Well heck, that .54 ball will do the job for sure. As for the .452 GDs, that's not a bad group either. But there's something about bullets that are small for the bore size that turns me off (.45 bullets in a 54, .40 bullets in a 50, etc.). Not that it's bad or wrong, I just don't see the advantage. If you've got any .54 Great Plains conicals you ought to give them a go in that gun.

I think the New Englander was the best ever entry level sidehammer - one that you keep forever. I wish TC would put them back into production with a full interchangable barrel set of .45 caliber1:30 twist, .50 caliber 1:48 twist, .54 caliber1:66 twist, and 20 gauge shotgun.