James B I know what you mean. I have a T/C Renegade .54 caliber which is a great shooting rifle, but when you get the charges up near 100 grains, it lets you know that you have pulled the trigger. I shot some 430 grain T/C maxi balls that were real accurate, but with 90 grains of pyrodex it pounded you. I started making 300 grain LEE R.E.A.L. conicals, and use 90 grains of pyrodex with them. They are real accurate and all that a whitetail can take when you stick it to them in the vitals. Then again a 230 grain roundball does just fine too.
I just bought a CVA .54 caliber Mountain Stalker that I am shooting 85 grains of Triple Se7en and roundballs out of. Accurate does not even describe that load, but this rifle is a hair over 5 pounds, and 85 grains of T-7 I was told is like 100 grains of pyrodex. This thing really knocks you back some. I finally had to make a pad for the stock because I was flinching too much. But it took three deer already this year. So I guess I am not flinching too bad...
