54 cal BP LOADS

[GunnyJohn]

So the new shipment of Holy Black made it's way to the LGS, now it starts again. When I left off with my testing, I had worked my way up to 70grns with decent accuracy. But I was reading in my lyman black powder handbook and the muzzle energy for that load was unimpressive to say the least. 100grns wasn't all that great either. My rifle doesn't shoot conical bullets worth a didly must have a slow twist? Any way, I have no doubt that 70-100 grns will probably take a deer, but what about elk size beasties? I know that Mountainmen must have killed plenty of elk with round balls, charges, range? Sure appreciate any wisdom. I'm really in the dark on this one. Thanks in advance.

[Outpost75]

In my flint .54 Harper's Ferry repro rifle I used to have, I used 120 grains of 2Fg with a patched round ball. That was the same load used by Lewis & Clark to kill bears and buffalo. Barrel twist was one turn in 6 feet and it was a stone killer.

[Bphunter]

70 gr FF sounds a bit light for elk. Still quite lethal with a well placed shot under 50-70 yards. I load 120 grains FF for PRB in my GPH and its good for 100 yds easy. I won't shoot past 100 because I just can't be be precise beyond that distance and velocity and energy diminish rapidly past 100 yards as well. Truth is, most of my shots run from 10 to 40 yards. I would be concerned with shot placement first, energy second. You should always be successful with a good shot in the heart or lungs. It doesnt take much to punch through a rib. All the power in the world doesn't make up for a poorly placed shot. I learned this lesson the hard way.

[TCLouis]

When I sought (but never found) the mighty Wapiti, I had 110 grains of FFFG behind PRB.

It was accurate in the 1" octagon 34" Green Mountain barrel.

Sure wish I would have found a critter willing to let me test it!

[scattershot]

I ususally use the caliber as the guide for RBs. In a .54, 55 grains FFg for a general purpose load, and 110 for hunting. You don't say what rifle you have, but in a T/C I found that a big ball (,535) and a thin patch shot well. Others with deeper rifling required a thicker patch and a slightly smaller (.530) ball. Try a second patch or a Wonder Wad between the powder and patched ball, too.

[Hanshi]

Muzzle energy and Muzzle loaders shouldn't even be used in the same sentence. Muzzle energy is a product of modern cartridge firearms and smokeless powder. A prb doesn't kill as a result of great "energy" but rather kills by good placement of around a half inch or better soft, lead ball that starts off larger than an expanded jacketed rifle bullet and expands even more as it penetrates. With MLs, to gain more power one does not jack up velocity; one goes to a larger ball. 80 grains of 3F behind a .530" prb will kill the biggest elk one's likely to encounter. Always go for accuracy whether it be an 80 grain load or a 110 grain load.

[histed]

I have to go with what's already been said. I shoot 100 grains of FFg with a .535 PRB in my flintlock PA rifle. It shoots "minute of deer" at 100 yards, but most of my shots are shorter. Put the ball where it should and you'll have very little problem. I think we get too wrapped up in long range ballistics and "sniping" today. Black powder, like archery, is generally a game of stalk close and make one good shot.

[cwskirmisher]

I shoot 80 grains of 2F Goex under a .530 RB and .015 ticking/patch that I soak with crisco/beeswax and let dry the night before I go afield. Loads tight, shoots tight out of my half-stock Hawken .54 caplock. Second round loads and shoots just as nicely. Kills anything within 100 yards, no problem, and usually gets a complete pass through unless I hit a shoulder.

[Odinbreaker]

I like the .54 405 gran T C Maxi. I coat it with liquid allox and roll in motor mica. That reduces leading I use a felt wad over 90 ff in flint 90 gr of t 7 in Percussion. I have 4 54 cal Cva with 1/66 to Layman Deer Stalkers on TC Renegade.

[Alan]

Over on muzzleloadingforum.com a fellow named Dan Pharris has a picture of a leg-bone of a big mule deer. The .54 prb shattered the bone in several pieces, drove thru the lungs and stopped under the skin on the far side. The range was spitting distance, the powder charge was 35 gr of 2f. From a pistol. 70gr will kill an elk. Personally I load as close to the recommended max for the gun as I can get and still get good accuracy. Experiment with your patch thickness and ball diameter, and the heavy load will shoot as well as the light ones. Oh, and that is just to give maximum point blank range. You don't need the excess power, but it is nice to have 110-120 yards where you don't really have to hold off to put one in the boiler room

[triggerhappy243]

What alan just said. If you cant hit what you are aiming at, stay on the portch.

[Hard_Cast]

I'll echo what Excess said, and then some! Plain, round balls are the LEAST aerodynamic projectile out there- other than a brick- but they dump energy better than anything else when they hit too! I always load up a muzzleloader in 10 grain increments until they crack and then reduce by 10%. Usually, that is where the accuracy is. If not, try different combinations of patches, etc. Bore butter is my favorite lube of choice, prolly cause it smells good and is readily available. Ol'timers always liked tallow. My shooting buddies used Crisco for a time, but I wouldn't suggest it for hot weather! (mess...)

I was always under the impression that 3f-especially in higher charges- was asking for trouble in >45 cal weapons. But then I also understood that at that crack point- the sound barrier- all you are doing is wasting powder. In any case, we all know what going finer than 3f would do...

[pietro]

When I sought (but never found) the mighty Wapiti, I had 110 grains of FFFG behind PRB.

It was accurate in the 1" octagon 34" Green Mountain barrel.

Sure wish I would have found a critter willing to let me test it!


I hadda settle for a Great White Oak................ :D


.

[725]

Agree. .54's get along fine with FFG powder. Lots of powder in a ML usually means some of it flies out unburnt and falls on the ground. Personally, I work out the accuracy load and stop there. Placement is everything, and a pure lead RB is a mighty meat maker.

[GunnyJohn]

I got out yesterday and worked my way upto 100 grains with good accuracy. I think I'll call it good at that for deer and Elk, and drop down for ground squirrels this summer. Still plenty of time to get it all figured out before hunting season.

[triggerhappy243]

GunnyJohn, what conicals have you tried? I shoot both 50 and 54's with round ball and conicals and each have their own preference.

[GunnyJohn]

GunnyJohn, what conicals have you tried? I shoot both 50 and 54's with round ball and conicals and each have their own preference.

Triggerhappy

I have tried TC maxi balls @ 430 grains lubed with bore butter, and Buffalo Bullet Co. round nose hollow base @ 435 grains. I got hem from my father in law. He said he shot them with 120 grains of FFg Pyrodex. Didn't work for me. I dropped to 70grns and worked my way back up, then I switched to real BP and did it all over again. Just no real accuracy to be had.

[triggerhappy243]

did you try removing the bullet lube that was on them? if yours were pre-lubed, it was too much lube and that does destroy the accuracy. I only fill the bottom lube groove.