# .54 load



## tryinhard (Jul 19, 2007)

Can anyone reccommend a good hunting load for whitetail for a .54 muzzleloader?


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

tryinhard said:


> Can anyone reccommend a good hunting load for whitetail for a .54 muzzleloader?


Mine I use 100gr. of Powder pushing Patch and Ball.

Killed alot of Deer with this Load.




























big rockpile


----------



## tryinhard (Jul 19, 2007)

I just bought a .54 barral for my .45 T/C Hawken. I think the .45 will do a fine job on deer but I am hoping to go West in the next couple of years and wanted something with a little more range. What distance would you not trust it to make a good clean kill? Everyone told me not to go past 75 yds with my .45. I am hoping to be able to kill at 125yds or so with the .54.


----------



## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

It's going to depend on what the twist is of your barrel. I have a 1 in 66 inch twist and I use 75 grains of 3F. A friend uses 2F and he uses 100 grains. I would start at 70 grains of 3F and increase it by 5 grains and shoot three shot groups and see where the best accuracy is.

Bobg


----------



## tryinhard (Jul 19, 2007)

Well it's a 32" barrel with a 1:70 twist. I shoot nothing but round balls so it should do excellent with that twist. Someone told me to start with 54 gr of powder and work up from there. I have no idea where to start. I know my 45 likes 60 gr of 777 and shoots amazing groups at 50 yds. Others are telling me that 777 is hotter than black powder and I should back off my load 10 gr or so. Guess I'll just go to the range with all 3 and shoot til I run out of powder or am satisfied. What a way to spend an afternoon? LOL!!


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I am hoping to be able to kill at 125yds or so with the .54.


Either caliber is is easily capable of clean kills at those distances *IF* you use a GOOD projectile and enough powder.

There are too many variable with ML's to suggest a "good load" for *your *gun

Unioncreek gave you good advice: Start low and work your way up until you reach a point where accuracy is good and recoil is managable, and you will have *your* load.


----------



## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

Oldtimers have said that many of the long twist, like yours has three sweet spots, one low somewhere between 15 gr and 30, medium, between 35 and 80, high, between 70 and 110, where they will shoot accurate, find these and use them. It takes awhile. 
A few great muzzleloader guns will shoot accurate at nearly any charge. I've been learning for a couple decades, and will say just stick with it and you will love it, I personally dont like the new inline cheapos that are flooding the market with the copper coated sabbotted bullets, and compressed blackpowder substitute pills to charge with, It costs as much to shoot them as any high powered guns, and takes all the fun of doing it all yourself and keeping it cheap and fun, just my preference, ray


----------



## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

My flintlock likes 80 gr FFg, a piece of hornet nest, then a patched round ball. I've killed some deer over 100 yards, 130 was about the farthest.


----------



## Wis Bang 2 (Jan 12, 2010)

You have to work it up! My T/C Renegade does a PRB w/ 80grn FFg & a 430 grn conical maxi hunter hits the same w/ 100 grn FFg


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Most my Deer average around 50 yards but I shot this one at 220 yards with 50Cal.There was alot of Bullet drop and had to use second shot to finish him.










big rockpile


----------



## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

I have a Cabela's Italian Hawken reproduction. I use 90 gr. of genuine black powder with a patched round ball. Gets the job done. My rifle is sighted in for 50 yards...but it will reach out to 100 with no problem.


----------



## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

*I started using hornet nest, suggested by an old timer, when I couldn't get a st. louis Hawken CVA to sight in no matter what charge I used, and it really brought things together and it would hit decent, with the hornet nest. 
many years later now I've learned how I can make the same gun shoot a 3 inch pattern at 100 yds standing without a rest, and without using hornets nest. It is a double set though, which makes that difference. I've spent years reading and learning and shooting, experimenting, with patch thickness, ball size, load charge, weight, store bought swagged, hand poured, etc. I've settled on hand poured with the sprue out, and a dozen other little things I've learned to hit the bulls eye. If I could have started knowing what I know now I would have had a chance for champion ship shooting. But thats water under the bridge, and I'm just as happy with my learning process. Its been a joy to me. I just never gave up until I had it down, well its a never ending process of learning, if I shot another hundred years I'd still be learning new things to help, tho I'm too old now to do anything but enjoy it at home, with my kids that love to shoot BP also. I've begun shooting long distance target. Right now all I'm set up for is 1,2,3,4, & 6oo yds. Round balls mostly but I shoot some minie' balls, or mini balls as some say, in my walker or new army 44s. I've only got 1/2 mile on my place but with my neighbor I can go over a mile, which is plenty far for open sight long distance BP shooting, for me. I wont be trying the Adobe Walls shot, I use loose powder anyway. best wishes, ray*


----------



## tryinhard (Jul 19, 2007)

Well my barrel is in town for delivery by UPS. Can't wait to lay hands on it!!


----------



## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

I use 90 rains of 2FF with a patched ball.. In a T/C .54 flintlock Pennsylvania Hunter.


----------



## gunseller (Feb 20, 2010)

When I started shooting ML rifles in the 70s I had an Old Timer tell me that the proper charge is the amount of powder it takes to just cover the ball held in the palm of your hand. In 50cal that is 90 grains, In 54 it is 105 grains. I used 100 grains of 3f. Now before someone starts telling me you have to use 2f in rifles over 45 when you can start talking about the amount of lead you have shot in tons we will talk. 3f shoots cleaner and gives tighter groups than 2f in every rifle I have shot. 217 steps is the greatest distance I have shoot a deer with a ML rifle. 100 grains of 3f and a patched round ball. Oh is should tell you it was with a 58 cal Green River Rifle Works Leman Trade Rifle. I use a 50/50 mix of Dawn dish soap and water as a patch lube and to clean. Good luck with your new barrel and keep us informed as to the load and how it shoots.
Steve


----------



## Toulle (Jun 9, 2011)

I shoot a .62 smoothbore flintlock - roll paper cartridges with 90gr ffg, which serves to prime and load - hard to beat crisco for patch lube - clean it up with boiling water and a light coat of olive oil - same as was used 200+ years ago, except they used bear grease


----------



## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

gunseller said:


> When I started shooting ML rifles in the 70s I had an Old Timer tell me that the proper charge is the amount of powder it takes to just cover the ball held in the palm of your hand.


If your palm is cupped, it doesn't take much, if it is flat, it takes plenty. Same if your palm is damp or dry. Oh, I started in the 70s, too. 



> Now before someone starts telling me you have to use 2f in rifles over 45 when you can start talking about the amount of lead you have shot in tons we will talk.


We can talk. Many others would qualify, too. Several are here.


----------



## gunseller (Feb 20, 2010)

Ed it is a flat palm. Sorry if I stepped on anyones toe. It was not my intent. I have had people argue with me telling me that 3f will blow up a rifle over 45 cal. Come to find out they have shot almost a pound of powder in their lives.
Steve


----------



## Dutch 106 (Feb 12, 2008)

Huh,
3fg is all I use in my 50's I tried 2fg ealy on and it shot about 80% as well. I couldn't pull better than a 4 inch group at 50 yards, I get 1 inch these days (5 shots off a sandbag) at 50 yards.
SO so much for that bull! I use just under 95 grains at that with rounds ball ( a 375 shell case full 94.7 grains.
just bought 20 pounds of 3fg so I guess I use a bit.
Dutch


----------



## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

gunseller said:


> Ed it is a flat palm. Sorry if I stepped on anyones toe. It was not my intent. *I have had people argue with me telling me that 3f will blow up a rifle over 45 cal.* Come to find out they have shot almost a pound of powder in their lives.
> Steve


Now that is funny! 

Now as to shooting a couple of tons of lead, yea I think I would qualify... But then I've shot everything from a 1861 Springfield (repro) and Enfield (repro), 1860 Henry Rifle (repro), Spencer rifle (repro), a T/C 45 cal percussion, a T/C 54 cal flinter, a 45 cal Underhammer (a strange looking rifle) besides shooting cap and ball revolvers in competition back in the '80's.. and others..:happy:

The only muzzleloaders I haven't shot is shotguns..But that is because I don't own any I would trust shooting ...YET! Everything except the Spencer and the Enfield I own, the others are my SIL's.. Oh and if you want fun try an 1874 Sharps Rifle/Carbine in 45-70 (again a repro).. It is a blast especially if using black powder... Yes it is fun using modern powder also, since it is a repro and can handle that, just more fun with black powder.


----------



## Toulle (Jun 9, 2011)

But putting 3f in a rifle over .45 will blow it up - you just haven't put ENOUGH in it yet

seriously, tho - I have people telling me that you have to carry a priming horn or flask of 4f to prime a flintlock, and 2f for the main charge yada yada - same people tell me a flinter fails 1/6 of the time - come to find out they are all shooting those things from Cabela or whatnot with little Mickey Mouse locks that have to have fine powder

my trade gun takes a 1" flint with something approaching a 2" throw - I prime and charge from the same horn or paper cart - if it doesn't go boom it's because I didn't do my part


----------



## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

I shoot a lot of 3F in my .54 and have friends that do it also, never had a problem. For priming powder I use a brass screen and screen out a pound of 3F, always get enough to prime the load on pound of powder. I built my Leman Trade rifle and used a Siler lock, never had a problem with ignition even when priming with 2F.

Bobg


----------



## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

Toulle said:


> But putting 3f in a rifle over .45 will blow it up - you just haven't put ENOUGH in it yet
> 
> seriously, tho - I have people telling me that you have to carry a priming horn or flask of 4f to prime a flintlock, and 2f for the main charge yada yada - same people tell me a flinter fails 1/6 of the time - come to find out they are all shooting those things from Cabela or whatnot with little Mickey Mouse locks that have to have fine powder
> 
> my trade gun takes a 1" flint with something approaching a 2" throw - I prime and charge from the same horn or paper cart - if it doesn't go boom it's because I didn't do my part


Also another problem most people have is when they clean their flinters.. I've watched them oil the frizzen so much that even if the flint hit correctly it couldn't make a spark if it wanted to.. Also most people don't take care of their flint or don't have it placed properly... I do know that once you introduce a new person to the "romance" (couldn't think of a better word) of a flintlock, they won't forget it..

A young lad who just got back from his 3rd tour in Iraq came over to shoot on my range. He had shot black powder before doing Civil War reenactments, but never had a chance to shoot flintlocks.. So as we were shooting AK's and Mosins etc, I handed him my 54 cal flintlock.. He fired it making a few of the classic mistakes. Once I showed him how to handle the rifle, he spent the rest of the day firing it.. He loved the it, I thought I was going to have to beat him to get it back...:hammer: But he relented Anyway, he now has his own and enjoys the time we get together to fire them..


----------

