first shots fired from the 54... need some help

[new2bp]

BBTOH arrived and I was able to scoot home from helping Mom post-op (knee replacement) to grab it and have my kids help their granny while I hit the range. Got 10 rounds down the tube before a storm started up... And apparently I need more stuff.

Inexpensive plastic starter broke, definitely need second longer ram rod/cleaning rod. New starter (wood-n-brass) and new longer ramrod are on the way.

Still trying to get a good source for Maxi's without breaking the bank on shipping or having to order 300 of 'em at once...

 

[Rock Home Isle]

How did those 10 shots feel?

 

[new2bp]

How did those 10 shots feel?

Well, I only shot 5 of 'em - the son shot the others

But it shot well. Using the 225ish-grain round balls and 60gr 3Fg Schutzen recoil was pussy cat levels. Bumping the charge to 90gr let me know I was in fact shooting a .54 caliber.

Loading it was a royal pain - VERY tight at the muzzle, I'm hoping the cleaning it got earlier this evening will help cure that...

 

[SDSmlf]

BBTOH arrived and I was able to scoot home from helping Mom post-op (knee replacement) to grab it and have my kids help their granny while I hit the range. Got 10 rounds down the tube before a storm started up... And apparently I need more stuff.

Inexpensive plastic starter broke, definitely need second longer ram rod/cleaning rod. New starter (wood-n-brass) and new longer ramrod are on the way.

Still trying to get a good source for Maxi's without breaking the bank on shipping or having to order 300 of 'em at once...

Great that you got out shooting, now the real questions and learning will start. Nothing like some actual range time.

Ok,I haven’t found Maxis that hard to load but they can pound your shoulder. And your wallet if you are purchasing them and shooting a lot. You have a CVA Lynx, correct? The only one I helped someone setup I remember being a light, faster twist (1-32?) gun. You may want to do yourself a favor while learning the basics and try a patched roundball. Start at 25 or 50 yards with a 35 grain charge, then work your way up in 5 grain interments until you find the most accurate load. Your shoulder and wallet will thank you. Continue increasing the load until your groups open up. Hard to say when that happen in 1-32 bore, but may as well find out. Once you have the accurate load figured out, go back to it and practice. You need to work the kinks out as far as what you are doing.

Once you have confidence in your roundball load, repeat the process with the Maxis (I recommend the Maxi Hunter over the Maxi Ball for hunting) and maybe a few other bullets. You may want to try the Lee REAL or the Lee Mini. To save the wear and tare on your wallet you may want to consider a mold and casting your own if you want to shoot a lot.

Remember, to learn how to shoot a muzzleloader you don’t not have use heavy bullets and powder charges. Any hole will kill a paper target. Doesn’t matter how heavy it is or the speed it arrives at.

 

[deermanok]

Track of the Wolf would be a good source for bullets. Good prices and very reasonable shipping.
I only shoot round balls out of my 54. Can't beat the price on those.

 

[deermanok]

What size patches? Patch lube?

 

[Notchy Bob]

I don't know what a BBTOH is, so can't help with that.

I can tell you that nominal caliber is not always true to bore size. I have a Hawken built around a Green River Rifle Works .54 caliber barrel. These barrels were very nicely made but were frequently undersized. Mine is closer to .53 caliber, and I shoot .520" balls in it.

My opinion is that this should be fun. Life can be such a battle sometimes, and I just don't want to be fighting with my rifle trying to get a ball down the bore when I get some time on the range. I would recommend trying a smaller ball. Don't be afraid to go down .020" below bore size for your round balls. You may need some thicker patches, but thicker fabric holds more lube. More lube is always good. A felt wad saturated with lube between the patched ball and the powder will protect the patch from burning and help keep fouling soft, which will also ease loading.

If you can afford it, order some .520", .526", and .530" balls for your .54 caliber rifle, in addition to some .54 caliber wool felt wads, and patches in every thickness (.005", .010", .015", .017" ticking, and .020"), and a tin of lube. Track of the Wolf has everything you need. Most of us here on the forum don't like pre-lubed patches. The "Wonderful Lube" in pre-lubed patches appears to deteriorate after less time than you would think. I believe something like beef or lamb tallow, mink, or SPG is better. Heat the tin of lube in an improvised double boiler arrangement and drop in a few patches and wads. They soak up the melted lube immediately. Pull them out with tweezers and lay them on a cookie sheet or waxed paper until they cool. Put them in another tin or a butter dish, and you're good to go.

I don't want to start another lube thread. We all have our favorites, but they all work. Just pick one from a reliable vendor and go with it.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[towgunner11h]

Big Brown Truck of Happiness.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Big Brown Truck of Happiness.

BBTOH...

Thanks! That's a new one to me, but I'm kind of out of the loop...

Notchy Bob

 

[deermanok]

Why do I keep seeing posts about UPS not dealing with anything firearms related anymore? Must not be true!

 

[LME]

Well, I only shot 5 of 'em - the son shot the others

But it shot well. Using the 225ish-grain round balls and 60gr 3Fg Schutzen recoil was pussy cat levels. Bumping the charge to 90gr let me know I was in fact shooting a .54 caliber.

Loading it was a royal pain - VERY tight at the muzzle, I'm hoping the cleaning it got earlier this evening will help cure that...

I have shot many .54 cal. rifles mine and others and they all shot most accurate with 80 grains of powder.

 

[lone hunter]

Just bought a 100 .54 maxi's from "Dixie Gun Works," reasonable. 1-800-238-6785
Also just bought 50 .54 maxi's from" No Excuses," very reasonable. 1-801-698-4708

 

[Rock Home Isle]

BBTOH arrived and I was able to scoot home from helping Mom post-op (knee replacement) to grab it and have my kids help their granny while I hit the range. Got 10 rounds down the tube before a storm started up... And apparently I need more stuff.

Inexpensive plastic starter broke, definitely need second longer ram rod/cleaning rod. New starter (wood-n-brass) and new longer ramrod are on the way.

Still trying to get a good source for Maxi's without breaking the bank on shipping or having to order 300 of 'em at once...

Have you thought about casting your own?

The initial out lay is a bit pricy, after that your major cost is lead. Much cheaper in the long run…makes you more self reliant.

 

[Paul Nelson]

BBTOH arrived and I was able to scoot home from helping Mom post-op (knee replacement) to grab it and have my kids help their granny while I hit the range. Got 10 rounds down the tube before a storm started up... And apparently I need more stuff.

Inexpensive plastic starter broke, definitely need second longer ram rod/cleaning rod. New starter (wood-n-brass) and new longer ramrod are on the way.

Still trying to get a good source for Maxi's without breaking the bank on shipping or having to order 300 of 'em at once...

My Investarms is a .54 cal with a 1/66 twist It likes a .535 ball with a .015 lubed patch. I can usually find these shooting supplies at my local Sportsman Warehouse.

 

[new2bp]

Why do I keep seeing posts about UPS not dealing with anything firearms related anymore? Must not be true!

Depends on what parts and what the company is named. There is a company that makes AR hand guards and other furntiture, gas blocks, etc called Ghost Firearms. They've had shipments denied, never mind that the product they are selling is unregulated, etc. but between media and their name they got the short end of the stick. That said, lets keep politics out of it.

For the rest of the stuff....

Balls I got were 0.530 and I got unlubed 0.015 pillow ticking pre-cut patches. Lubed 'em with Bore Butter, put a dollop on one side and rub it it and smear it around, covering patch completely, this is the side that went against the bore. Ball side of the patch got lube as it happened just smearing from fingers while handling.

Re: casting my own. Don't have the desire for yet another hobby/thing to do just so I can shoot.

Going to hit range again after work tomorrow hopefully (N Florida summer weather pattern around here is to set your clock for 330pm when it starts raining - it will be fairly accurate...). If the initial tightness on loading is fixed from the really good cleaning it got then I'm good to go. Otherwise I'll figure out a way to actually measure barrel diameter and go from there with different balls/patches as needed.

 

[SDSmlf]

Balls I got were 0.530 and I got unlubed 0.015 pillow ticking pre-cut patches. Lubed 'em with Bore Butter, put a dollop on one side and rub it it and smear it around, covering patch completely, this is the side that went against the bore. Ball side of the patch got lube as it happened just smearing from fingers while handling

Try a wet patch, maybe moose milk if you have an oil that emulsifies in water (Ballistol or cutting oil) or something like windshield washer fluid. Hoppe’s 9 for Blackpowder (not the regular formulation) also works well if you have it. Any of the above should make repeated loading in Florida’s high humidity much easier. The wet patch works pretty good in North Carolina’s humidity.

 

[morehops52]

Have you thought about casting your own?

The initial out lay is a bit pricy, after that your major cost is lead. Much cheaper in the long run…makes you more self reliant.

Yes, Exactly what I did for my 54. Mine likes T/C Maxis better than the other molds so I bought the mold on ebay and casting equipment Cast up a lifetime supply and sold most of it..