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Out West Caliber
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Another for 58.
.58, if only for the sense of confindence you gain from carrying around that extra "whompability".
I switched from .54 to .58 a couple or years ago. I've yet to kill a mule deer with it, but the one cow elk I shot made it about 2 yards after hitting her. I could hear the ball go "SMACK!!!" when it hit her :grin: . Bill
I switched from .54 to .58 a couple or years ago. I've yet to kill a mule deer with it, but the one cow elk I shot made it about 2 yards after hitting her. I could hear the ball go "SMACK!!!" when it hit her :grin: . Bill
Don't sweat over it! There was a time when a 30/30 was the perfect elk cartridge!
B :wink:
B :wink:
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The 54 will do just fine. The 58 will do a tad more. For what you want it for, 58 has my vote :hatsoff:
hey I already have one of those Lyman 50 cal 1-32" rifling,just wanting to build another RB rifle.I have family in Nevada and Oregon,if i'm lucky maybe a hunt there next yr, but I truly love Idaho.Just getting ideas I have a custom 58 Hawken but it only has a 30" barrel, thought maybe would go with a 34" just in the thinking stage now.
ill vote 54 just to spite the others here. :wink:
in reallity i dont think it will make a huge difference. a 54 will kill either of the animals you mentioned just as well as the 58. the 58 will require more lead and alot more powder to shoot flat at a distance. keep in mind plenty of members here have killed HUGE elk with a 50 cal ball. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/272568/tp/1/
-matt
in reallity i dont think it will make a huge difference. a 54 will kill either of the animals you mentioned just as well as the 58. the 58 will require more lead and alot more powder to shoot flat at a distance. keep in mind plenty of members here have killed HUGE elk with a 50 cal ball. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/272568/tp/1/
-matt
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Lonegun1894
54 Cal.
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I'll second Matts suggestion of .54 due to the same reasons. Less powder, less lead, and less recoil to accomplish the same exact thing.
Greenmtnboy
62 Cal.
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I have killed many elk and mule deer with both 50 and 54 cal I would not choose a 58 because of the lack of down range ballistics.
100 grns of ffg goex will put you 1.5 inches high at 50 yrds,point of aim at 100 yrds with a 54 cal 36 inch barrel. out here in CO you can depend on your shots being anywhere from 20 yrds to 100 yrds.
I have never felt it was ethical to shoot over 100yrds with open sites.
:hatsoff:
100 grns of ffg goex will put you 1.5 inches high at 50 yrds,point of aim at 100 yrds with a 54 cal 36 inch barrel. out here in CO you can depend on your shots being anywhere from 20 yrds to 100 yrds.
I have never felt it was ethical to shoot over 100yrds with open sites.
:hatsoff:
hoochiepapa
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I've killed three elk with a .54, no tracking.
I have to agree with Greenmtboy on the 100 yard limitation, but sometimes my range estimation is affected by the way the terrain lays out, background, probably a few other things, and I have taken a couple deer a little farther than that, but only when every fiber of my hunter being says, 'yeah, I can make that shot'. Fibers haven't let me down yet. :wink:
I'm gathering parts for what I call my 'continental gun', in that it will take anything on the continent, not that its going to happen :grin: .
It will have a 46" Rice barrel, with round bottom rifling in .58 caliber. I do think a .54 would serve you well though.
Robby
I'm gathering parts for what I call my 'continental gun', in that it will take anything on the continent, not that its going to happen :grin: .
It will have a 46" Rice barrel, with round bottom rifling in .58 caliber. I do think a .54 would serve you well though.
Robby
Greenmtnboy
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spidey senses.
:wink:
:wink:
Little Wattsy
69 Cal.
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.54!! Balistically its noticably superior to the .58.
Rat Trapper
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Idaho Ron said:
Ron,
That's great to hear, as I have one on order that should be here any day.
jrmflintlock
45 Cal.
All who voted .58...
What loads are you using?
I am having the same debate in my head...54 or .58
I already have a .54.. and its taken several bull elk and bucks. but a .58 would just be, well, a .58
What loads are you using?
I am having the same debate in my head...54 or .58
I already have a .54.. and its taken several bull elk and bucks. but a .58 would just be, well, a .58
FWIW, I have never killed an elk, but did take a very big caribou with a .50 cal. flinter with one shot to the heart. He ran about 30 yds. and fell over dead. That was in 1993.
About 10 years ago Brad Emig built me a .54 cal. York County rifle. I would hunt any big game anywhere with that gun. It is accurate and I have several loads that shoot well in it, from a comfortable target load to heavy-hitting big game loads. And the thing is... I know how to shoot it.
Whatever you finally decide on, make sure you have an accurate load and that you can shoot the rifle well, under all hunting conditions. If you can't, it doesn't make any difference what you are hunting with.
James
About 10 years ago Brad Emig built me a .54 cal. York County rifle. I would hunt any big game anywhere with that gun. It is accurate and I have several loads that shoot well in it, from a comfortable target load to heavy-hitting big game loads. And the thing is... I know how to shoot it.
Whatever you finally decide on, make sure you have an accurate load and that you can shoot the rifle well, under all hunting conditions. If you can't, it doesn't make any difference what you are hunting with.
James
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