to .54 or not to .54?

[SimonKenton]

Johnny,

If all the deer knocked flat by .45 flinters came back to life and stood up it'd look like the world's biggest game farm! Same for the .50 and I use a .54 myself. I am thinking about a project involving a matched pair of Isaac Haines flinters in .45 and a very early Dickert in .54 caliber. I may switch to a Verner if I can work out the specs I want (.45 caliber 44" "B" weight Rice barrel).

-Ray

 

[laufer]

.54 for hunting deer and elk. 80-100gr powder.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Remember that the quality of the black powder used in the 1820's was probably not as consistent or uniform as the product we buy today. And who can say how well the powder was sorted or graded. Look at the differences in powder granule size for the various " Other " black powders , made by someone other than GOEX, which has become a standard in the USA. There is no doubt in my mind, either, that 150 grains of FFFg, or even FFg would be fairly stout, and give a terrific recoil, especially on those comparatively narrow buttplates of the Hawken rifle. But, then, if you were facing a grizzly bear, would you want anything less? Notice that he did not use that load on anything other than grizzly bear. For Buffalo, he used only 100 grains( two measures of powder). Most people would think that a buffalo would require at least the same charge used for a grizzly bear, no?