Hey everyone, new to the forum and have been window shopping for a traditional style muzzleloader for next fall. I hunt NJ so most of the shots will be short range 50 yards would be long , looking for quality 24 to 28 in barrel,and have the ability to shoot conicals and or sabots, sugeestions

Hello Seasons, welcome to AR, I am relatively new here myself. I have a Lyman Great Plains percussion in .54 cal, that has always shot well for me. Mine is the 1 in 66" twist for round ball but I believe they make one with a faster twist for conical bullets. I like the looks of mine, it doesn't have the shiny brass on it, it was not too expensive, shoots well. I have never killed a deer with it, every time I take it out I don't see anything moving, not even a bird or a squirrel! Fun rifle, though. Mine is over 20 years old, so I don't know what the quality is like these days, I hope it's the same or better. Hope this helps, good luck.

The lgp looks like a great gun been leaning towards the deerstalker. shorter barrel and i can always drop in a faster twist barrle for sabots, if the 1:48 is too slow and accuracy is effected

Look around for a used T/C Renegade in 54. I've had one for years. Green Mountain barrels sells replacement barrels in 1/28 twist if you want something faster than the factory 1/48.

FWIW, my gun shoots round ball and sabots just fine in the original twist rate. Patched ball over about 86 grains of Pyrodex select, very accurate. I did find it was finicky about conicals, though.

Years ago I settled on a Lyman GP round ball flintlock, it has worked well for me. We have a roundball season here in PA. I have freinds with TC's that are also happy. The TC's are a bit lighter and are made in USA. If you are really serious about traditional, take a look for some of the local made PA/Kentucky style or period correct guns. I used to do the French and Indian war period thing and there was a certain pleasure in using a nicely made gun like the one's Letort and Wetzel used. Just a thought.
Just get a gun that makes your socks go up and down, not one somebody else likes.
Bfly

Thank you all for the great advice I went for the lyman derrstalker and should be here by the middle of the week. Ordered some great plains bullets and gonna be a fun weekend of shooting,Anybody have any opions of the powerbelt bullets, i have heard mixed reviews on how they dont hold together.. Thanks again for all the input

Been shooting my Lyman trade rifle for 30 years. After shooting most every type bullet the round ball does best for me. The Deer Stalker will be a great hunter for you. Very good gun.

Welcome abouard Seasons,I've got a Thompson Center 54 cal that I found on Gunbroker super clean, installed a Lyman peep and goobe sight, extemely accurate, just gotta find an elk.

Congrats on the 54.. i am waiting for mine still shipping..can't wait to take it to the range. What type of projectiles are you shooting, conicals?

quote:

Originally posted by Seasons44:
Thank you all for the great advice I went for the lyman derrstalker and should be here by the middle of the week. Ordered some great plains bullets and gonna be a fun weekend of shooting,Anybody have any opions of the powerbelt bullets, i have heard mixed reviews on how they dont hold together.. Thanks again for all the input

IMO, there's no reason for an expanding bullet in a .54 caliber gun. Use a full diameter lead conical or a patched round ball and you'll be just fine.

Think of it this way: most of the centerfire bullets that are typically used on deer don't get a whole lot bigger than .540" after expanding.

The only really good reason to use a lighter saboted bullet is to get a flatter trajectory. IMO they don't really offer a whole lot of improvement in terms of terminal performance.

kjjm4..I going have to agree but aslo disagree. I agree having a non expanding bullet will do the job anyday of the the week, but why not use an enpanding bullet.

IMO I want to create the biggest possable hole, I guess i have a bowhunter mind set, I could shoot a fixed blade head which has worked for hundreds of years but I rather shoot shoot a broadhead that cuts a 2.5 whole going in and coming out.

With all this said, I do appreciate your input. And I Thank You for it , i did stay away from the lighter saboted bullets had no need for them after my first outing with the 54

Range Report: Been a busy summer but the lyman deerstalker out of the box never moved the sights, shooting one ragged hole at 50 yards with 425 grain great plains bullets and 90gr of triple seven. For an inexpensive gun i could not ask for more

Matt

i shoot a 54 cal tc renegade, and have always used maxi-balls or comparable projectiles. no problems to date.

I'm gonna try the NO EXCUSES in my T/C .54. But I also have some Roundballs to try as well. I've heard good things about the Hornady GP bullet.

Buglemintoday
Try the hornady gp you will not be dissapointed, i tried loads fromn 85 to 100 grains of triple7 they all worked great, my normal range load has been maxi's over the same charge, I have a member of my club who casts them and they shoot well but not as consistent as the gp bullets.

Enjoy your new tc, its been alot of fun for me
Matt

Thanks matt! I plan on making the drive to Cabelas next weekend (hopefully) and picking up some supplies. I will add the Hornady Great Plains to my list. I am wanting to plan a Cow Elk meat hunt here in Texas to do some load testing with this Renegade, or another BlackPowder rifle.

Justin

The person who thinks a soft lead round ball or lead maxie ball is not a expanding bullet lack experience. Kenny

Unless you can shoot open sites on a flintlock with consistent accuracy over 100 yards and or can't make consistenat heart shots under 100 yards, I don't see a significant advantage over PRBs. Its after 100 yards that a PRB really starts to fall off. I shot 1 buck at 125 and it only went 40 yards. With PRBs I reccomend a heart shot for bleed out and blood trail as lung shots can bleed little and allow the deer to run quite a ways.

quote:

Originally posted by LBGuy:
i shoot a 54 cal tc renegade, and have always used maxi-balls or comparable projectiles. no problems to date.

Exactly right!