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.54 caliber loads

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Hey all! Just found a .54 rifle that I am in the process of bringing home. I am so excited that I am already looking at supplies. Would love to hear what loads/patch combos ya'll are shooting so I have some points of reference to start from. Ideally I would be looking for one load that I would use both at the range, and in the deer stand. I like to keep things simple, for this simple brain (lol). I don't see myself ever shooting a grizzly, or a tin can at 300 yards, so I just need a load that will give me good performance from around 150 yards and in. Farthest id ever shoot is 200 at the range, and no more than 125 or so on deer. Thanks!
 
Give us some more info on the rifle you are acquiring. I have several .54s and can shoot up to 120gr of FFg dependent on the task at hand. I would start at 25y and work your way out. That way you get to know your rifle and you become more proficient with it as you work your way out to longer ranges. You can either be using a .530 or a .535 ball. A few of mine use .535 with a .0020", .0022" or .0024" patch material. I use a balistol/water 1/6 ratio for lube. Yours may want a different lube. Experiment to see what combinations woks best in yours. It will take some time to see what works best in your new rifle. Change only one thing at time so you know what and does not work well. If you make to many changes you will not know was is and isnt working. Good luck keep us posted on your development.
 
To answer your question my friend I own several .54’s of various types. From Hawken rifles to Southern Mountain Rifle’s and a little of everything in between? Both percussion and flintlock.

In the mind set that each individual rifle has a personality of its own,? Thus a load combo needs to be worked up for that specific rifle.

As a general starting point that I have very good results with no matter what .54 I may be shooting that day is:

.530 ball.
70 gr. Goex 3f.
.018 pillow ticking spit patch.

Good starting point that’ll achieve descent accuracy. Proper adjustment can be made from that point on for desired results.

Lastly, out of all the caliber’s I shoot, the .54 is definitely my favorite. Hard hitting and flat trajectory. Pretty much bring down anything you’re shooting at.

Respectfully, Cowboy
 
To answer your question my friend I own several .54’s of various types. From Hawken rifles to Southern Mountain Rifle’s and a little of everything in between? Both percussion and flintlock.

In the mind set that each individual rifle has a personality of its own,? Thus a load combo needs to be worked up for that specific rifle.

As a general starting point that I have very good results with no matter what .54 I may be shooting that day is:

.530 ball.
70 gr. Goex 3f.
.018 pillow ticking spit patch.

Good starting point that’ll achieve descent accuracy. Proper adjustment can be made from that point on for desired results.

Lastly, out of all the caliber’s I shoot, the .54 is definitely my favorite. Hard hitting and flat trajectory. Pretty much bring down anything you’re shooting at.

Respectfully, Cowboy
I am very excited. I have wanted a .54 for a long time. Glad to hear that it is your favorite.
 
Hey all! Just found a .54 rifle that I am in the process of bringing home. I am so excited that I am already looking at supplies. Would love to hear what loads/patch combos ya'll are shooting so I have some points of reference to start from. Ideally I would be looking for one load that I would use both at the range, and in the deer stand. I like to keep things simple, for this simple brain (lol). I don't see myself ever shooting a grizzly, or a tin can at 300 yards, so I just need a load that will give me good performance from around 150 yards and in. Farthest id ever shoot is 200 at the range, and no more than 125 or so on deer. Thanks!
I use 70 grains 3fg, .010-.012 tightly woven linen patch cut at the muzzle, Stumpkiller's Moose Juice dry lube, and a .530 ball. Where does the linen come from? Scraps left over from making shirts. And I inspect the fabric to see if it's tightly woven enough, and measure it with my calipers. I have a very good fabric and quilting supplies store in my town.
 
I don’t see much difference between 2F and 3F but am a traditionalist so use 2F in a .54. All good advice above. Somewhere between 70 and 100 grains will give good accuracy and plenty of knockdown power. As usual if you use a ball 0.010” smaller than bore you’ll need patching 0.018” thick or thicker for sure. When running 10 thou under I use 0.020” patching. When using ball 5 thou under I start with 0.018” patching.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone! I will let you know how everything turns out. Excited to workup some new loads/patch combos. I have always wanted a .54. Going to see if I can ring that 200 yard gong at all.
 
Well, you can have fun shooting a gong at 200 yards but for hunting, I don't recommend shooting at much over 120 yards with a typical muzzleloading rifle.

That's because of two things. First, a shot must be accurately placed to get a clean kill, even though the size of a .54 caliber ball or bullet is larger than many modern bullets will expand to. The sights on most traditional guns can be difficult to use at ranges beyond 120 yards.
Also, if you are shooting a patched roundball, it's velocity and energy drop off very quickly so the trajectory of them beyond 100 yards starts looking like a falling brick. Even though a bullet will maintain its velocity better, they also drop a lot for every yard they travel downrange after 120 yards.

Most muzzleloaders realize these facts and they limit the range they will take a shot at. Because of this, most people who hunt with muzzleloaders think that using them puts the "hunt" back into the hunt and that is the enjoyable part of it. It's not a "deer shoot" which is what it has become with modern high power rifles.

I think of muzzleloading hunting as the area between archery hunting and modern rifle hunting. It takes all of the skill of an archery hunter and rewards him by extending his range to 100 yards.
 
Well, you can have fun shooting a gong at 200 yards but for hunting, I don't recommend shooting at much over 120 yards with a typical muzzleloading rifle.

That's because of two things. First, a shot must be accurately placed to get a clean kill, even though the size of a .54 caliber ball or bullet is larger than many modern bullets will expand to. The sights on most traditional guns can be difficult to use at ranges beyond 120 yards.
Also, if you are shooting a patched roundball, it's velocity and energy drop off very quickly so the trajectory of them beyond 100 yards starts looking like a falling brick. Even though a bullet will maintain its velocity better, they also drop a lot for every yard they travel downrange after 120 yards.

Most muzzleloaders realize these facts and they limit the range they will take a shot at. Because of this, most people who hunt with muzzleloaders think that using them puts the "hunt" back into the hunt and that is the enjoyable part of it. It's not a "deer shoot" which is what it has become with modern high power rifles.

I think of muzzleloading hunting as the area between archery hunting and modern rifle hunting. It takes all of the skill of an archery hunter and rewards him by extending his range to 100 yards.
Ya I certainly won't be shooting at any game over 120 yards. And closer to 100 yards ideally. Even if the rifle can do it these eyes can't.
 
I see the general wisdom is to use 2f in a .54, but I am seeing plenty of people that use 3f. How do your experiences compare between the two?
In my 54 Mortimer I couldn’t get a good group at all with 3F no matter what I tried. When I got a 54 Harpers Ferry rifle I didn’t even try 3f. The same 80gr 2F Goex and patch and ball combo I used for the Mortimer shot just as well if not better in the HF.
 
i can tell you what works in mine. i have a southern rifle. it has a rice 38in barrel and a Bob roller lock. i use a .018 pillow ticking patch with ballistol/murphy's oil soap/alcohol mix wet patch lube. and 75gr. of Goex 3F off the bench it will shoot a one hole group at 50yds,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
 
i can tell you what works in mine. i have a southern rifle. it has a rice 38in barrel and a Bob roller lock. i use a .018 pillow ticking patch with ballistol/murphy's oil soap/alcohol mix wet patch lube. and 75gr. of Goex 3F off the bench it will shoot a one hole group at 50yds,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I am a big fan of ballistol but I have never used it as a patch lube. Always been worried I would make everything "too wet", and didn't know what that would do to the powder if let to set for a while, say while hunting.
 
I am a big fan of ballistol but I have never used it as a patch lube. Always been worried I would make everything "too wet", and didn't know what that would do to the powder if let to set for a while, say while hunting.
well it is fine wet for the range. and keeps the barrel clean and I can shoot till I am tired with no swabbing. for hunting if I use it and sometimes do, I wet the patching and let it dry. it stays oily but dry, and works good! for hunting I also sometimes use bees wax and olive oil mix
 

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