Few years back, we had a client hunter who had a 29" barreled .54 from which he shot .018" oxyoke patches and a .535" round ball. His load was 90gr. stricken of Pyrodex (barrel is in Taylory's shop rafters, rotten as can be- another story).
That trip, the hunter got one shot at a bull moose, the ball hitting perfectly (it was a lucky shot for him), penetrated the 3/8" thick rib, 1st lung, centred the heart, the othr rib and passed between ribs on the off side of the chest to stick against the hide on the off side. The moose took off as if scalded with hot water, to drop mid-stride, 40 yards from the impact site, stone dead. The range was 170 yards on a laser rangefinder. That was with a 225gr. round ball from a .54 - the larger and heavier 275gr. ball from the .58 is a just a tich better yet. never think the round ball is not a good killer.
Good on ya, Martin. Did you know that shortening the forend a bit to one key, straightening up the comb a bit (less drop at the heal) and putting on a wide flat butt plate gives the rifle an English accent?
