is .54 recoil notably worse than .50?

[Magungo1066]

Assuming same powder and same gun.

 

[Many Klatch]

Not really, the .54 barrel will be a bit heavier and that will help compensate.

 

[erhunter]

On my Lyman Trade rifle the barrell measures 15/16ths across the flats. It uses the same barrel for 50 and 54 caliber, so the 54 is lighter than the 50 because it is bored out bigger.

 

[FishDFly]

Assuming same powder and same gun.

No.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Felt recoil is based on weight of rifle, weight of projectile & velocity. So a 390 grain bullet fired at max velocity from a 50 cal will have more recoil than a 250 grain 54 cal saboted bullet with a light target charge. Like wise, a 535 grain 54 cal on top of 110 grains of powder is going to be a stiffer kick compared to a 350 grain 50 cal Maxi-Hunter over 90 grains. Felt recoil is controlled by how you load the rifle, not the bore size.

 

[dave951]

Felt recoil is highly dependent on a number of factors.

In your question, IF the weight of the gun remains the same, the same stock, the same type and amount of powder with a larger boolit, etc, then yes, a 54 will have a higher perceived recoil. In actual practice, it depends.

 

[Bob McBride]

All other things being equal, a .54 will have higher felt recoil based on the greater mass of the projectile, added powder to get the same FPS, complicated by the lighter weight of the gun because of the larger ID of the bore. All that being said, it’s not ‘notably’ more felt recoil AFAIC, but I’m a big ol boy.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I recently had a .54 Southern Rifle built by TVM. I was advised that the thinner stock and curved butt of the Southern in .54 would kick more than the .50 Early Virginia I normally shoot. With the longer barrel of the .54 and the perfectly fit stock (thanks to TVM) I cannot detect any difference. My .50 load is 70 grs. FFFg with a round ball. My .54 load is 85 grs. FFg with a round ball.

Recoil is dependent upon a number of factors, with caliber being only one.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Grimord]

I find that the recoil from black powder muzzle loaders is not as sharp as say a 12 gauge shot gun or a 30-06 rifle. To me, the recoil is more of a push than a sharp kick.

 

[Jaeger]

I find that the recoil from black powder muzzle loaders is not as sharp as say a 12 gauge shot gun or a 30-06 rifle. To me, the recoil is more of a push than a sharp kick.

I strongly agree, Grimord. The recoil AND the report of a modern rifle or shotgun is much more intense than a muzzleloader. I've seen shooters at a range who shy away from trying a muzzleloader because they somehow believe that it will "kick like a mule"....pretty humorous. I guess they've watched too many movies.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Powder choice will make a difference too. My perception is 2f kicks slightly less than 3f even if granulation is compensated for the power difference. 3f seems to have a sharper recoil. In most cases the difference isn't much.

 

[Eterry]

Once again, there's a ton of variables at work here. But, usually a larger bore will have a lighter barrel, which leads to a lighter gun. Then factor in the heavier bullet. That, CAN cause more recoil, but possibly not much. My 54 has a synthetic stock, I got it to hunt in Colorado. It'll definitely get your attention with heavy loads and conicals.

If you think a muzzleloader can't/ don't kick, try shooting forty 500 grain minies in a Musketoon with 60grs fffg off the bench at the local match. You'll be glad when the last round is fired.

 

[mooman76]

I've been shooting so many years I don't really notice recoil differences between one gun and another with the exception of very heavy loads of large caliber guns but I agree with others, the difference between 50 and 54 should be very little to no noticeable difference. I shoot a 58 and don't really notice until I load it heavy with big conicals.

 

[olskool]

I recently had a .54 Southern Rifle built by TVM. I was advised that the thinner stock and curved butt of the Southern in .54 would kick more than the .50 Early Virginia I normally shoot. With the longer barrel of the .54 and the perfectly fit stock (thanks to TVM) I cannot detect any difference. My .50 load is 70 grs. FFFg with a round ball. My .54 load is 85 grs. FFg with a round ball.

Recoil is dependent upon a number of factors, with caliber being only one.

ADK Bigfoot

I think I bought your rifle. if it is the one I bought on the American long rifle forum, thank you! thank you! thank you! what a great gun! and no, the recoil is hardly worse than a 50 everything being equal. I am using 80gr. of 2f and it pushes more than it kicks,,,,,,,

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Olskool:

Thank you, but I think I still have mine. "I recently had a .54 Southern Rifle built by TVM." would have been more understandable if I had correctly written "I recently had built, by TVM, a ,54 Southern Rifle." Syntax is everything! Mine was delivered just after Christmas and it is, like all my other TVMs, a beautiful, great-shooting rifle.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[olskool]

Olskool:

Thank you, but I think I still have mine. "I recently had a .54 Southern Rifle built by TVM." would have been more understandable if I had correctly written "I recently had built, by TVM, a ,54 Southern Rifle." Syntax is everything! Mine was delivered just after Christmas and it is, like all my other TVMs, a beautiful, great-shooting rifle.

ADK Bigfoot

ok I looked at it wrong, sorry, you said "I recently had a .54 Southern Rifle built by TVM" I was thinking you had, you sold, LOL my brain jumps time every now and then,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Ames]

I think my smaller calibers "snap" when I shoot them. The big guys "push" when they go off. That's why I don't mind a plains rifle over 9 lbs. It seems to absorb the shock into a push.
My modern 12 gauge- slug-we don't talk about them gun....I'll admit it. I don't like shooting it. I have been bruised black and blue and green and yellow sighting one in for a rainy day gun. You know. The weather you don't want to bring the good stuff out in. So you use one of "those" at $3 a shot.
I actually enjoy a large BP gun as long as it has a heavy barrel before boring it. The weight, difficult to hold off hand for any length of time, works in my favor when you pull the trigger.

 

[Grimord]

I think alot of the "felt recoil" has to do with the butt plate. A flat "shotgun" styled butt plate does not seem to kick as much as a deep crescent curved steel or brass but plate.

 

[Crow-Feather]

I shoot a 32, 36, 40, 45, 54 and 10 gauge. My favorite is the 54 with 90 grains of 2f and a round ball. People that I shoot with, hear the 54 go off and from the sound, believe that it kicks like a mule. I let them think so but in reality, I prefer the 54's recoil. It doesn't kick hard, it just feels like a rifle should. The 10 gauge side by side's stock bites into my face. I can still shoot it, but it's not all that comfortable.

 

[FishDFly]

"Assuming same powder and same gun.."

Using your parameters, the only difference between the .50 and .54 is the weight of the ball

A .50 round ball weighs 177 grains and a .54 round ball weights 224 grains for a difference of 47 grains. The difference of 47 grains is the same weight of a .32 ball.

There is no great difference in recoil.

I have a feeling if a person was to shoot a .50 and .54 from the same rifle, they would be hard pressed to find a difference if they did not know which was which.