50 cal short Leman

[shifty]

   

       I hunted unsuccessfully with my 50 cal short Leman this past season  . After the ML season ended i shot it into the end of a fresh cut pine log to unload it. Well i just got around to looking to see how much the ball penetrated  the load was 65 grns FFg Goex .490 RB and pillow tick with Mink Oil lube distance 25 yards, the ball penetrated 3 1/4"s into the log very little expansion i guess the log was too dense for it to expand much. The barrel is 26"s long i was going to make 24" but decided to only cut it to 26" i had to cut both ends of the barrel to clean it up it being a used and abused barrel. I think rifle load would have penetrated a deer pretty good with that load it is real accurate and hardly any recoil maybe good to 50 yards.

[Steeltrap]

I can't recall the length of my old T\C Hawken factory barrel.....but the only consistent load it would shoot was with 60gr FF Goex. I killed many deer with that load.

FWIW

[Old Ford2]

Hi,
I have a short .54 cal. Leman, my hunting load is a patched round ball and 90 grains of 3F.
That load completely passes through a large moose, just at the base of the hump. There is no bone at that area, unless you shoot high and hit the back bone.
That is about 20 inches.
A shot behind the ear penetrates completely.
I think your 60 grain load is a good target load, but a little lite to shoot flat and hit hard.
I'm sure it is more than enough for a small deer.
Fred

[shifty]

    I hardly ever get a shot past 40 yards here where i hunt but i may try going up a little in powder just to see if the accuracy stays good if not i think it will work just fine for me.

[oldtravler61]

  Shiffty that 60grains. Should do fine at the distance your shooting the deer at. Shot quite a few with that load in my 45.
  Dead is dead.... Moose elk an bear might disagree...!  Lol
    Oldtravler

[Daryl]

I had a short, 26" barreled .50 for a while. It was an old Bauska barrel, with I think, a 48" twist. It might have been 56"- I do not remember.
What I do remember is that it shot best with 3F GOEX and 82gr. at that. .022" denim patch with .495" pure lead ball and Neetsfoot Oil for lube.
It was a cracky little fella.

[Daryl]

I can't recall the length of my old T\C Hawken factory barrel.....but the only consistent load it would shoot was with 60gr FF Goex. I killed many deer with that load.

FWIW

They (1970's) were 28" and 15/16" in both .45 and .50.
Mine liked a .495" ball and .022" denim patch with 85gr. 2F GOEX.
Seems to me, TC suggested up to 110gr. 2F or might even have been 110gr. 3F - I don't remember.
Most of my shooting in those days was from 50 to 100yards.

[shifty]

   The barrel i used  for this build  is a old CVA 1-48 twist both ends were damaged so i had to cut and redo the breech and cut redo the muzzle. .I think i have less than $60.00 in the whole rifle if i can remember how to post pics i will weather permitting. This was just a fun project i did  when i was restless and did not want to spent much money on it.I did hunt with it this past season but had no luck but i always want to back to my 54 any way.

[Daryl]

My TC Hawkens also had the shallow (.004") buttoned 48" twist.

[shifty]

     
     I know this is a old post but and i have been away for a while ,just wanted to say that i was successful with my little short barrel 50 Leman the other day that i built a year or so ago.  I took a doe at about 75 yds with it but i did up the charge to 70grns 2FF. I will be testing with some different loads later though. This little rifle is a pleasure to carry in the woods.

[Daryl]

Well done, shifty. Congratulations.

[hanshi]

In the Deep South shots are usually rather close unless one hunts in a field.  A .50 X 25" prb rifle took many a deer back then.  That rifle's gone but has been replaced with a .45 X 15/16" X 25" shooter.  I never had a lack of penetration even with charges as low as 60 grains of 3F.  Most states where I've hunted required a minimum charge, usually 50 grns, of powder; that was all I had to consider.

Congratulations, shifty.

[shifty]

  Thanks everyone that approx 75 yard shot on this Doe is the longest shot with  ML I have ever taken ,most are under 50 yds. The biggest buck I have taken with a ML was at 18yards and it went down within sight . I usually use a 54 cal sometimes a 58 cal but this 50 I think will work just fine.

[varsity07840]

Hi,
I have a short .54 cal. Leman, my hunting load is a patched round ball and 90 grains of 3F.
That load completely passes through a large moose, just at the base of the hump. There is no bone at that area, unless you shoot high and hit the back bone.
That is about 20 inches.
A shot behind the ear penetrates completely.
I think your 60 grain load is a good target load, but a little lite to shoot flat and hit hard.
I'm sure it is more than enough for a small deer.
Fred

My load in my 30" Leman Indian Trade flinter. It flattened every deer I hit it with.

[Daryl]

I used 165gr. 2F GOEX in my .69 with the 482gr. round ball for moose.
That worked well, too and gave me a point blank range of 120yards.
The moose were usually 95 to 110yards distance. Staggered them, but
didn't drop them like my buddy's .75 rifle, with a 610gr. Round ball and 200gr. 2F.