Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Traditional Firearms => Flintlock Long Guns => Topic started by: Forager on November 20, 2019, 09:13:43 AM
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I am very seriously contemplating having a James River Basin style “early Virginia” rifle built. 42-44” swamped barrel, but I’m stuck on caliber. Looking for advice and thoughts on .54, .58, and possibly .62 for that style rifle.
Edit - intended use is for hunting. Deer, black bear, and if I am lucky perhaps elk.
Thanks!
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I have all 3,.... and I like the .54 for general purpose shooting. :bl th up :)
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I am very seriously contemplating having a James River Basin style “early Virginia” rifle built. 42-44” swamped barrel, but I’m stuck on caliber. Looking for advice and thoughts on .54, .58, and possibly .62 for that style rifle.
Thanks!
bore choice depends on the primary use of the firearm. if hunting, what kinda game? if not, a .54 flinter is one of the finest and yet will still kill most any north American game.
if yer a bit handy, also consider a Jim Kibler Colonial flint rifle kit.
(https://i.imgur.com/OJylbBB.jpg)
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ALthough I have really liked rifles of larger than normal caliber for the last 20 years or so, they are expensive to shoot. For general everyday shooting and ample knockdown power for what a person would normally hunt, I feel the .54 caliber is my leading choice. I have tried .45, and .50 and found them pretty boring. A .54 never lets you down.
John
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I am very seriously contemplating having a James River Basin style “early Virginia” rifle built. 42-44” swamped barrel, but I’m stuck on caliber. Looking for advice and thoughts on .54, .58, and possibly .62 for that style rifle.
Thanks!
bore choice depends on the primary use of the firearm. if hunting, what kinda game? if not, a .54 flinter is one of the finest and yet will still kill most any north American game.
if yer a bit handy, also consider a Jim Kibler Colonial flint rifle kit.
(https://i.imgur.com/OJylbBB.jpg)
I took this Alaskan Moose in 1994 with a round ball from a .54 rifle I built. :bl th up
I've also head-shot rabbits and grouse, and won some competition shoots with a .54 :bl th up
<img src="http://tradmla.org/tmaf/gallery/254_16_11_19_2_56_44.jpeg" alt="Alaska Moose"/>
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Thank y’all!
I should have clarified (and will edit to do so). Intended use is hunting. Deer, black bear, and maybe if I’m lucky elk.
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Thank y’all!
I should have clarified (and will edit to do so). Intended use is hunting. Deer, black bear, and maybe if I’m lucky elk.
you really want the .54 caliber.
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Thank y’all!
I should have clarified (and will edit to do so). Intended use is hunting. Deer, black bear, and maybe if I’m lucky elk.
you really want the .54 caliber.
Certainly was a top consideration before. Looks like it might well be the consensus suggestion, too.
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If you are looking for recommendations I would say the .54 too.
I have all the calibers mentioned and although they are each great in their own right, it's the .54 that's my go-to gun for all big game Hunting, including Elk.
BTW: I was recently reading that Virginia has done absolute wonders with their Elk Herd.
VA Conservation seems to have done all the right things to re-introduce a thriving Elk Population and many of us take our Hats off to those that do this kind of work and are successful at it....it's not an easy task!
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I would get the .54 and never look back. I don't consider the .45 and .50 to be at all "boring". I've killed far too many deer with those two calibers, especially the .45, to ever consider them "not up to snuff". But from what you describe I doubt you can do better than a .54.
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If you are looking for recommendations I would say the .54 too.
I have all the calibers mentioned and although they are each great in their own right, it's the .54 that's my go-to gun for all big game Hunting, including Elk.
BTW: I was recently reading that Virginia has done absolute wonders with their Elk Herd.
VA Conservation seems to have done all the right things to re-introduce a thriving Elk Population and many of us take our Hats off to those that do this kind of work and are successful at it....it's not an easy task!
The elk restoration has gone well, but we face the headwind of an insurance conglomerate blocking additional expansion and the anti-hunting crowd wanting to block any seasons. We can discuss all that stuff at length elsewhere.
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I would get the .54 and never look back. I don't consider the .45 and .50 to be at all "boring". I've killed far too many deer with those two calibers, especially the .45, to ever consider them "not up to snuff". But from what you describe I doubt you can do better than a .54.
Oh, it’s not that the .45 or .50 cannot do it. They can. When bear are added in, I’m hedging my bets.
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I would get the .54 and never look back. I don't consider the .45 and .50 to be at all "boring". I've killed far too many deer with those two calibers, especially the .45, to ever consider them "not up to snuff". But from what you describe I doubt you can do better than a .54.
Oh, it’s not that the .45 or .50 cannot do it. They can. When bear are added in, I’m hedging my bets.
I've taken 3 black bears (1 was actually a 400+lb cinnamon) using a .54 PRB,.... and as with any animal and weapon "shot placement" is important. :bl th up
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Forger seez...The elk restoration has gone well, but we face the headwind of an insurance conglomerate blocking additional expansion and the anti-hunting crowd wanting to block any seasons. We can discuss all that stuff at length elsewhere."
Yep, and then there's that.
Russ...
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Well I hate to be the dissenter here but I would vote for a 58 caliber flintlock. :hairy My 58 is my personal favorite and go to. I have shot several bucks with it and one elk. I do have a 54 Kibler that I really like as well. Whoops, then there is my 62. Good Lord the decisions you have to make are quite stressful. But overall I like a 58 caliber rifle. :yessir: :luff:
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I've taken all of the above, Elk, Deer, Blackies with both 50 and 54 calibers, that being said, it's the well placed shot that makes meat!, 54 has turned out to be my caliber of choice in the last 10 years. as always, you mileage may vary!
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I have gravitated to the 54 for all big game and the 40 for small game. Good ballistics and performance with a patched round ball in both calibers.
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Well, I've taken deer & antelope with .45, .50, and .54, and I will say that the .54 is my favorite. I think everyone who hunts has a favorite caliber they like and if it's legal for the size game you're hunting - it's your call. I also would not rule out the .58...
To me, the .54 teeters to both the deer & antelope size game but also covers you in many of the larger size game animals such as elk, eastern black bear,,, and if I were in Griz country hunting - no less then a .62 (rifled barrel with 120 - 140 grains of powder. Guess I'd just like that chance of getting back home... :shake
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The elk restoration has gone well, but we face the headwind of an insurance conglomerate blocking additional expansion and the anti-hunting crowd wanting to block any seasons. We can discuss all that stuff at length elsewhere.
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Hey Forager. I would luv to help in these efforts. Please PM me and we can discuss in more detail. Thanks!
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The elk restoration has gone well, but we face the headwind of an insurance conglomerate blocking additional expansion and the anti-hunting crowd wanting to block any seasons. We can discuss all that stuff at length elsewhere.
Hey Forager. I would luv to help in these efforts. Please PM me and we can discuss in more detail. Thanks!
[/quote]
I need to follow up with you anyway!
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I have rifles from .36 to .58 and beyond any doubt my favorite and most used are all in .54 cal . Course you could get a .58 and have an extra .54 barrel made for it and have both .
Eddie
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I have rifles from .36 to .58 and beyond any doubt my favorite and most used are all in .54 cal . Course you could get a .58 and have an extra .54 barrel made for it and have both .
Eddie
Welcome to the TMA Forum, Eddie! :bl th up
Powerful glad to have you with us.
I agree with your thinking, and I have for a long time.
An extra barrel or two, or three, along with a great shooting Smoothrifle barrel is about as good as it gets IMHO...Some get shot more than others, but the ones not being shot are not neglected or forgotten...their day will be coming as I shoot all of them..
I find myself with days where I think I will shoot this today, but then I change my mind, doubt builds and I throw another barrel in the truck, just in case....each barrel also has it's own shooting bag, so where the barrel goes the bag goes and vice versa.
The one barrel that accompanies me just about every time, whether hunting or shooting on the Range is the Smooth-bore rifle barrel in .56 caliber....I have shot a lot of Quail and Grouse with that barrel, plus it shoots really well with a patch and round-ball, a definite win-win for any hunter.
(https://i.imgur.com/PGyzt77.jpg)
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Thanks Uncle Russ . I am about the same , my oldest Thompson Hawken has a .45 TC and a .50 Douglas and my newest has a .54 TC and a .50TC and is a Renegade . My Seneca has factory .36 and .45 barrels . Need a .58 for the Lyman GP but all I seem to run across are bullet barrels and I'm a round ball guy .
Eddie
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I have rifles from .36 to .58 and beyond any doubt my favorite and most used are all in .54 cal . Course you could get a .58 and have an extra .54 barrel made for it and have both .
Eddie
Welcome to the TMA Forum, Eddie! :bl th up
Powerful glad to have you with us.
I agree with your thinking, and I have for a long time.
An extra barrel or two, or three, along with a great shooting Smoothrifle barrel is about as good as it gets IMHO...Some get shot more than others, but the ones not being shot are not neglected or forgotten...their day will be coming as I shoot all of them..
I find myself with days where I think I will shoot this today, but then I change my mind, doubt builds and I throw another barrel in the truck, just in case....each barrel also has it's own shooting bag, so where the barrel goes the bag goes and vice versa.
The one barrel that accompanies me just about every time, whether hunting or shooting on the Range is the Smooth-bore rifle barrel in .56 caliber....I have shot a lot of Quail and Grouse with that barrel, plus it shoots really well with a patch and round-ball, a definite win-win for any hunter.
(https://i.imgur.com/PGyzt77.jpg)
Fortunately, I already have the .56, and the .54, and a .50 for the Renegade. I’ve also got a sewer pipe rusted .50 that I picked up free a while back that will likely become a .58 or .62.
What is that 1:26” twist .50? Details?
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Welcome to the TMA Forum, Eddie! :bl th up
Powerful glad to have you with us.
I agree with your thinking, and I have for a long time.
An extra barrel or two, or three, along with a great shooting Smoothrifle barrel is about as good as it gets IMHO...Some get shot more than others, but the ones not being shot are not neglected or forgotten...their day will be coming as I shoot all of them..
I find myself with days where I think I will shoot this today, but then I change my mind, doubt builds and I throw another barrel in the truck, just in case....each barrel also has it's own shooting bag, so where the barrel goes the bag goes and vice versa.
The one barrel that accompanies me just about every time, whether hunting or shooting on the Range is the Smooth-bore rifle barrel in .56 caliber....I have shot a lot of Quail and Grouse with that barrel, plus it shoots really well with a patch and round-ball, a definite win-win for any hunter.
(https://i.imgur.com/PGyzt77.jpg)
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Russ, This is a little late for Christmas this year, but for next year birthday and Christmas, if it were me, I would ask Santa or the birthday bunny for a nice little .40 cal in a round ball twist, maybe 1:48. And for added excitement, we rebarreled a Renegade for a fellow with a .62 slow twist, I think 1:96. It was fun to shoot up to 150 grains, but over that it felt like being in a boxing match with both hands tied behind one's back. No fun.
Now, that's only what I would do. YMMV, but it is certainly a valid suggestion.
John
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John, I like the way you think!
:hairy
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Eddie, I suggest talking to Bobby Hoyt if he will make a barrel for you. It would be cheaper than getting one from fleabay, although you may have to blue it yourself. He made a .62 smoothbore for my T-C at a very reasonable price, which included turning it from octagon to round. http://tradmla.org/tmaf/index.php?topic=23224.msg217885#msg217885
~Kees~
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I have always liked Uncle Russ' one stock for different caliber barrels. Great idea!!! :hairy
My biggest reason for liking this idea is very simple; No matter what caliber you are shooting in that "one" stock - it will always have the same feel when shouldering it. In my mind, this is one of the foremost steps to accuracy... We all know the old saying, "fit & feel" - well it certainly holds true when going this route. :hairy