Help my inner Jeremiah Johnson... just got a new muzzleloader

[Ben Long]

So I just inherited a replica .54 caliber Hawken rifle. I've shot blackpowder a few times but have never owned my own or hunted with one. The rifle is in good shape. My friend hunted with it and killed deer with it, but it is lightly used. It's outfitted with a modern peep sight. Montana now has a muzzleloader season and I intend to hunt with it, if I can get acceptable accuracy with it. So what do I need to know? What projectiles should I experiment with?

 

[Ben Long]

Oh I should add that my initial target will be whitetail with a slight chance at an elk. What kind of range should I expect?

 

[Dan O]

Ben what rifle is it? You need to determine the ROT to see if it is a PRB only or will work with conical bullets. If it's a TC it will probably be 1-48 or rifles such as the Great Plains rifle will be probably a 1-66. The 1-48 you can use PRB or a maxi ball or other conical pure lead bullets.
A 54-caliber rifle is very effective on deer or elk with a PRB at 100 yards. If you practice with it and learn how wind drift and drop effects PRB it should work pushing 125 yards. If you use a conical you can stretch it a little farther but that only if you learn the rifle.
Use Black Powder, either 2f or 3f and see what your rifle likes. If you look at the ballistic tables you will see the limitations but don't worry they work just fine if you do your part.

 

[Dan O]

Ben here is a website where you can plug in the info and get ballistic information. The second is a copy of the TC load information. Hope this helps.

https://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/rbballistics/web

https://www.tiropratico.com/manuali-pdf/T/Thompson-Center_Shooting_TC_BlkPwdr_Guns_Man.pdf

 

[ccc23454]

I like conical bullets in my hawken and have great accuracy and plenty of killing power. Have shot a elk last 2 years with mine using maxihunters in a .50 cal. Magnum caps are best bet if you can find them and lately that's a problem but scheels in billings had some recently.

Offside hide of cow, 270 maxihunter .50

 

[WildWill]

Just recently went down this same rabbit hole. First thing first what's the twist? That'll determine if you're better off going conical or RB. General rule 1:48 for conical and 1:66 for round ball although dosen't necessarily mean it won't shoot the opposite accurately. My 50 cal hawken with a 1:48 twist shoot 370gr Maxi balls with 85gr of ffg very well. As for blackpowder I use Swiss ffg for conical and fffg for round balls. I've found 100 yards to be very doable and I don't have a peep. Only killed one deer with it so far but it dropped like hit by a death ray.

 

[Greybeard]

I've got a Thompson Center .54 Hawken that is the most fun you can have with your pants on. It has a 1:48 twist but I shoot patched round ball almost exclusively. The best load for mine is thinner patch and 85 grains of Swiss ffg, although I'll use 777 if I'm out of real bp. Cleans up easier anyway.

 

[cgasner1]

Personally love the no excuse bullets you have to order a sizing kit and fit them to your gun

 

[Perlodid]

Personally love the no excuse bullets you have to order a sizing kit and fit them to your gun

+1 on no excuse bullets, also one of the only ways to get .54 conicals nowadays besides making them yourself.

 

[cgasner1]

+1 on no excuse bullets, also one of the only ways to get .54 conicals nowadays besides making them yourself.

I’d believe you a 54 was hard to shop for when my dad had one

 

[ismith]

Oh I should add that my initial target will be whitetail with a slight chance at an elk. What kind of range should I expect?

50 yards with a round ball.

 

[cgasner1]

For Montana I’d also ditch the globe and get a red dot. Love that thing

 

[BAKPAKR]

I shot a whitetail buck with a 54 cal round ball and I was pretty impressed with the results. Like @cgasner1 mentioned, 54 cal projectiles were hard to find when I was looking for them and I was “stuck” with round balls. I had heard horror stories about round balls. However, after watching my buck drop after a short run and seeing the damage the round ball did, I wouldn’t hesitate to put one through an elk’s lungs out to 75 yards or so (about as far as I would shoot with a non-peep sight anyway).

With that said, I would use a conical of some form if I could find them. A 54 cal Maxi-ball worked well on my largest elk.

 

[Keep on]

If you are going to use PRB, try varying thickness patches as well as different loads of 2f or 3f. You guys out west have the advantage of percussion caps, we are flintlock in PA and anything but actual black powder is harder to ignite with a flash pan.
I'm a 75 yards or so max guy with open sights. I use a TC PA hunter 1:66 twist with PRB.

 

[WildWill]

I shot a whitetail buck with a 54 cal round ball and I was pretty impressed with the results. Like @cgasner1 mentioned, 54 cal projectiles were hard to find when I was looking for them and I was “stuck” with round balls. I had heard horror stories about round balls. However, after watching my buck drop after a short run and seeing the damage the round ball did, I wouldn’t hesitate to put one through an elk’s lungs out to 75 yards or so (about as far as I would shoot with a non-peep sight anyway).

With that said, I would use a conical of some form if I could find them. A 54 cal Maxi-ball worked well on my largest elk.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx%3Fsearch%3Dmaxi%2520balls&ved=2ahUKEwjO44Pis9GLAxUm8MkDHQsnF-wQFnoECEMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0Oy98HWtqBDabHwPvVTICV

They have 54 maxi ball in stock. I've used their 50 maxi ball good quality.

 

[Knight.54]

54 Cal./580 gr. Bore Size Hydra-Con | 10-Pack

54 Cal./580 gr. Bore Size Hydra-Con.10/Pkg.

parkerproductionsinc.com

stuff falls down.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

i would look into some practice and see if there are some rhondevues or black powder clubs or shoots in your area,,,good way to practice as there is a good one out of bend oregon this weekend by gmlr.im sure there would be something going on in your area in montana.i use .54 great plains conicals w 90 grains of 777 ff in my .54 muzz//conicals will have more hit at longer yardage//balls are more for 1-66 barrel twist//1-48 usually can shoot both.

 

[elkantlers]

54 Cal./580 gr. Bore Size Hydra-Con | 10-Pack

54 Cal./580 gr. Bore Size Hydra-Con.10/Pkg.

parkerproductionsinc.com

stuff falls down.

Including the shooter.

 

[Knight.54]

Including the shooter.

It’s a great elk load.
Shoot a creedmore if it’s too much for you.

 

[David58]

.54 patched round ball is fine for both deer and elk to 100 yards. I use 100 as the max just based on my comfort level shooting a muzzleloader in competition and hunting. If your eyes are better, then maybe up to 125 or 150.

David
NM