Conical for T/C .54 Caliber Renegade

[Dave at Work]

I'd like to try some different conicals other than the Maxi hunters out of my 1 in 48" twist .54 Caliber T/C Renegade. Are there any other conical made that aren't so heavy. All I see in 54 caliber weights is like 425-435 grain bullets. That seems awful heavy to shoot a 150 lb deer at less than 100 yards. T/C used to make the maxi hunters in 360 grains, but I don' think they are manufacturered any more. I would have liked to try those.

I really wish I would have gotten a 50 caliber instead of the 54.

[frontier gander]

try powerbelt. I think the lightest they make for 54cal is 295 grain

[cayugad]

I would not let the weight of the conical bother you. Its all shot placement. Just don't aim for bone mass.

There is the maxiball, minnie ball (which did not shoot hunting accuracy well for me), 380 grain REAL conicals, 300 grain REAL conicals, powerbelts, Buffalo Bullet Ball-ets, and Bull Shop conicals (which did not shoot well for me with the 1-48 twist). Some of the heavy weights out there that shoot well are the Buffalo Bullet conicals that are 426 grain. I used them one year and hit shoulder bone and about trashed the whole front end of the deer.

Since you shoot a .54 caliber and your shots are under 100 yards, don't forget the roundball. .54 caliber roundball is deadly. I killed a lot of deer with a .54 caliber roundball.

[lemoyne]

With a good shooting 54 a round ball [.535]and heavy ticking patch greased with bore butter and 110gr RS is what I used for many years I took deer [27] bear [2] and a half dozen boar [that was before I moved to AR and I had to travel a long way to hunt boar, it dropped a lot of the deer and most of the boar on the spot and even the bear did not go far. If you just like conicals then try the real bullet they grouped almost as good as the round ball for me, a lot of people dont get round balls to shoot as good as they can you have to use tough patches and patch them tight enough that the rifleing are pressing the patch material hard enough to mark the ball well and the groves should show some but you can not over do it or you will cut the patch material. Lee

[arcticap]

350 grain TC Maxi Huntersare listed here:

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=15146_10303&products_id =92856

320 grain Maxi Balls:

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=15146_10303&products_id =92861

370 grain Maxi Balls:


http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=15146_10303&products_id =92854

385 grain Hornady Great Plains:

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=15146_10303&products_id =92779

[Dave at Work]

I looked at the Powerbelts online and they look interesting. I never tried them before. How do these bullets perform with a 1 in 48" twist barrel?

I'd also like to try the REAL bullets, but all I ever found was the molds to make them. I'm not interested in making my own, anywhere to buy them premade?

[cayugad]

I am not sure if Black Jack Hill is back up and running. He moved from Florida to Utah, so you might email him. He makes unlubed real conicals for the .50 and the .54...

[bronko22000]

Dave - I've tried 2 or 3 different conicals in my 54 Renegade and none of them shot as well as the PRB. I shoot a .530" RB with .015" patches and 80 gr Pyrodex RS. The accuracy is excellent and I am pretty sure any deer or black bear hit with this combo isn't going to go very far provided I put it in the right spot.

[lemoyne]

bronko22000, the powder charge might be a bit light on a big black bear, one of the ones I shot through the back edge of the frontshoulder [ there vitals are more forward than a deer] the ball stoped flattened out in the skin on the far side; it was a perfect broad side shot and the bear field dressed a bit over 350#. Use your best judgement some times you have to go with less powder than desireable for accuracy reasons . Lee

[nchawkeye]

You're better off with a .54 for deer and round balls will drop them quicker than conicals...I use 80grs of FFF Goex in my flintlock...