who shoots 54 Cal with 3F ?

[Big Rviers]

I've always liked to keep things simple so use 3F for all my rifles from .45 to .54. Not that I don't like to vary the ball size, patch materials and load size it just makes the working up loads more fun. Just never heard a good argument to change to 2F or seen any one shooting better with it. The deer, elk, moose and bears that dropped to those loads never complained either.

 

[brotherlloyd]

tc hawken 54 68gr., goex 3f, wad, patched round ball, spit patch between shots

 

[brotherlloyd]

you have to actually get outside and burn some powder. every rifle i own likes a different load. when i change 1 thing it changes everything. a good place to start is 13 yards and 1 grain per cal. and work it up

 

[Griz44Mag]

I do. I've always shot a load of FFFg in my .54, although I have experimented some with FFg. I tried FFg again last week and was mostly satisfied with the groups, but thought my FFFg groups were better, so I shot again today with FFFg. My recollection was right, my .54 likes FFFg better.View attachment 36802

View attachment 36803

(SHOWOFF)
Nice shootin'

 

[Griz44Mag]

i have always used 2F in 54 and above. but I see a lot of fellers who shoots 3F in 54? and how much? i know every rifle is different and you just have to try combos, but is it basically as accurate or more accurate as 2F? just curious, i might give it a try,,,,,,,,,,,

Like most here, I use 70-75gr of 3f - in main charge and primer pan, with roundball - .535 ball with .010 patch (recommended by Pedersoli) and get great groups at the range and dead deer on the range.

 

[ord sgt]

I use 44 grains FFFg in my .58 calibre Enfield. I never tried it in my .69 calibre smoothie.

 

[shorthair]

I use 3f for hunting loads in my CVA .58 in the rainy cold weather because of the better ignition success over 2f.

 

[olskool]

well I went outside to my range at home yesterday in 94 degree heat with 100% humidity and shot a 5 shot group with my 54 southern mountain rifle. I used plain old 3F goex, 75gr. of it. 50yds off the bench I shot one large hole group at 50 yds. off the bench. I like it, it is a little tighter than my groups with 2F ol eynsford. what surprised me was the clean up of the gun. it cleaned 5 times quicker than with 2F i am going to do more experiments with 3F ol eynsford and 3F swiss although I am not a swiss fan because after 6 or 8 shots a hard ring develops towards the chamber if you don't swab after each shot.

 

[ZUG]

In my rifles calibers .36, .40, 50, .54 I use 3F -- in my civil war .58 caliber rifled muskets, 20, 12, & 10 gauge shotguns I use 2F seems to work just fine for me.

 

[Maven]

Not only a .54cal. with FFFg (currently Goes), but also a 20ga. smoothbore trade gun. However, I reduce charges by at least 10% compared to FFg in both guns. Also, recoil is more pronounced, but hardly painful. Accuracy is the same though in both the rifle and trade gun (using patched RB's).