I'm trying to make a ballistic comparison....

[Sparkitoff1]

I've always wanted a .54 for PRB shooting. I have a flintlock that does such and have always kicked around the idea of complimenting it with a caplock.  I happen to have another 54 that is a Rolling block ML and it shoots .54 PRB great out to 50 or so yards but not so good at 100-yards. That is probably due to its 1:24" rifling. A friend gave me a .50 that should be a PRB shooter with its 1:60 ROT, but alas hundreds of dollars and countless hours failed to come up with a PRB combo that will provide a decent group, degrading rapidly at longer ranges. Either way it is still a .50.  I found that a Ball-et or a PA Conical groups very nicely out to 100-yards. I give you all this info so you know what I am dealing with and referencing.

So now I debate whether getting a .54 caplock that will shoot PRB accurately at 100-yards gives me anything more than I already accomplish with the .50 shooting Ball-ets/PA's.

The projectile weight on the .50 is 240 grains.  A .54 PRB will be around 230.  The .50 should have better S.D. and B.C., which can amount to better penetration. Also, the .50 doesn't require a patch. While this doesn't quench my desire for a .54 PRB shooter, I can't have both anytime soon as personal economics don't support it.  The exception would be that I sell or trade the .50 for desired .54 or I find just the .54 barrel to put on the .50 stock and lock.  It is a CVA Hawken 15/16" barrel from the early 80's BTW. Another consideration is that either caliber barrel for this rifle is going to be fed 80 grain of FFFg or 90 grains of FFg based on manufacturer specs.

If anyone has the barrel I need for sale or would trade for a .50 (stock re-done and lock tuned, set triggers with projectiles) let me know!

SO - what are ya'lls thoughts on the .50 Ball-et/PA Conical vs. .54 PRB for hunting medium game out to 100-yards in terms of comparative effectiveness? This assumes I will work to find equivalent accuracy between the two. Do I gain anything with the .54 PRB other than satisfying an itch?

 

[DocGP]

I shoot a .54 1:38 with a conical because pros won'the group well in my barrel. Just got a new mountain rifle .50 call barrel from Deer Creek with a 1:66 twist which groups to 50yrds not good at 100. I need more time to play with it and loads. I shoot PA conical in another .50 so I tried them in the 1:66 and 100yrd groups are great, so will use them this weekend for a whitetail hunt. I have taken deer from 60yrds to 125yrds with this and have been one shot kills. Prb barrels can be picky but with time and patch, lube, ball size, powder charge a load can be developed to shoot well enough to be minute of deer. Don`the give up on a prb! You will get there.

 

[burlesontom]

I had a Cabelas 54 that would group fine at 90 yards. We shot in a gravel pit and 90 yards was the max range to the rock wall we used for a backstop. I used pillow ticking from WM and My own version of Moose Milk made from water soluabal oil for machine work. The targets were 2x6" boards about 6" long painted orange. We shot the boards then shot the pieces. I normally shot 70-80grs 3F in that gun.