Great Plains Hunter 54 conicals?

[WVAED]

I just bought a Great Plains Hunter in 54 caliber. It is a fast twist barrel. Any recommendations as to which conicals I ought to try first? I know, I need to work up a load, find what my rifle likes, etc. Just looking for a place to start, as I haven't purchased in conicals yet. Thanks. Also, 2f or 3f?

 

[dsayer]

You better start casting your own in 54...
The Hornady Great Plains bullet is good but they were just recently discontinued. T/C stopped making the Maxi Ball in 54cal years ago. Might try to cast some REALs (or see if someone would ship you a few) but they were too small for my bore, which is also an Investarms but 1:48 twist.
All reasons why I'm just sticking with the tried and true PRB.

 

[dsayer]

Oh, and my rifle likes 2F slightly better than 3F but I'm confident I could work up a more than suitable load with 3F.

 

[Jim Evans]

Buffalo Bullets will be making them again, so I would try them, with90 gr 3F

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I'd look at trying some .54 REAL bullets from LEE in 300 grain, and if they work well for you, to getting a mold for them https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2...0-real-54-caliber-557-diameter-300-grain-real, and secure your supply of ammunition. IF you're going up to 90 grains, I'd say try 2Fg in addition to the above mentioned 3Fg, since you've got a .54.

LD

 

[Grenadier1758]

Lyman still offers a 54 caliber Plains bullet that weighs 450 grains. At $97 it's past my price point for a bullet mold. The Lyman 54 caliber Maxi-Ball molds are no longer listed. Sometimes they show up on eBay.

 

[nkbj]

48" twist is marginal for the old TC maxihunter. If you can find one of the molds it might do good in your 32".

 

[Idaholewis]

The only Store bought Bullet that i see available anywhere around these parts is the Hornady Great Plains, It is a Hollow Point Bullet, It Shot well in my Lyman Great Plains Hunter .54 Cal, I have had one of these Rifles in .54 Cal for 2-3 years now (First Brand new Muzzleloader i ever bought). I cast my own Bullets, I own several Maxi Molds in .54 Cal (My least Favorite) I Have the Lyman Plains Mold as well in .54 (one of my favorites) I have at least 5-6 Custom Bullet Molds That i had made for my Fast Twist .54s, From Grease Groove to Paper Patch, Weight ranging from 450 to 650 Grains. My Lyman Great Plains Hunter is an AWESOME shooting Rifle. If you are interested in Casting bullets, I can give you a lot of Bullet advice there.

 

[WVAED]

The only Store bought Bullet that i see available anywhere around these parts is the Hornady Great Plains, It is a Hollow Point Bullet, It Shot well in my Lyman Great Plains Hunter .54 Cal, I have had one of these Rifles in .54 Cal for 2-3 years now (First Brand new Muzzleloader i ever bought). I cast my own Bullets, I own several Maxi Molds in .54 Cal (My least Favorite) I Have the Lyman Plains Mold as well in .54 (one of my favorites) I have at least 5-6 Custom Bullet Molds That i had made for my Fast Twist .54s, From Grease Groove to Paper Patch, Weight ranging from 450 to 650 Grains. My Lyman Great Plains Hunter is an AWESOME shooting Rifle. If you are interested in Casting bullets, I can give you a lot of Bullet advice there.

Thanks so much friend. I am just getting started casting bullets. I bought a Lee 300 grain mold in 54. I made some and am mixing up some lube for them. I may be asking many questions. Thanks a lot.

 

[Melnic]

FYI, per the advice of a very wise and experianced local, I used a lubed wad behind the 300 Lee REAL in my 54 GPR. It was all over the place until I got to 90+ grains. But mine is a 1:60" twist. I have not given up on Finding a good load for the REAL but PRB is still shooting more accurate in it.

 

[Rat]

The REAL will often work where others won't. Even when they don't work "great", as in producing micro-groups, they will shoot good for hunting accuracy.

But it does make sense that in a slow twist it may take some extra powder...although they are short for caliber bullets, and "should" work in a slow twist. ??? They are designed for a tight fit in the bore, so if they load real easy, might not work great.

I have found they can be a little bit sensitive to lubes and wads. My best results are with two wads under the bullet, and a minimum of lube on the bullet. In one of my rifles, it shoots best with only a thin ribbon of bee's wax on the top groove, or a small amount of SPG on the bottom two grooves.

My experience is shooting them in shallow groove, slow twist minie' ball rifles, your results may vary!!

I have obtained super-duper-pooper accuracy with the .50" Plains bullet/"PA"/"PA Conical" (says on the box) out of a Lyman Plains pistol, I'm not sure if the .54" version is of a different design, kind of sounds like it might be. ?? Anyhow, yeah, give that a try for sure if you can get them.

 

[WVAED]

The only Store bought Bullet that i see available anywhere around these parts is the Hornady Great Plains, It is a Hollow Point Bullet, It Shot well in my Lyman Great Plains Hunter .54 Cal, I have had one of these Rifles in .54 Cal for 2-3 years now (First Brand new Muzzleloader i ever bought). I cast my own Bullets, I own several Maxi Molds in .54 Cal (My least Favorite) I Have the Lyman Plains Mold as well in .54 (one of my favorites) I have at least 5-6 Custom Bullet Molds That i had made for my Fast Twist .54s, From Grease Groove to Paper Patch, Weight ranging from 450 to 650 Grains. My Lyman Great Plains Hunter is an AWESOME shooting Rifle. If you are interested in Casting bullets, I can give you a lot of Bullet advice there.

If you could, get a hold of me, I am very interested in more info about a bullet mold. I have cast roundball and real 300 grain, but am looking to get into paper patching for my 54 GPH. Thanks [email protected]

 

[Idaholewis]

If you could, get a hold of me, I am very interested in more info about a bullet mold. I have cast roundball and real 300 grain, but am looking to get into paper patching for my 54 GPH. Thanks [email protected]

My Lyman Great Plains Hunter in .54 Shoots Both Grease Groove And Paper Patch Really well, For a Good Hunting Bullet that i can trust to Stay put on the Powder Charge Day in and Day out, I Personally prefer my Grease Grooves. I really enjoy my Paper Patch Bullets For Bench/Target shooting, Where i can take the Time to Swab Good between Shots. If i were gonna Stand/Sit Hunt for Whitetail Deer i would be Fine with my Paper Patch Bullets, But my Style of Elk Hunting, and this Rugged Terrain, I don’t Trust a “Slip Fit” Bullet. I made a “Bump Test” Video showing how easily you can get a Slip Fit Paper Patch Bullet to Slide off the Powder Charge. My Grease Groove Bullets that i pour of 1-40 Alloy go down Good n Tight, And will Stay SOLIDLY Put on the Powder Charge!
As for Accuracy, A Paper Patch bullet is NO MORE accurate than a Good Grease Groove, Really Depends on the Rifle/Load, So far i have been able to get every Muzzleloader i own to Shoot both Grease Groove, and Paper Patch with Tinkering.

 

[arcticap]

You could inquire with the Bull Shop about their custom sized .54 Mountain Mold bullets.--->>> https://bullshop.weebly.com/-54-caliber-cast-bullets.html
They may have other .54's available if you contact them through their website.

There's also the No Excuses .54 conicals:--->>> https://www.muzzleloading-bullets.com/product/54-caliber-535-grains/

Contact Buffalo Bullet Industries through their website to see if they have any .54's in production yet, and to receive updates:--->>> https://buffalobulletindustries.com

 

[WVAED]

My Lyman Great Plains Hunter in .54 Shoots Both Grease Groove And Paper Patch Really well, For a Good Hunting Bullet that i can trust to Stay put on the Powder Charge Day in and Day out, I Personally prefer my Grease Grooves. I really enjoy my Paper Patch Bullets For Bench/Target shooting, Where i can take the Time to Swab Good between Shots. If i were gonna Stand/Sit Hunt for Whitetail Deer i would be Fine with my Paper Patch Bullets, But my Style of Elk Hunting, and this Rugged Terrain, I don’t Trust a “Slip Fit” Bullet. I made a “Bump Test” Video showing how easily you can get a Slip Fit Paper Patch Bullet to Slide off the Powder Charge. My Grease Groove Bullets that i pour of 1-40 Alloy go down Good n Tight, And will Stay SOLIDLY Put on the Powder Charge!
As for Accuracy, A Paper Patch bullet is NO MORE accurate than a Good Grease Groove, Really Depends on the Rifle/Load, So far i have been able to get every Muzzleloader i own to Shoot both Grease Groove, and Paper Patch with Tinkering.

Have you tried the REAL in 300 grain? Seems to be a much smaller grain than you guys normally shoot.

 

[Idaholewis]

I tried the Lee Real a few years ago but I don’t remember much about it? I sold the Mold along with my Minie Molds, if they had been that Great i would have Kept them.

My Favorite readily available commercial mold for .50 and .54 is the Lyman Plains, My only complaint is the Tapered Design (Same as Maxi Balls, Lee R.E.A.L.s) I prefer a Bullet that has all Bands the Same size, and Slightly oversize so i can Run them through a Custom Bullet Sizer die for Optimum Fit “Per Bore” The problem i find with the Tapered Design bullets is they Tend to “Give up” as you push them Down the Bore (especially so with Pure lead) I cast with 1-40 Alloy to Combat this problem

 

[William O.]

My .54 GPH barrel would tear the bullseye out of the target using 95 grains of 3F Goex, a lubed wad and the 220 grain Lee REAL bullet. Accuracy improved the shorter the bullet was and although Lee no longer makes a mold for this weight I'm sure there are still some around.

 

[sgtprovo]

The Hornady Great Plains 54 cal. 425 grain conical (box 20) is a great alternative.

 

[weitzfc]

View attachment 15093

The Hornady Great Plains 54 cal. 425 grain conical (box 20) is a great alternative.

View attachment 15093

The Hornady Great Plains 54 cal. 425 grain conical (box 20) is a great alternative.

it's getting hard to find .54 conical bullets.

 

[Robert McPhee]

The last I heard, Hornady Great Plains were out of production. .54 cal conicals are listed in the Dixie GW catalog.