Need Accurate Deer load for .54 white mountain carbine

[ruddyduck]

Hey folks...firt timer here.
I want to start out by saying this forum is great...keep up the good work.
I recently got a .54 white mountain carbine. I also have one in .50 and have been using powerbelts in it with great success. I don't know if it's 1/20 or 1/38 though. Anyway, I've read that the .54's are 1/48. I shot some of the .54 hollow point (weight??)powerbelts out of it and they were decent, but not like they were with the faster twist .50. Out of the .54, i've been shooting 110 grains of pyrodex rs. So....should I back the charge down (110 is overkill i know) and try the powerbelts some more, or should I go to a shorter conical or round ball. I love the powerbelts...they load so easy and I've had good success on deer with my .50. Long post...sorry...any help is GREATLY appreciated.
~Ryan~

 

[PapaPopup]

Lighter bullet, faster speed. Heavier bullet, slower speed. (with the same charge of course) You've just got to try different loads to see which is best for that particular weapon. No two identical guns will shoot exactly the same with the same load. Try different charges with the same bullet, try different bullets as well till you find the combo that does the best for what you want. And keep a notebook of the results of each test. You cannot accurately remember all the results. Can spend a few bucks and take a lot of time experimenting, but that's about the only way.

 

[rabjr]

It's been a while for me but I had a 4 digit 1/20 twist .50 cal White Mountain. I tested a number of differant bullets through it and never really found one that beat the original maxie ball (370gr). Mine was peep sighted and my load was 100gr of FF black powder and a 370 maxie for hunting. My cousin's White Mountain which was also a .50 cal liked 90gr of FF black powder and a 370 maxie.

I hung up 5 bucks with 5 shots with that lil rifle before I moved onto something else.

 

[charcloth]

Hey WMC,

Try black powder. I shoot my .54 with 70 grains of FFF and it performs well for both target shooting and hunting.

Charcloth

 

[Landngroove]

First, let me congratulate you on your .54 W.M.C. I have W.M.C.'s in .50, with the 1 in 20' twist, and 1 in 38" twist. However my .54 W.M.C. is my favorite. You are correct, the twist is 1 in 48" for the .54. I find that a .530", Hornady, patched round ball, with a T/C pillow ticking, .018" patch to be deadly. I shoot this with either 80, or 90 grains, FFFG Goex. I have also used either 80, or 90 grains, of Goex Pinnacle FFFG, with good results. When I hunt with this rifle, I use the 90 grain load. I sent the .54 to T/C and had a tang peep sight installed, and use a Williams, 3/8 X 093 Twilight Aperture. I find this to be very fast to get on target, to compliment this fast handling ML. Let us know how you make out.

 

[ruddyduck]

Thanks everyone,
and thanks for the congratulations...actually, I looked for a WMC in .54 for about 5 years on and off through college over the web etc. I didn't know about this site, and don' tknow if it existed then. But, I looked at the gun auction sites pretty regularly. Then, low and behold, I walk into a shop looking for a misc item and find a pristine .54 wmc on the shelf...awesome moment...and i bought it on the spot.