Spending More Shooting .54

My last two range sessions have been with a couple of .54's. Today was the second since last Friday. These two sessions total about 70 shots using 90 grains GOEX FFG and a .530 PRB, pounded both my shoulder and wallet, figuratively.

My last several shooting sessions have been with my .32 Cherokee and .32 TVA Tennessee, time to go back to shooting these guns which will take out paper just as cleanly as larger calibers.

Try dropping the load to 50 gr

I shot my 54 that many shots once. I do not think the recoil is much at all to be honest but I only use a 70gr charge. My hands were worn out from grilling the ramrod though. Balls might cost a little more but what are we talking about here? $5?

I have dropped the charge in my full stock .50 Hawken to 70 grains, makes it a pleasure to shoot. My new-to-me .54 Santa Fe Hawken went to the range with me today, using 70 grains. Very easy to shoot - it does fit me very well (15" LOP), which helps - that 70gr charge is plenty gentle. Now, mind you, I am in the process of building a .40 for the reasons you cite - low recoil and consume less consumables - but a .54 don't have to hurt.

I use 35gr 3f most of the time in my .54 GPR for target practice and squirrel hunting. The accuracy is around 1" or less at 50yds and the recoil is light. I cast my own round balls, so the cost is minimal.

Boomerang said:

I use 35gr 3f most of the time in my .54 GPR for target practice and squirrel hunting. The accuracy is around 1" or less at 50yds and the recoil is light. I cast my own round balls, so the cost is minimal.

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35 grains of powder? I.m surprised the ball would travel 50 yards? LOL!

LME said:

35 grains of powder? I.m surprised the ball would travel 50 yards? LOL!

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Don’t let that fool you… I blew up my Wife’s flower pot with a stuck jag & a air compressor!
Plenty of power there, really an over kill for the flower pot..

smo said:

Don’t let that fool you… I blew up my Wife’s flower pot with a stuck jag & a air compressor!
Plenty of power there, really an over kill for the flower pot..

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Just joking around! I broke a jag off in my Hawkin once . The jag had a tight patch around it and I had no other option that I had at my disposal to remove it other than shoot it out. I will lay odds that it was far less than 35 grains but it was enough to shoot that jag across the yard.

LME said:

35 grains of powder? I.m surprised the ball would travel 50 yards? LOL!

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Ya, they are traveling around 900 FPS. I definitely wouldn't want to be hit by one.

Lots of people in the NSSA use any where from 35-50 grns of blk powder, in thier .58 muskets, and get the job done.

Dave

LME said:

35 grains of powder? I.m surprised the ball would travel 50 yards? LOL!

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First time I dry balled my .54 I worked some 4F powder into the touch hole, it wasn't much either. I figured just like you that if it did come out it would just about roll out the barrel. Let me say this...make sure you have it pointed down range with a good backstop! That sucker came out with authority and buried itself in the dirt of my backstop at 50 yards!!!

Boomerang said:

Ya, they are traveling around 900 FPS. I definitely wouldn't want to be hit by one.

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Just for note, a .54 ball at a hundred yards if fired at 14-1500 fps will be about 900 fps. This is about a 70 -80 grain charge in a 34” barrel, or 80-90 grains in a 28” barrel. And at a hundred yards has no trouble turning Bambi French

I had a jag snap off in the barrel of my 50 caliber flintlock rifle.
I put about 5 grains of 3f in the touch hole and shot it out.
I have no idea where it went.

I hunt deer with 50 grns of 3f in my muskets. Bambi dosn't like it.

Dave

When I shoot my .54 I use 60 grains of 3F which is very accurate and suitable for deer.

I shoot a 54 cal with a 42in colerain bbl. I shoot a lot too. When hunting, shooting woodswalks, punching paper or metal, I use 80gr of 1 1/2f Swiss, and my own cast .530 rb’s. If I have to use goex ff I have to bump to 90gr. I don’t like to drop loads for targets, use the same thing all the time because I know that my gun likes it and when at shooting I’m always peeping for hunting

barracudadave67 said:

Lots of people in the NSSA use any where from 35-50 grns of blk powder, in thier .58 muskets, and get the job done.

Dave

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When shooting my .54 M.L. I found 80 grain load at a 100 yards 60 grains load at 50 yards. If I go beyond 80 grains my group starts to open up? I can go down and the only thing that changes is elevation. 35 grains is a pistol load and it will do the job.

LME said:

35 grains of powder? I.m surprised the ball would travel 50 yards? LOL!

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I use 40 grains of 3f in a 54 renegade, works a treat out 75 metres. Only a two inch drop if 0 at 50.

Hrm... price difference at Dixie for .54 maxis vs .50 or .45 maxis is 0 or darn close to it. 60gr of powder is 60gr of powder (or 90, but hey, its your shoulder)

Don't see much of a difference between costs..... Now if you want to talk about availability and options, well....

I get tickled when folks talk about large powder charges. I guess no one has read where the 56-50 Spencer was considered the Magnum of its Era. It loaded a 350 gr lead conical and 45grs of fine black powder. No one ever called it a pipsqueak. My best friend uses a 54 TC with PRB and 50grs ffg. He hasn't lost a deer yet.