Hi everyone, I've been shooting BP for 40 yrs but have never had or shot a 54cal. I stopped in a little gun shop today up here in Maine and noticed a dusty Renegade sitting in the corner. The barrel had a little surface rust in the barrel so I dropped my bore light down the tube and it appeared to be rust from just sitting and not from lack of cleaning. The over all condition is an 7-8 on a scale of 1-10. The store owner walked by and said" I got stuck with that cannon about 5 years ago. Nobody uses those things anymore". I told there are still a few of us that do. He said "Be careful, you may own it. He said go ahead try me". Joking I said I'll give you 50 bucks as he walked away. He then stopped,turned and said OK on one condition, I don't ever want to see that thing again and don't try to bring it back after it takes your arm off. I happily paid and ran. Took it home and spent a little cleaning the barrel and off to the range. Not knowing what to load ,I stuffed 70gr of pyrodex with a pillow tick and RB. Fired 10 shots and had a spread of 4 inches off a rest. Not bad for me. So does anyone have a good load in mine for this rifle?
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Found a 54 now what?
- Thread starter 1in48
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Sounds like you really lucked out on that one. 
It's neat to find someone like that who can only think in modern terms. They think .50 cal and instantly think is is like a .50 BMG and when it comes to a .54 they think "OMG! It's bigger than a .50 BMG!" :grin:
My .54's seem to like the load your using or an 80 grain powder load.
It's neat to find someone like that who can only think in modern terms. They think .50 cal and instantly think is is like a .50 BMG and when it comes to a .54 they think "OMG! It's bigger than a .50 BMG!" :grin:
My .54's seem to like the load your using or an 80 grain powder load.
mjones1579
36 Cal.
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Great buy, :bow: wish I could find a poor old put upon pawn shop owner around here. :grin: I have Lymans but they like the 70 gr. ffg .530 ball and .015 bore butter lubed patch. The sweet spot will probably be between 60 and 80 grains up to 90 grains for deer or elk. 70 grains will smack a hog real good. Sounds like you hit a melon with a hammer.
E Poffinbarger
40 Cal.
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Ernie:
I'm absolutely certain you ripped him, and he thinks he ripped you, so everyone is happy, but you actually won.
Sounds like you're fairly close to the correct load, however as a suggestion "polish the bore, a lot" then vary the powder in 5gr increments.
For what its worth, my .54 shoots the tightest group with a .535 RB, .015 lubed patch and 70grs of 777.
Again Congrats, you did good.
Osage
I'm absolutely certain you ripped him, and he thinks he ripped you, so everyone is happy, but you actually won.
Sounds like you're fairly close to the correct load, however as a suggestion "polish the bore, a lot" then vary the powder in 5gr increments.
For what its worth, my .54 shoots the tightest group with a .535 RB, .015 lubed patch and 70grs of 777.
Again Congrats, you did good.
Osage
What a great deal! A .54 RB will take down just about anything here in the states, and since you've been shooting BP for years already you know how to work up the best load combination. My .54 prefers 2f hands down, it will not group worth beans using 3f, so I've about settled on 75 grains of 2f Goex, .530 RB and .015 patches lubed with a beeswax/olive oil mix. I have used Triple 7 with equal sucess too.
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Congrats on the great find! My best friend gave me a birdshot bag filled with 54 cal. RB's belonged to his ex-brother-in-law so after about 5 years of moving it in my shop I got online and bought a Traditions cheapie 54 to shoot them up!! That was my excuse for buying another gun. I bought a REAL mold from Lee and am working on a load for it, I was loading it WAAYY to hot at 120-130 grs. FFg. It was taking my shoulder off! Gonna back down around 70-80 see what happens.
Again, good find, wish I could luck into one like that!
Eterry
Again, good find, wish I could luck into one like that!
Eterry
Thanks to all who replied. Reading through all the posts,It seems most are using .530 RB's with pillow ticking and 70-90gr of powder. That shouldn't be to difficult to find a decent load. I did notice there is a (K) in the serial number so the rifle was origionally a kit gun. It appears that they did a decent job as the gun is finished really good. The barrel has been browned and hardware appears to be steel rather than brass. The stock is walnut and finished even darker making it look even older than it is. Anyway,thanks again. Ernie
Those Renegades are great guns. I own 2 of them,1flint &1 perc.both are .50cals. I have a .62 smoothbore barrel for the perc. as well.Congrats on a great find ! Now if you want your money back PT me ..... :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
rawhide
45 Cal.
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lucky bum! :rotf: great find. last one I found for the clud we paid $300. well any way my cva. likes a .530 ball a .010 patch lubed with olive oil. and 50 grains of FFFg. for plinking and target work. my hunting load for elk and deer is 90 grains of FFg or FFFg and a cast 380 grain r.e.a.l. bullet. drops elk in there tracks.
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