.54 Power & Range?

My short answer is, can hit a 9” steel plate with authority out to 100 yds. Standing, offhand, 80gr. 3f, 535 ball, .018 pillow ticking spit patch. Calm day, no wind.

The .54 caliber is an excellent Deer/Elk gun at those ranges if all variables are right. Is more than capable for further distances under the right circumstances that has already been touched on.

At 50 yards ?? At a coyote?? LOL!

Respectfully, Cowboy

When I was younger (a lot younger) I shot at a doe that was in her bed. I hit it and tracked it for most of the day until I found her. I knew I had a good enough hit because of the blood trail and she stayed going down hill and stopping to lay in a brook. The next day my son paced off the shot and told me it was over 200 yards,a steep down hill shot. I had a Thomson Renegade .54 cal with a Green Mountain round ball barrel..1-66 twist. I had 110 grains of FFG. I would never take such a shot again I was just plain stupid and very very lucky to find the deer(good thing I had snow) Being 69 now the only shots I take are < 60yds and a clear boiler room shot placement.

I see this discussion has been around for a while and run around the block with recommendations, criticism and rhetoric. I have a percussion mountain rifle that is deadly loaded with 80 grns. of 3 f .530 swaged round ball and 15 thousands linen patch lubed wit my mixture of bees wax and Crisco. 1 in 66 rifling. The longest shot on a deer was 91 steps I am 6-3 in height so I figured 100 yards away. The story is complete pass through double lung shot the went perhaps 60 yards before expiring blood trail was massive so tracking was very easy. The buck was a very nice 9 pt. and dressed out at 145 lbs. a very large deer for the area where I hunt. So the question for me is how much do you practice with the rifle, how accurate are you and most importantly what distance are you comfortable with to place a good killing shot . After a quick review of other replies in my opinion it is plain redundant to shoot any type of weapon at any distance at any thing if you just want to try and kill it. All animals no matter what type deserve the opportunity to expire quickly. As hunters we should be very careful as to posting replies of such mentioned about hail marys and whimsical shots, we are not the only who monitor these sites and with todays views all we do is add fodder to the fire for others who would destroy our passions, 2nd amendment rights and heritage.

Smokey Plainsman said:

Guys for whitetails, assuming a crack shot with a .54 caliber round ball slow twist rifle with a
large charge of powder, what’s the range you wood feel comfortable hunting the white tailed deer?

Have read to keep it at 50 yards or under, some say all the way up to 150 yards??

Just what is the answer? And what range could you also hunt a yote with it?

-Smokey

Click to expand...

Imagine you had a spot all the way across the pasture that you were dead on sighted in for elevation and practiced at. Now imagine the rifle was scoped for your aging eyes...

Is a .54 using a round ball enough for taking a white tail deer?
Yes. With the proper load*, a .54 with round ball is enough to take pretty much any big game critter found in North America.
.50 caliber is the minimum here in Idaho, for critters like Moose, Elk, and Black Bear, using a round ball.
As for the range? Traditional sidelocks are a "short range" arm, regardless of caliber.
I won't shoot at a game critter more than 75 to 100 yards or so, be I shooting a .45; .50; or .54. (I doubt I'd shoot longer distanced if I had a larger then .54 caliber. If I cannot stalk closer than that ... the critter gets to live another day - unless someone else takes him or her.)
YMMV, of course.
*For "Proper Load" I'd guess anywhere from 80 to 120 grains FFg.
Whatever is the most accurate from that particular rife.

From Introduction Page XI. "Hawken Rifles, The Mountain Man's Choice"



I recall reading a passage about the testing of an original .54 Hawken many years after front loaders had gone out of style. It was found to shoot accurately with various powder charges, " Up to a one to one load" and "it had a great smashing effect"...

I have never read the book as shown in the above post, but in my opinion things have not changed since it was printed. The loads as stated are pretty much spot on in comparison to todays shooters. With that said we must take into consideration the quality of powders as compared to yesteryear, the ability to use different lubes, and patching material types, run ball by the camp fire, cast bought ball or swaged bought ball. There was and is no doubt the original Hawkens and to some extent the modern ones either custom made or some production type ones will get the job done if the shooter can do their part. I think as modern folks attempting to re-create the old timers we are spoiled with the availability of the weapons, and fixings for those weapons. Really how many of us depend solely on said weapons for a day to day life. Example how far do you need to travel for something as important as black powder. Good reply with book passage.

At a coyote any shot, any distance and Pray for a hit! Coyote hunting specifically is with an unmentionable's. That is my sons business.

I don't own a 54 but my 58 cva mountain 1 in 72 twist does all holes touching at 100 yds with 110 3f goes a .562 patched ball. Put my first Blacktail buck on the ground at 130 yds.

I shoot a .54 PRB. I have no idea how far it's effective. My distance is set by my old eyes and primitive sights. 60-70yds is my max. Being a still hunter that works out just right.

Stick with what you know. You can hit stuff up to 250 yds, but that would not be an ethical hunting shot.