Oh so many choises

[Clark B]

Besides choosin which type of rifle to build when I get home, I am also faced with having to choose a caliber as well. I will probably decide between a Leman and a Hawken rifle, and the caliber will be at least .54. Are there any advantages, hunting wise, with the Hawken in .58 or .62?
:hmm:

 

[Swampman]

Hawkens are very hard to build. I'd go with a Leman in .54 caliber.

 

[Slake]

of your calibres mentioned 54 is by far the most common...commonality means being able to easliy stock up on ammo or other giblets....I always thought 58 was cool, but it's odd for most gun stores....54 is on the cusp...50 seems to be mom and apple pie

 

[MikeChapin]

I've got both a .54 and .58. As far as hunting goes I prefer the .54. My particular .54 is a Sante Fe and comes in at a little over 9.5 lbs. My .58 is a fullstock flint Hawken that comes in at around 10.5 lbs.

There is only a 10 grain difference between hunting loads for the rifles. Both will keep shots in a 3" circle at 100 yards off the bench. I keep myself to hunting shots at under 100 yards so ballistics between the two isn't a big factor. I will probably take the .58 elk hunting this year not because of any superiority of the .58, but because I haven't gotten an elk with a flinter yet.

The .54 is good for elk on down and, as mentioned by others, shooting supplies are easier to find. Most Hawkens and trade rifles were in that caliber. The old timers seemed to think it was good compromise between power and economy for shooting.

 

I built a custom .58 Hawkin yeas ago and loved shooting it. It was heavy (~11 lbs) and burned alot of powder and lead. I recently built a .54 Lancaster and love it, too! Better than the .58 IMHO--it is plenty gun for hunting just about anything in the USA and takes less powder and lead to achieve good hunting trajectories. Sure the big boys will smack something out there hard, but the .54 is the best all-around big game ball size IMHO. I traded off my .58 years ago and I hope someone else is enjoying it like I did. Besides, I have a .62 smoothie if I want to throw big lead.

 

[roundball]

".....the caliber will be at least .54. Are there any advantages, hunting wise, with the Hawken in .58 or .62?....."

IMO, there's no question that the .58cal delivers more energy at distance than a smaller .54cal.....just as would be the case comparing a .54 to a .50...a .50 to a .45...and so on.

I've hunted a .58cal a couple of seasons now and have taken a few bucks with it...IMO, it's overkill for Eastern whitetails in thick woods where an average shot is no more than 40-50yds, but it is without a doubt a powerhouse.

Since deer at those relatively short distances are even well suited to the .45s & .50's, the .54 would be an easy choice as well...but...if you hunt where average shots are a lot longer, and/or have really big game in mind, the .58cal would offer more "whompability" at longer distances than a .54cal.

I rarely see any .54cal supplies at typical retail outlets and get all mine via mail order...and .58cal supplies are as easy to get mail order as any other caliber.

My .02 cents :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

"....58cal supplies are as easy to get mail order as any other caliber."
__________________________________________

Ah don't thin so Roundball.
Ah looked in ma Caballis katalog an tha don't hav one single Sabot fur a .58! :rotf: :rotf: :grin: :rotf:

 

[Rebel]

Why do yer .58 need wooden shoes Zonie? :grin:

 

[roundball]

".....Caballis katalog....."

Not hardly the kind of mail order BP supplier I was thinking about either...
:rotf:

 

[charlie45]

:grin: I have not shot anything yet with a 54, but judging from what it does to steel plates @ 100 yards I would feel safe any where.