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cayugad: What are the differences between the .54 and the .58? Obviously a bigger bullet, but is there any advantage for the .58 over the .54?
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Well for longer distance shooting and just plain knock down power, the .58 caliber is going to be superior. It's the difference of being hit in traffic by a pick up truck or a dump truck. With a ball 25% heavier and already making an entrance hole which most projectiles dream of expanding to somewhere through the wound channel, the .58 caliber is a hard hitting caliber when it comes to hunting. Although some people will still argue that the .54 caliber is plenty. Well that might be true, but if I were elk hunting or had my trusty single shot long to reload muzzleloader hog hunting, I'd want my shot to smack that critter real hard and plant them where they stand or close to it.
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Are the bullets harder to find? Is there a lot more powder consumption?
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Not on line, I order the .58 caliber all the time. In the stores around me, you can still find an occasional store that has the .54 caliber roundball but even that is disappearing. I also cast my own projectiles so obtaining ball is not a real problem. And there is not really all that much difference in powder consumption. In my .54 caliber the average powder charge is 90-100 grains. In my .58 caliber the average load is 100-110 grains of 2f. Of course the down range thump will be noticed right away when the bigger ball hits.
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Do you have any like models in .54 and .58? Whatchargesdo you use? Is a 1-48: twist good enough for either of these calibers?
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Last count was six .54 caliber traditional rifles but only one of the .58 caliber. I have the 1-48 twist in the .54 calibers but my .58 caliber is a 1-70 roundball twist. Something to keep in mind is when you purchase the Renegade, there are a lot of different drop in barrels made by Green Mountain Barrel Company that will fit that rifle. I shoot .50 caliber fast twist, slow twist, .54 caliber, .58 caliber slow twist, and a .62 caliber smoothbore barrel. All of them fit in the same stock. The .62 caliber smoothbore will shoot roundball but the long range accuracy is poor. If you can get them close, (40 yards and closer) the .62 caliber shoots a 324 grain roundball.
The 1-48 twist is one of the most misunderstood twists I read about. I have read people that claim the 1-48 will not shoot roundball accurate or conicals for that matter. Every single 1-48 twist rifle I have shoots roundball and conicals excellent. They might not be target rifle class, but hunting class is more then there...
While the .58 caliber ball is slower, it is 25% heavier and the down range thump is really something. Just like in my White rifle.. people shoot a 250 grain Sabot and get excellent ballistics. I shoot a 500 grain conical and while it is not screaming down range like the sabot, the energy is sure there when it hits. The same holds true in roundball and conicals. So the .58 would IMO have some advantage over the .54 caliber. If you buy your ball, the .58 is a lot more costly to shoot. They only come in a box of 50 VS in .54 they come in a box of 100.
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Does it still come with the Lifetime Warranty even though it is bought through FRO? Does it have a hooked breach? What kind of sights are on it?
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It is a Thompson Center and to my understanding it has the same warranty as the .50 caliber Hawkins or Renegade. It does have a hooked breech which makes it nice to clean. And they come with a fixed front sight but an adjustable rear sight.
Check to make sure the Renegade has the double set trigger on FRO. That is a nice feature. One thing, the Renegade has a lot harder recoil then the Hawkins. Especially with stout loads. For some reason my Renegades kick me in the cheek bone. My Hawkins do not. After 30 shots with the Renegade, I am more then happy to call it a day. Especially if shooting big charges.
I am not going to tell you that the .54 caliber will not handle all the stuff you want to hunt. They will be easier to get conicals, ball, and even sabot. You can get all the same projectiles for the .58 but it will cost you more. All I would suggest is look at your hunting situation. If all you're going to hunt is whitetail, then the .54 is a great rifle. If there is a chance for elk, moose, even bear.. then I might lean to the .58 caliber. I am one of these people that believe the bigger the hole I can poke through the animal, the better the chance I have to recover it... Again, the .58 is a real personal preference, but I have a fond spot for the .54 as well...
Looking at a Custom T/C...suggestions?
