.50 vs .54. Does it matter?

[priv8ter]

The title of the thread pretty much sums it up. The wife wants to try black-powder hunting next fall, so I am starting to look now for the guns. I have hunted once before using black-powder, but I was borrowing the gun I used.

My buddy that I hunted with had both .50 and .54 caliber rifles, and used the same load (two 50gr pyrodex pellets) in both guns, so I can't see the ballistics being that much different. I mean, a 300gr half-inch chunk of lead is still something to contend with. And, for a similar powder load, common sence would indicate that the .50 caliber load would have slightly better trajectory(not that that should matter out to 100 yards).

Just curious. These guns would be used mostly for elk, although sooner or later it may see work on deer. For obvious logistic reasons, I would like to get both guns in the same caliber.

Thanks!

greg

 

[Swamprabbit]

My first BP rifle was a T/C Renegade in .54. I shot the 530 grain Hornady Great Plains bullets on top of a stout charge of FF. Now I never shot an Elk with it but judging by the way that bullet performed on the thin skinned White Tailed deer, I would think it would work great on Elk (at reasonable distances of course).

With just a 28" barrel, I was able to consistently hit 24" gongs at 200yds using a tang mounted peep sight.

I gave that rifle away a long time ago to my father-in-law. I replaced it with a .45 cal Kentucky rifle.

One advantage the .50 may have is it's popularity may give you a bigger variety of bullets to choose from.

 

[ARGarrison]

Swamprabbit's last sentence is right on the money. When I got my first and only muzzleloader, I wanted a .54 caliber, but back then bullets in .54 were hard to come by localy. I ended up with a .50 caliber, but around here (Indiana) we don't have Elk, only deer. Things have gotten a little better, but the .50 rules the selves and have a wider range of choices, sabot, conical lead, etc. If I was hunting Elk I would into a .54, but my current muzzleloader suits my needs.

 

[priv8ter]

Cool

You guys hit the nail on the head:

One advantage the .50 may have is it's popularity may give you a bigger variety of bullets to choose from

Yeah, that's kind of why I'm leaning towards the .50. I have been given to understand that there is a lot of experimentation involved in finding qhat your gun shoots best. I also think there might be less kick involved than in the .54.

I've read the Washington Hunting regs, and this is what it says for elk:

must fire a single, non-jacketed lead projectile of nominal .50 caliber or larger, or fire a single non-jacketed lead projectile of at least 170 grains.

So, I guess what I need to find out before buying is, are the .45 caliber sabot's that fire out of a .50 caliber rifle at least 170gr? Off the top of my head, I seem to remember them being around 250grs.

Thanks for all the info so far.

greg

 

[riddleofsteel]

The real rub comes when you start shooting patched balls. In a quality muzzleloader, with a properly seasoned barrel, a patched ball loads easier and shoots true. The edge of a .54 or .58 ball over a .45 or a .50 ball on game animals has to be seen to be believed.
I personally do not shoot far enough to make a small bore rifle and high velocity a must. I want something that loads easy, shoots center and knocks a BIG hole.

 

[Bryce]

.45 cal sabots in a .50

Yes, you can definately get .45 cal bullets that weigh more than 170 grs. I have a Lyman Great Plains Hunter in .50, and I am using saboted .45 cal bullets that weigh 330 grs this season. You can get .45 cal bullets in sabots for .50 cal muzzleloaders anywhere from 250 gr up to 350 gr from Precision Rifle bullet - www.prbullet.com in a variety of configurations from flat nose to severe spire points with or without a hollowpoint. The large range of bullet weights is designed to suit the twist rate of the barrel of your muzzleloader. My twist is 1:32 so I have to shoot the heavier .45's - 300, 330, or 350. With a faster twist rate like 1:24, a lighter bullet is what you will stabilize best.

-Bryce

 

[bp_cowboy]

If shooting Roundballs at Elk

I would opt for the 54, but if you are going to use Sabots or Conicals I would opt for the 50. Lots of bullet selections.

 

[oneshooter]

I have killed both Texas whittail and New Mexico Mulies with a 50cal loaded with PRB and 100gr 2fg. For elk I built a 62cal. Used 140gr of 2fg with a PRB.70yards and it penetrated both sholders.

oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[rick_reno]

I'm in Idaho and use a .54 caliber on elk. I use it because that's what I bought years ago - and it works. I shoot the 530 gr. maxi-ball with 90 gr. of FFG in a TC Hawken rifle with open sights. My only complaint is our local sporting goods store (Walmart) doesn't carry any .54 caliber supplies - only .50 which I assume matches the rifles they sell. When Walmart came to town the guy who ran the little sporting goods store that carried a little of everything had to close.

I'd sure like one of new in-line muzzle loaders, in the articles I've read they look like they come close to duplicating center fire rifle cartridges - and I think you can easily put a scope on them - which would be great.

 

[BigG]

From my readings, I understand the .50 and .54 evolved when the Mountain Men moved W. across the Mississippi and up the Missouri. They found the Buffler and Griz did not respond well when shot with an eastern squirrel rifle in ~ .40. So, in my opinion, a .50 or .54 Round Ball was a heavy game rifle, not to mention the added punch from heavy lead slugs that they are shooting today in them. For example, the .54 shoots a 230 grain RB. This would be what the original users had.

A whitetail will fall to much less than a .50 or .54.

 

[riddleofsteel]

I read a story the other day about Daniel Boone's rifle (that still exists). It was a .44 Pennsylvania type rifle. No doubt he fired .430 or .435 round balls patched with home made linen and greased with animal fat of some kind. According to records Boone was a consumate scout, explorer, and self supporting hunter. I seriously doubt he would have chosen a rifle caliber that would have been a handicap to his pursuits. In his wanderings he ranged from the Piedmont of N.C. to the Blue Ridge mountains of N.C. to the wilds of Kentucky, hunting and protecting himself with his rifle all the way. With critters from squirrel size to white tail deer size being the primary sources of food I guess his .44 did a pretty good job. In his day there were still elk in the N.C. mountains and woods bison in the Ohio valley. I reckon he probably polished off a couple of them as well.
Remember these boys lived by the rifle and the blade in those days and a fellow that did not shoot center went hungry or had his scalp end up on some Indians lodge pole.


I guess it all comes down to bullet placement after all.

 

[RandyB]

One thing to consider is if you are looking at say a T/C hawkens in .50 or .54 the barrels are the same size on the flats and the .50 will weigh more. This is a factor for some women and kids. I have killed deer with .45, .50 and .54 and they all fell with good shot placement.