HuntAway

The Lil Red and White Truck showed up at the house today. They left behind a .54 Lyman GPR Flintlock.

So being a quick study I tore the box apart and procceeded to clean the rifle. Popped off the original sights and replaced them with some RMC V-Peeps and fibre optic front sight. Pulled the vent liner and replaced it with a RMC liner. I was going to put a Lyman Peep sight on it but I am missing the wedge. Put it somewhere but the wife hasn't told me where yet. Women can be fickle some times.

So my question is. What load do you fella's prefer in your .54's roundball rifles? Black Bear is the game for now and deer in Nov. Range 30-50 yds for bear and about 20-40 yds for deer.

I have Goex 2F and 3F and 4F prime powder. .535 Hornady balls. I have some bluestripe pillow tick that mikes .018. Some other tick that mikes .020. Some .018 wonderlube patches pillow tick, other wonderlube patches but I'm not sure what they mike probably .015-.018 and finally some .015 dry lube patches. I have a bottle of moosemilk done up and I have some wonderlube laying around some where.

Sometimes it is easier to ask for forgiveness rather than seek permission. Might have to get a new wedge though.

Thanks,

HA

cayugad

My Lyman likes powder. I would try 90 grains of Goex 2f and a .530 or .535 ball depending on patch thickness. They are great shooters. Semisane will have a load for you for sure.

Congratulations on a great rifle.

HuntAway

They are. My .50 GPR shoots great too, but you guy's shamed me into getting a .54. I'm sure I won't regret it either.....hmmmm Moose season is coming up too.

I .535 ball. Should I go with the .015/.018 patches? I'm thinking the .020 will be too tight with the .535's.

HA

mountaineer magic

I shoot a 100 to 110 , on my 535 balls even the .015 patches make it a tight load. They sure shoot good though

HuntAway

I was checking out my Lyman BP book and interestingly 2f out performs 3f for all loads except 100 gr fps wise. ???

HA

johnnyo

to the Lil Red and White Truck

HuntAway

The trick is to be there when they show up before you get the sticky note on the door....or around here they just put the sticky note in your mailbox on the corner and don't even bother knocking on your door.


HA

cayugad

I am a firm believer in using 2f in many of my rifles. The few times I change over to 3f is when I shoot conicals. 90 grains of 2f will shoot length ways through a deer, and even break a lot of bones in doing so.

I think that would be a lot of fun to hunt moose with that rifle.

HuntAway

I've taken my Omega moose hunting but have not had the opportunity to shoot one. With the .54 I would feel confident...within it's acceptable range. <75 yd of taking a shot on a moose. If I can wring him out good before Oct it just my go with me.

I've read that the larger the bore the coarser the powder. The "book" stats bare that out.

I really do like the lines, heft, look and feel of the GPR's.

I'm getting real close to giving the CF's up.....well maybe not my 45-70's.

HA

cayugad

I agree with you. I have for the most part gave up on center fire hunting. I like to shoot them from time to time, but muzzleloaders just seem to make it more fun. And I remember reading on a different forum of a person hunting moose with a .54 caliber and roundball. He was shooting 90 grains of powder. The amazing thing is, the moose he shot was over 150 yards away. And the ball still penetrated deep enough to take that moose down.