I bought this Renegade in 54 cal. a year ago and never had time to shoot it. Now my doctor wants to go with me BP hunting and thinking of letting him shoot it. Just wondering what is the pet load for these rifles? Never shot a 54 before so would appreciate a little info on powder and balls to get this rifle running. Thanks in advance.
TC 54 Renegade load
- Thread starter COTNTOP
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530 ball( patch ) depends on bore , I shoot 80 gr OE 3f felt wad under a Lyman Great plains , knocks deer silly Ed
There is a booklet on line somewhere: "SHOOTING THOMPSON/CENTER SIDE LOCK BLACK POWDER MUZZLELOADING FIREARMS". It has factory suggested load data in it. Our printer was acting up when I downloading it so my hard copy is not the clearest.
I cast my own T/C Maxi-Balls and launch them with 100 grains of Pyrodex and CCI #11 caps.
I bought some ball molds and had hoped to get some round balls cast, but it seems like it has rained almost every day this summer and I can't get caught up on my "honey do list".
After over a year of no caps avail. I found some CCI #11 Mag. caps and will be using them.
I cast my own T/C Maxi-Balls and launch them with 100 grains of Pyrodex and CCI #11 caps.
I bought some ball molds and had hoped to get some round balls cast, but it seems like it has rained almost every day this summer and I can't get caught up on my "honey do list".
After over a year of no caps avail. I found some CCI #11 Mag. caps and will be using them.
My .54 TC Renegade pet loads.
For patched RB. Mine likes 80 grains of 2f OR 3f, same volume amount of either one yields very nice groups. 75 grains is acceptable accuracy, but 70 grains is poor. I've never tried more than 80 grains of powder with PRB, no need with the groups 80 grains produces.
I get best groups with either .530 RB and .018" pillow ticking patches or .535" RB with .015" cotton patches.
Patch lube. I've tried all sorts of things. My absolute favorites are Track of the Wolf's mink oil, Frontier's anti-rust and patch lube, or a Dutch Schultz style "dry lube of 1 part Castor oil to 6 parts water. The mink oil is very slick and best groups are with a very light coating of it, just barely enough to coat the patches to the edge (I apply by hand by putting some in the center of the patch and then rubbing it out to the edges with my thumbs). I swab the bore between shots, night and day difference in ease of loading with the light amount of patch lube I use.
I've only tried one kind of conical, a Hornady 425 grain Great Plains Bullet (no longer made). It shot that best with 100 grains of 2f.
For patched RB. Mine likes 80 grains of 2f OR 3f, same volume amount of either one yields very nice groups. 75 grains is acceptable accuracy, but 70 grains is poor. I've never tried more than 80 grains of powder with PRB, no need with the groups 80 grains produces.
I get best groups with either .530 RB and .018" pillow ticking patches or .535" RB with .015" cotton patches.
Patch lube. I've tried all sorts of things. My absolute favorites are Track of the Wolf's mink oil, Frontier's anti-rust and patch lube, or a Dutch Schultz style "dry lube of 1 part Castor oil to 6 parts water. The mink oil is very slick and best groups are with a very light coating of it, just barely enough to coat the patches to the edge (I apply by hand by putting some in the center of the patch and then rubbing it out to the edges with my thumbs). I swab the bore between shots, night and day difference in ease of loading with the light amount of patch lube I use.
I've only tried one kind of conical, a Hornady 425 grain Great Plains Bullet (no longer made). It shot that best with 100 grains of 2f.
I tried some .535 RB and they were too large, need .530. Looked everywhere locally and none to be found. Thanks for the replies, gonna try and order some this week.
TDM
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I fired mine for the first time last Tuesday.
Started with 80gr. OE FFg, a .530 ball, and a patch of old cotton PJ bottoms soaked in "Windini Lube" - beeswax, lamb tallow & olive oil mix.
It did the trick at 50 yards when I did my part, and rang an 11" x 24" steel silhoutte at 100 yds. I won't be altering that load for hunting! May try to dial it in at the range just for grins.
Started with 80gr. OE FFg, a .530 ball, and a patch of old cotton PJ bottoms soaked in "Windini Lube" - beeswax, lamb tallow & olive oil mix.
It did the trick at 50 yards when I did my part, and rang an 11" x 24" steel silhoutte at 100 yds. I won't be altering that load for hunting! May try to dial it in at the range just for grins.
One of my hunting flinters is a .54 Renegade, a deadly Elk load is a 430 gr. pure lead Maxi-ball with 120 grs. of FFG pushing it. nothing will walk away from that
new2bp
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For my CVA 54 a basic ball or maxi load is a 308 case full of 3F - a hair or so over 50gr.
Ive gone as high as 90gr and that is plenty of recoil. Max load I could find in old generic CVA docs is 120gr
530 ball and 010-ish patch lubed with bore butter or 425gr maxis from Dixie Gun Works lubed w a 50/50 beeswax/crisco mix
Ive gone as high as 90gr and that is plenty of recoil. Max load I could find in old generic CVA docs is 120gr
530 ball and 010-ish patch lubed with bore butter or 425gr maxis from Dixie Gun Works lubed w a 50/50 beeswax/crisco mix
