How Much Energy For Hunting Load ?

[Dphar]

I'm shooting a 54 cal. How much Energy and Velocity out to 75 yards do I need for a Hunting Load ? I'm looking for Energy and Velocity numbers. Thanks

Unless required by law energy levels are irrelevant when BP is the propellant.

Load 90 to 120 gr of FF or FFF blackpowder 1800-1900 fps and the 54 is good for deer to 130 yards. IF it is zeroed for 110 yards. The velocity is for TRAJECTORY. Power is secondary if the trajectory is good the power will be too.
Don't matter what the energy level is.
Why does the energy level not matter?
Look at the energy level of a 243 Win loaded with a 70 gr varmint bullet at 3500 fps and the energy of a 420 gr lead bullet at 1400 fps from a 45-70. The 45-70 load is an EXCELLENT load for American Bison, Moose, Elk and just about anything else in NA.
The 243 load is really only suitable for Coyotes. But both have similar energy levels with a 243 being about 100 fp ahead.
This is why energy levels are really meaning less they favor HV loadings.
Dan

 

[Fred_Dwyer]

Colorful anecdote time!
Caught a glimpse of a whistle pig out for his afternoon browse. I watched him a minute and when it was obvious he wasn't going anywhere soon; I loaded up my 50 cal. flinter. I slipped out the backdoor, behind the garage, and now was out in the open but not quite in range, so I thought. I when into stealth mode and only moved when he bent down to take a bite. Finally I crept up to about 45 yards and when he lifted his head again...BANG. When the smoke cleared I walked over to verify the kill, what I found was... well like the guy in that movie said, "BLOWN UP SIR!" This was worse than when I shoot 'em with the 22-250; a little hole in the neck and the whole back was gone, only about 2/3 of him remained.

 

[Stumpkiller]

The reason for the ? Shooting 70gr. at 50 yards. was all over the target. I drop down to 55gr. and it was right on every time."1 1/2 group on the x". I'm thinking this load could be a little low. Will need a little more bench time.

It's been so long since I've consulted ballistic or energy tables for my muzzleloaders that I truly don't know the energy or velocity of my round balls. I never did oen a chronograph/chronometer.

But lets look at some numbers. The service load for the 1804 U.S. Rifle of .54 caliber was 75 gr of FFg. In my .54 flinter I shoot 85 gr of FFFg (about equivalent to 90 gr FFg) and it is a good deer killer at the 50 yard mark. I would not hesitate on a 100 yard shot if it all seemed ideal and I had a good rest. My percussion .54 has taken deer to just over 100 yards with 90 gr FFg and a round ball. I have never had anything but pass throughs on broadsides. According to my old Black Powder Guide I should be getting around 1,545 to 1,670 fps (28" & 42" barrels).

Dropping to your 55 gr load would bring it down to a muzzle velocity of 1,200 to 1,300 fps. So, would I hunt with that load? Sure. But I wouldn't push it to anywhere the same distance. I'd be finding a spot where 40 yards or less was the shooting distance.

Energy? I don't know. How much energy does it take to open a .30 cal bullet to a .5" muchroom? Well, the .54 round ball starts out ripping that sized of a hole into an animal's vitals. It does not kill with the hydrostatic shock of a modern conical. It puts a big hole through an animal and lets a lot of blood out and sunlight in. An animal with two compromised lungs can't breathe, as the diaghram can't expand the lungs well enough. Hit a major bone and the shock will stun an animal. Hit the heart or liver and the hemmorage is severe.

Deer can't read ballistic tables so you won't be able to convince them they should die no matter what the numbers say. The key is to shoot a large enough ball with enough force to do the job. I consider 55 gr in a .54 too light for hunting . . . but that's just my opinion. I''d be working up a better load. I had fits tryinmg to get one of my rifles to shoot round balls (a .50 cal T/C New Englander). I set it aside for years but dug it out with a purpose of finding a good lube & load combination. Eventually I did.

Some rifles are picky, some are not.

 

[tg]

"This is why energy levels are really meaning less they favor HV loadings"

Oh good Lawd. its getting worse, I gotta agree and say that was one of the best responses given thus far.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The number of replies and the length of many of them illustrate the difficulty in translating modern gun ballistics to the muzzle loading/round ball world. It can't be done with any meaningful results.
Go with loads that are accurate and place your shot well. A lead roundball will kill effectively.

 

[jimmy82]

This goes a different direction from most of the replies. Make sure you check your state hunting laws. I know for Nebraska a certain muzzle velocity is required for muzzle loader hunting. It's actually a violation to use a load to slow.

 

[Rifleman1776]

This goes a different direction from most of the replies. Make sure you check your state hunting laws. I know for Nebraska a certain muzzle velocity is required for muzzle loader hunting. It's actually a violation to use a load to slow.

There is energy and it can be reported in numbers. Trying to equate ml roundball with modern is the difficulty. Arkansas has a caliber minimum (.40 for deer) and a barrel length requirment. (9 inches, which eliminates most pistols)

 

[Danbo]

The mechanics of wounding are the same for muzzle loaders and breech loaders, regardless of ignition system.

FPE is a marketing tool, not a useful index of lethality.

 

[aeatwood]

Over in the muzzy forum at nitroexpress.com is a picture of an elk's legbone that was hit with a .54 PRB from a PISTOL charged w/ 35gr of FFF. The bone is in about 7 pieces, and the ball was recovered in the skin on the far side.

As long as impact velocity is 500-600 fps, you have plenty of oomph to flatten a deer. I load my .50's and .54's heavy, but that is to get the velocity up for a longer point blank range. PRB's killing ability is WAY out of proportion to their kinetic energy compared to almost any other projectile.

 

[Dphar]

I'm shooting a 54 cal. How much Energy and Velocity out to 75 yards do I need for a Hunting Load ? I'm looking for Energy and Velocity numbers. Thanks

Energy is irrelevant when using lead bullets at BP velocities and does not equate to killing power. Its little better when using smokeless powder.
Load it so that it will shoot flat with 2-3" of line of sight to 110 yards or so, in a 54 about 100 grains of powder. FFF or FF. FF may need 110-115.
Then forget about the energy figures and concentrate on being able to place the shot.

Dan

 

[Walks with fire]

A .54 caliber roundball is a nice big round hole in your targeted game (which of size or type you didn't mention). It doesn't kill with numbers any more than a big .45 cast pistol bullet does from a handgun.

With some assumptions being made; your .54 caliber patched roundball over 120 grains of 3f in a 32" barrel should reach somewhere around 1900 fps. and would be around 1100 fps @ 100 yards with somewhere around 650 fpds. of energy. It would be around 1.7" high @ 50 yards. Go forth and hammer your deer. A 10 mph. will will drift it about 9" @ 100. It crosses the 800 fpds about 75 yards. Don't worry about the numbers worry about hitting your mark. I limit ranges to around 80 yards with top roundball loads in my 50's but they will kill much farther out.

 

[mr.flintlock]

When I was using a 54 caliber rifle I loaded with 90-100grs of GOEX 2f and it proved to be an effective load for several deer,an elk and a couple of hogs. Now that I use 3-f probably 65 to 70grs would be plenty of powder for the ranges you mention. Work up a load that is accurate at the ranges you mention. If you put a 54 cal ball through both lungs at any speed you will need a sharp knife because you are going to have a deer that needs gutting.

 

[jerrywh]

I agree with you on this also Dan. Muzzle loaders are in no way comparable to modern guns. A round ball or even a conical does not explode when hitting a animal and propelled with black powder. The only thing a muzzle loader does is make a hole in the animal. Big holes bleed more than small ones. Where the hole is, matters the most. If it get there it will make a hole in the animal.

 

[Stony]

Oh My Gosh! Whistle Pig!! I haven't heard that term used in over 30 years! :rotf: What memories that brings! (A whistle pig is also known as the Thompson ground squirrel according to the old Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom show.)

 

[rr11]

MY .54 works best with 75 gr of 3F. The deer are as dead as they were at 100 gr of 2F, the rifle is more accurate.