.40 caliber vs .54 caliber

[Joe Bob]

Hi everyone...Hope the holidays are being good to you and everyone had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Here's the deal. I been shooting a .54 cal Hawken. Now, I've gotten arthritis in both shoulders and some other stuff wrong. S, I can't handle the recoil of the .54 any more. I'm thinking about getting a replacement barrel from Green Mountain, in .40 caliber. I don't hunt anymore so caliber is not that important to me. Am I off base by going to .40 caliber? What size round ball molds would work best? Is Green Mountain a good barrel? Any advice welcome.

[Jim]

I have a .54 caliber Lyman Great Plains rifle. I can (barely) still stand pushing a ball out of it with 100 grains of 3fG. HOWEVER, it's much more fun to do it with 25 grains and that'll still drive a .535 RB through a half inch of plywood. Plus, I get 4 shots to 1 on the powder I burn.
Keep the rifle like it is and just work up a lower powder charge!

[ktw]

You might also want to consider that a 40 caliber, 15/16" across the flats barrel is going to be a whole lot heavier than the 54 caliber in a 15/16".

-ktw

[montana_charlie]

Am I off base by going to .40 caliber?
I wouldn't say you are 'off base' as you have a chance to pick whatever you want.
But, .36 caliber was a real popular 'squirrel rifle' choice...back when squirrels carried guns.
CM

[longbow]

I'm inclined to agree with both montnana charlie and ktw.

While there is nothing wrong with the .40 cal, the gun will be a lot heavier. What you might consider is getting a "squirrel rifle" in .32, .36, ,40 or even .45 cal but with a slim barrel.

Track Of The Wolf has a beautiful Southern Mountain rifle with 13/16" barrel so it would be pretty light ~ especially in .45 cal.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(f1o30quu4elrgwedfeonpe3g))/categories/partDetail.aspx?catId=13&subId=77&styleId=285&partNum=SOUTHERN-MOUNTIAN-LONGRIFLE-FLINT-PARTS-LIST

Other outfits probably offer similar in finished gun or kit form.

If the budget won't support another gun maybe best to trade or sell what you have to get something else. You might find a used Thompson Center Seneca or other light small bore gun for sale or trade.

I have been thinking about a Southern Mountain rifle in .36 cal myself but the budget is currently too tight for dad to get more toys right now.

Longbow

[Joe Bob]

Well, I first wanted a .36 caliber but can't or didn't find any "drop-ins" in .36 so I just figgered a .40 might be just as good. But, yes, I really want a .36. One of the reasons I wanted a .36 in I have the molds, already. This T/C Hawken has a one inch barrel, as you know, would a 15/16 or 13/16 barrel fit the stock. Seems to me, it would. As far as selling/buying another gun...fellers, I just ain't got the balls to ask the Warlord. She bought me this Hawken, and I ain't even going there. I may just try to load it down and use it like it is, although I'd sure like a .36 drop in barrel. I do know this much...I can't shoot it anymore like it is, now.

Heavy ain't no problem, as I said, I don't hunt any more. I really like a gun to be a little on the heavy side.

Longbow, that is a pretty rifle at Track of the wolf. But I lean more towards the cap and ball type.

[Dale53]

Joe Bob,

I have a TC Renegade in .54 caliber. I bought a Green Mountain "drop in" barrel in .45 caliber. I won more than my share of matches with it, too. Green Mountain barrels are excellent.

If I had it to do over again, I would get the .40. Much less recoil and more pleasant to shoot. Go for it!

Dale53

[mooman76]

If weight isn't an issue, get the 40. I also think the 36 with 15/16 would be ok. It just gives you 1/32 on each side of the stock. I would also say just get rid of it and get a 32 but I understand the issue. Maybe you can get the 40 and later on get a 32 also that way you can still say you have the original. My 32 with a light load doesn't kick any more than a 22.

[waksupi]

It is obvious to me, you need another rifle, not another barrel!

[Joe Bob]

Waksupi...I need another rifle, but I don't need another divorce or murder. But thanks for your support, buddy. LOL

[Joe Bob]

Joe Bob,

I have a TC Renegade in .54 caliber. I bought a Green Mountain "drop in" barrel in .45 caliber. I won more than my share of matches with it, too. Green Mountain barrels are excellent.

If I had it to do over again, I would get the .40. Much less recoil and more pleasant to shoot. Go for it!

Dale53

Dale, when you got your Green Mtn .45 barrel, did it come in those long (32", 38",4o") oddball lengths? Or, will they cut it down to a reasonable size, like 24 or 26"?

When I say oddball lengths, I mean oddball to me. They're probably not oddball lengths to you guys.

[JeffinNZ]

I shoot a pair of MLers both of which wear Colerain .40cal barrels and shoot round ball. Balls are .395 and patching 0.018-0.024; the caplock likes a heavier patch mostly.

The .40cal is great for target out to 100m, is light on recoil, light on powder, light on lead but heaps for small game up to and including our wallabies and goats.

I can highly recommend it as a calibre.

[missionary5155]

Good morning I am always looking to ADAPT what I have rather than BUY... unless another 38 something caliber comes trotting along....
So what if you take a .40 caliber ball and find a patch THICK enough to use what-cha got. Big name places are making all sorts of them Sabots things... and a patch will do the same thing.
Looks to me like a hunk of old shoe tounge should be about the right thickness and with light loads of 30 + - grains 3f should last about all day long. Why maybe even old wool army blanket could get you to .36 . Yea I know this sounds nuts but I know the Longhunters used any size ball smaller than groove by just adjusting patch thickness. Double thick, triple thick, deer skin... all you need to do is seal the bore and spin a ball just a little.
So there I just kept the cook happy and you shooting for near nutten... and NO Charge !
God Bless you and your household ! Jesus Saves !

[Geraldo]

If you haven't already, try 50gr charges when target shooting. If you're buying a drop in barrel from GM, they are close to TC factory length with a couple of exceptions and they shoot very, very well.

[Joe Bob]

Thanks for the info, guys.

[montana_charlie]

Does Green Mountain offer a T/C drop-in with a .36 bore?
If you have to go with a slimmer barrel contour, a little Acraglas will make it fit the wood.
CM

[bobk]

The solution seems obvious. Bullet weight is the greatest contributor to recoil, so a sabot would enable you to use some .44 or .45 bullets that are light. Also, maybe a good recoil pad is all you need. Those Hawken style buttplates look awful to me. Years ago I put a Pachmayr triple magnum on my .375. I can shoot that thing off the bench until the ammo is all gone. My Dad kidded me that I was going to wear out the barrel. Not likely, with that caliber. However, giving the stock the "shotgun" style butt, and a pad, enables you to put some lead in the buttstock. If all else fails, put a sandbag between you and the rifle. I have never used one of the PAST strap-on pads, but that might be worth a try.

Bob K

[crowbeaner]

Something you might want to check on is the minimum caliber for deer hunting before you buy that 40 cal barrel. It's .44 caliber minimum here for deer, and the .40 can't qualify. Squirrels and other small game will never know the difference though.

[Joe Bob]

Something you might want to check on is the minimum caliber for deer hunting before you buy that 40 cal barrel. It's .44 caliber minimum here for deer, and the .40 can't qualify. Squirrels and other small game will never know the difference though.

Crow...I haven't been hunting nor killed anything since 1969. I'm 100% in favor of hunters, and I was a hunter as was my entire family. I buy a license every year to support the sport. If I have to hunt to survive, then I'll go kill something. But, until then, I'll just shoot targets. JB

[Bigjohn]

Joe Bob, I shoot a .40 cal. in a flinter; .395" patched with T/C patches (at present) with 40grs FFFg GOEX.

Now many years ago I brought a .40 cal barrel to drop into a early model CVA Mountain Rifle. The barrel is definitely heavier than the original .45 cal; not certain what the dimensions across the flats are.

However, if the new calibre is too heavy in the barrel it would be possible the taper the flats from the end of the barrel channel or have it turned round. There would be a couple of options for profiles.

Best wishes,
John.

[Joe Bob]

Weight isn't a problem. I don't carry it too far. Only from the truck to the shooting area. "Bout 50 feet. I think I'm gonna' re-think this and try lighter loads. After all, I'm only shooting paper and other targers. If I'm not happy with that, I'm just gonna' sell it and shoot my BP revolvers.