Based on research and the advice given by many on this board, I decided to purchase a Lyman Great Plains Hunter Rifle in 54 cal. Currently it has yet to be delivered, but I started doing some initial research on conicals and sabots that I can use.

All of my previous experience with Muzzleloaders comes from my 50 cal Thompson Center which I load with 250 grain TC Shockwaves. Can I use this load in a 54? Would it require a special jacket?

Could anyone give me some advice on loads of sabots and conicals that they have experience with in 54 cal?

I want to use this gun to hunt big game. I plan on taking it on my annual Oklahoma trip and bucks out there regularly go over 250 lbs. In the past I have hunted with 245 grain powerbelts in my Thompson 50 cal which have shown me little to no knockdown power on the deer out there. So I switched to Shockwaves, which I like better, but have yet to fire them into a deer.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You might try Lee REAL bullets they shoot great in my Lyman 54 cal Great Plains rifle (at least at 25 yards one 5 shot hole 100 grains pyrodex RS). Haven’t had a chance to try them at 100 Yards yet.

I originally bought the mold for my 54 cal Knight Stainless Steel Predator but they were too tight to get down the barrel.