54 cal question

[DCAN]

Just ordered the Kibler 54 Woods Runner kit. Does anyone know what size RB and thickness of patch I should start with? Any load data based on experience would be great too.

[Daryl]

If mine, I'd make sure the crown looked something like this, then I'd use a .535" ball and 10 ounce denim. That's 10 ounce not .010". I measure the last 10 ounce
I bought, at .021", compressed hard in calipers.
For a load, I would start at 85gr. 2F and go up from there as accuracy indicated, until I was satisfied with the grouping, at 50 and 100yards. I use the same powder charge
at all ranges with all rifles buy my .69, and learn to adjust my aim.
The .69 shoots best at longer ranges, with more powder than is needed for 50 and 100yard shooting. The new Sheutzen powder I am using, requires a larger charge than the GOEX
I used to shoot, to get the same accuracy. I am finding that at 50yards, I now need a little more than 110gr. to get acceptable accuracy.

[Dphariss]

It should come crowned and will load OK with a .530 or .535 patch of .015/.018 or so.
I am shooting 526 right now with a significantly heavier linen patch.
8 to 10 ounce cotton denim will probably work with 530-535s. But some of the cotton I find now is a little weak.
Dan

[Steeltrap]

I had another thread about using a conical in my .54 cal instead of a PRB. But, just to provide you info on "other choices" that are available, I've settled on....for hunting....only because of ease of loading (for me)...I'm using a .54 Cal Mini from a Lyman 533-476 Mold that I bought from TOTW. Now, at $0.84 each they are not the economy load.

However, accuracy IMHO is lights out for a flinter with open sights. Here's the 100yds pic and the powder is Shutzen FF, 100gr. I found no difference using either Shutzen FF or GOEX FF from my rifle using this conical.  In addition, and this is very important....I have had to "modify" the diameter of the Mini's base in order for the round to stay put in the barrel. https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=73049.msg730741#msg730741  Here's the link for what I did to these conicals if you're interested.

If I'm plinking at paper I doubt I'd use this Mini load....as the recoil does let you know you're alive!!

[Eric Krewson]

I have three .54s, they are all different in what they like, I just bought a .526 mold from Tanner because one of them is very tight even with a .530 ball and .10 patch.
The one I shoot the most has a Rice barrel and likes a .530 ball, .18 ticking patch and 80gr of 2F.

[Dphariss]

This group is from a 54 Douglas XX on a Don King Hawken I bought that, it turned out had pretty serious pitting from the breech up about 12”. This is after cutting it out (freshing) to clean the pits which seems to make it a 55 caliber. This is using  a .535 ball and a heavy linen,10 oz.,  patch (washed, dried to tighten the weave and ironed flat), its about .025-.028 IIRC. 90 gr of FFF Swiss, 100 yards rest. The flier “hung” slightly. It was a targets someone left on the back board. I have not checked land to land on it, it loaded and shot OK with the heavy patch so the actual diameter is irrelevant.  Douglas 54s usually use a .530-.535 pretty much interchangeably with the old school actual pillow/mattress ticking and 100 gr of Goex FFF or 90 gr FFF Swiss. I have nto found a linen that is quite that thick that is less than $20 a yard.  Other than a Sharon percussion Hawken I assembled longer ago than I like to think about this load has done very well in every 54 I ever owned. The Sharon liked 120 gr. My Kibler is shooting really well with 85-90 gr of FFF Swiss and maybe with the same volume of FF, gotta retest.  I need to go weigh this FFF charge charger is 83 gr of FF so its gonna be over 85 of FFF.

[Prairie dog shooter]

My 54 has a tapered Rice barrel.  It shoots it's best groups with 70 or 90 grains of 3-f Goex, a 530 ball and pocket drill patching from Jo-Ann's.  But I've never seen two rifles shoot their best groups with the exact same load.  You have to find what you rifle shoots best. 

[MuskratMike]

I love my .54 and it shoots great. Like others have said try different combinations. Mine loves .530 round balls, .018 ticking lubed in a 50/50 mix of T.O.T.W. mink and pure Neatsfoot oil. I use GOEX 3Fin all my guns regardless of caliber. It likes 75 grains of 3F (about 92 of 2F). Jim does a fine job on crowning the barrels. iIhave always found the .535 balls to be way too tight even with a thin patch. It's all about what works for you, your situation, but mostly your new rifle.
"Muskrat" Mike

[walks with gun]

   I always use a .526 ball,  I want to thumb start the ball and do not want to force a ball down.  A .526 is much nicer to pull from the charge when needed than a larger ball.

[Standing Bear]

My .54 flinter has a Green Mountain barrel I believe is 1:72 twist. I use a .535 ball w .018 all cotton patch lubed w TotWolf mink oil over 90 gr Goex or Schutzen FFg.