.54 or .50

[ekacpuc]

07-25-11 03:17 AM - Post#1022525

So I'm finishing up on my investarm .50 hawken.

I'm already sorta dreaming about a 32" 1 in 70" barrel instead of the 1 in 48" 29" long barrel I have. Thinking about .54 cal instead.. I wanna shoot roundballs and the heavy bullet seems to have an edge. Not interested in the maxiballs but I will shoot one to see what happens.

I wanna do a lyman great plains pistol kit next (not ready for harder ones yet). I'm trying to deciede on the .50 or .54 cal. I'd like them to be the same so I could use the same round balls.

What would be the difference in the pistol? I you tubed it and it didn't seem to kick much (the big one). Is the real difference knock down power? Is it a big difference?

Any thoughts?

Greg

 

[Don]

I've been wanting a Plains Pistol in .54 for a while to go with a .54 rifle I have. I don't have a .54 pistol but I do have a couple of .50 cal ones. They both shoot mild even with 40 grains of Pyrodex RS. The Plains is an excellent pistol, very accurate from what I've heard.

Don

 

[Otter]

If you have a .50 cal rifle, it makes sense to have a .50 cal pistol. If you have a .54 cal rifle, it makes sense to have a .54 cal pistol. The LPPs are a good pistol to start with. Whatever floats your stick . . .

 

[zimmerstutzen]

certainly it is far easier to have matched calibers.

The difference between a 50 and 54 in a rifle is small with a slight edge to the 54 in it's ability to burn powder within the bore before the ball exists, the heavier 54 ball's capacity to carry energy down range and the larger hole it makes. In a pistol barrel, I think the 54 probably gives a more significant edge on being able to burn a larger charge within the bore before the ball exits the muzzle. I wouldn't say the difference is drastic.

 

[merdean]

I bought a .54 barrel. 42" long. I cut off 10" so I built a .54 rifle with 32" barrel and a .54 Pistol with 10" barrel. Both have 1 in 70 twist. Rifle shoots great. Pistol is good for 25 yards. Don't trust me past that. But the whole thing was done to have rifle and pistol that shoot same ball. Don't have to carry more than one size ball. So get a .50!

Merle

 

[buttonbuck]

In Illinois you can deer hunt with a lyman plains pistol in 54 cal. not a 50. I have one in 54, cal very accurate. Some year I will hunt with it.