New .54 rifle with GRRW barrel (added range report)

[chapmans]

 Larry and I went to pick up my new rifle today, it was built in 1980 and has never been fired, I will soon be taking care of that!!!!  I plan on deer hunting with it and shooting woodswalks with it.  Does anybody have a pet load for their .54 GRRW rifle?  Enjoy!
  Regards, Steve Chapman

[Pvt. Lon Grifle]

What a great rifle you have there. It is fantastic.  As to the load. My caplock GRRW 54 shoots a .535, .017 ticking, 90 grains fffg goex. This requires a good whack to start, but gives good results at 100 yards.  Lon

[Daryl]

Not sure if my .58 Hawken had a GRRW or Large barrel, but it wouldn't shoot well at 100 yards with less than 140gr. 2F. With that load, it would shoot into 1-1/2".  I used a .575", 285gr. ball, cast from a Lyman mould and C&H, GOX or GOEX powder.  I think it was the early GOEX powder.   the important apect of the charge for this gun was probably the velocity for accuraty - 1,683fps with Spit lube and 1,736fps with Bear Grease. It liked both lubes.
With today's powders, you can probably get that speed with 120gr. GOEX 2F, or 100gr. 3F, which should work well in it's 66" twist.( I think that's what they had for rifling twist @ about .012" deep).

[eseabee1]

Beautiful rifle

[Kaintuckkee]

Very nice rifle there Steve  WTG

[rsells]

Great looking rifle with a great barrel.  I have had good results using pillow ticking (washed), .535 ball, and 70 gr FFF.  Spend some time at the range and run charges through it below and above the charge mentioned to find the sweet spot.
                                                                                        Roger

[Larry Pletcher]

This is one cool rifle.  I had a chance to handle the gun before Steve made up his mind.  Steve has been aware of this rifle for quite a while.  The maker is a fellow shooter in our club - never been fired.

Opening day for us is Saturday.  I'm hoping for a great weather so Steve can carry this new rifle.

Regards,
Pletch

[Daryl]

Oops, just noted it was a .54, not a .58.  For a hunting load, I'd try 110gr. to 120gr. 2F with a max. of about 140gr. 2F.  With the charges and ball/patch combinations I use for hunting (and target), 2F shoots cleaner, even though you usually need 10gr. to 15gr. more to get the same ballistics as 3F.  3f does produce higher pressure at any velocity level compared to 2f.  High presure demands a tighter ball and patch combination.

[Roger Fisher]

Holy canolies what a piece of art you have there.  If she shoots as good as she looks you have a winner. 

You 'must' let us know how she does in fact shoot....

[chapmans]

Thanks for all of the comments guys, I'm really anxious to see what she'll do.

  Roger I'll be sure and post a range report, I got it just in time for deer season, I think the fellow was dissapointed that I was taking it to the woods but I promised him I would take good care of it and would not be climbing any trees with it, I haven't killed a deer from a tree stand in over 10 yrs and never have any problems killing deer.

  Daryl,
  I thought I would start with 90 gr of ffg Swiss, it shoots pretty well in Larry's .54 Rice bbl, I will have to take inventory, I think I only have .535 balls left, since the only other .54 I have is a heavy bench gun, I never needed .530's. The fellow that built it never shot it but had other .54 GRRW barrels and said they were a little tight with .530's I'll just have to see what works, that's part of the fun.

   I had a choice of 2 guns almost identical, the other is a.58 which I would have preferred but I liked the butt plate on this one a lot better, the .58 was round on the heel, I'll post a pic of that one when I get a chance.
   Regards, Steve Chapman

[chapmans]

   Here are the only pics I took of the .58, like I said I had my choice of either rifle for the same price, I pondered quite awhile before I chose the .54. so the .58 is still available.

Regards, Steve Chapman

[Daryl]

Both are lovely.

  As to balls, I'm glad to see you have a .535" ball mould. It's the ball I would use myself, rather than the smaller one. I've never received as good accuracy from .010"/under balls that I get with the larger ball.  If the rifling was .020" or deeper, than the smaller ball and heavy canvas might shoot OK.  Too, I'd get some 10oz. denim as it's the cloth weave we're most familiar with and have had such good results with since 1973.  Different makes have slightly different thicknesses as I have one 10 ounce 'bolt' that shoots only in my .32 - the balls come out at .313", or with oversized balls (larger then the bore) in the .58 Musketoon.  10oz. runs .020" to .024" with calipers, .0185" to .0215" with a mic. and most 'makes' shoot well with a .005"/under ball.

 

[Kelhammer]

You told him you were going to hunt with it? I would have been afraid to, fearing he would have changed his mind.   

[chapmans]

  I shot the rifle today, I couldn't believe it when the very first shot was a X at 50 yds. I was using 90grs of Swiss FFG, .530 ball with pocket drill patch lubed with wonder lube( because it's all I've got for hunting)
  




these were the next 2 at 50 yds


these were shot with 80 gr, 85gr, and the 10 at 6 o clock was 90 gr 50 yds


this is 3 shots at about 85 yds

  I think it's good enough to kill a deer.
  Regards, Steve

[chapmans]

  Here are what the patches look like.







And one more of the rifle!

[Daryl]

90 definitely looks better, but - the patches appear to be a bit thin. the scorching in the groove marks shows blowby.  If they are tight going in, the crown may need a bit of polishing- an easy task with a piece fo emery and the end of your thumb.  Rotate the barrel every 10 seconds or so. It's a 35 second job once the angles are cut as-is probably the case.  The same patch with a .535" ball might be just fine.

[Kaintuckkee]

Looks like the deer are gonna be in trouble~!  good shooting

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

That is a beautiful gun Steve.  :)bYou are in the tall cotton now!!!

I love my .54 for deer hunting. Shoot .530s with unbleached canvas from Joanne's.  I use patches soaked and damp with Lehigh Valley  Lube or bear grease for hunting. 90 grains seems to give me good groups and certainly takes care of the whitetails.

[chapmans]

Thanks Doc, I never ever thought I would own a rifle of this quality unless I built it and I'm not quite up to the quality of this one yet, you should see underneath the metal, the finish is as good as the outside!!

  I've used my .58 to kill 30 or 40 deer so I think the .54 should do about the same job, I just hope I get a chance to try it, I'm not too cracked about shooting a deer with the temps around 70 degrees.
  Regards, Steve Chapman