tighter .018" pillow ticking usually tightens a group up a little, usually reduces fouling a little.

My .54cal RB hunting load is:
90grns Goex 3F
Oxyoke prelubed wad
.018" prelubed pillow ticking
Hornady .530

 

[Dillohide]

My Renegade 26" 1-48 barrel shoots .530 RB with .18 ticking patch (also does ok with the .15 patch) and 80 grains ffg real well. For over 100 yards the 425 grain Great Plains bullet with 100 to 110 grains ffg is the most accurate load but it will put a bruise on your face if you shoot it to much. I just got a Green Mountain 54 Cal 1-70 RB barrel to drop in but haven't shot it yet. Have got to change out that bead sight Green Mountain uses. I've found the Brockman's .125 wide Patridge sight filed down a little works real well for my far sighted eyes.

 

[Quirt Evans]

For over 100 yards the 425 grain Great Plains bullet with 100 to 110 grains ffg is the most accurate load but it will put a bruise on your face if you shoot it to much. quote]

Question about the Great Plain bullet - I'm assuming you're referring to the Hornady bullets?

If so, do they need to be lubed are do they come lubed? How do you use them? Just seat onto top of your powder load and go?

Q

 

[paulvallandigham]

Unless you are shotoing Elk, or bear, or large Wild Boar, there is no reason to be using a conical in your gun. Those barrels come in about a 32 inch length, and it will only burn 90 grains of powder efficiently. Use a RB, and the load that RoundBall has recommended above. He's been shooting that load for years, from a variety of rifles, and he knows those guns.

If you absolutely have to beat your shoulder to death with a 100 or 120 grain powder charge and a 425 grain bullet, then by all means use some kind of OP wad between the powder and the bullet to protect the bottom of the bullet.

By way of comparison, remember that the .50-70 cargridge, which shot a 550 grain bullet, in front of 70 grains of BP killed buffalo all day long with the bullets completely penetrating both sides of the animals. The .45-70 used the same powder charge behind a .458 diameter bullet that weighed 405 grains. It also was famous, and remains famous for its ability to take all manner of game. There were documented accounts of the .45-70 bullet killing three hostile Indians in fire fights, when the three were all in a single file when the gun was fired.

On the other side, there are very few .54 caliber Round ball, which weight 230 grain, or more than 1/2 an oz. recovered from any deer shot with that caliber out to 100 yards. And the RB are a lot cheaper to shoot.

 

[Dillohide]

Yes I was referring to the Hornady Great Plains bullet and they come pre-lubed. This barrel and frame was designed with conicles in mind however paulvallandigham is right, it is pretty strong for deer. It will reach past 100 yards however. I do not use anything between the bullet and powder with 110 grains powder and my bullets will touch or come close at 100 yards as long as I can hold the same sight picture. Very accurate just tough on your jaw from the bench ... not in the field.

 

[Protrucker]

Hornady swaged .530 round ball, 80gr Goex FFg, & pillow ticking patch. Works good for me. All the penetration you need.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I am sure that with large powder charges, that these soft lead bullets will expand and give very good accuracy. However, the target shoots prove time and again that you get even better accuracy if you protect that bullet's base with a OP wad. Accuracy is very dependent on the release of the bullet at the muzzle. That is why the condition and shape of the crown of the muzzle is so important. If either the crown is cocked, or chipped, or the bullet base is nicked, or broken, or crooked, the bullet is going somewhere other than where the gun is aimed. This is true for all bullet guns, BP and Smokeless. Harry Pope, the famous Barrel Maker proved all this with his barrels.

 

[Quirt Evans]

Forgive my ignorance this ML stuff is all new too me...what kind of OP wad do you recommend...never tried one and don't even know what to get...suggestions?

I realize I need to get one sized to my caliber but are they dry, lubed, and do they vary in thickness like wads used in BPCR?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Quirt: Circle fly makes OP wads,which are sold by many of the suppliers. I recommend the 1/8" thick cardboard wads. Check Track of the Wolf's site and catalogue for a look at what they appear. There are also the fiber wads sold by Walter's. They are about half the thickness and seem to work well in my .50 cal. rifle. My .50 cal. wads are .510 in diameter. I would expect the .54 cal. wads to measure either .550 or .560" in diameter, as they are probably sold for both .54 cal. rifles, and 28 gauge smoothbore guns.

I use the Circle fly wads in my 20 ga./.62 smoothbore.

 

[Quirt Evans]

Cool...thanks...then I know exactly what you're talking about because I already have some for my BPCR's I use for PP and Grease Groove bullets.

I'll give them a try.

 

[Rat Trapper]

Round ball,
Are you using bore butter for lube??

 

[Rat Trapper]

RMC now owns Oxyoke orginals and they make lubed and unlubed felt wads. They also make the TC bore buttons for TC. In my TC Hawken 54 cal the following loads work well: Hornady great plains 390 grain HP bullet, 120 grains triple seven, TC bore button over powder and CCI #11 mag caps. I have not shot very many round balls out of this rifle, but this showed some promise: Hornady .530 RB, 100 grains American pioneer 2f, TC bore button over powder, .015 oxyoke prelubed patch. Both loads will shoot under an inch at 50 yds. I have shot a number of deer with the great plains bullet and they perform excellent.

 

[Galen Futtrell]

renegade G/R 54 32" I IN 70 73GR. TRIPPLE 7 3f 530 BALL,15PILLOW TIC. WILL FLAT CLOVER LEAF 50 YDS. have 54 t/c 1 IN 48 will do the same thing same load. go figure. :hmm: