How do you all like the Buffalo Conicals? I am mainly comparing to the Hornady. I think they make a 425gr HB-HP just like Hornady for the 54cal. What one is better? Is there much difference? I really like the Hornady Great Plains but was thinking about trying something different.

Sharp Shooter

Just as a thought, before you get to settled in on Buffalo's or Hornady, I would suggest you contact Dan @ Bull Shop...

http://bullshop.gunloads.com/prices.html

I am totally biased - so know that - but I have tried both and by far the Bulls Shops load better and shoot more accuratey... they have a better lube and they are round...

Also Dave Stevens' No Excuse Conicals are great - more expensive and limited in bore sizes - but if your bore will accept his conicals, they are great...

Yeah go with the Bullshop conicals. I just got them in and been shooting them and love them. Depending on what size you order, they load with very little resistance. I ordered .500" dia. and they are shooting awesome with 80 grains T7, felt wad and his 385 grain conical. I found out a few minutes ago they group a lot tighter with the wads.

I used to shoot Buffalo Bullet 425 grain HP conical all the time in my Renegades. They shot excellent. The reason I stopped shooting them is the extensive damage they did to a deer one year. I wanted the meat, not throw away the front half. Since I am not shooting at elk, I went to a simple REAL conical and they worked much better, damage wise.

Bullshop is currently looking into or has .54 caliber molds. Send him an email. It might be worth the trouble.

Cayugad,

What was your load, where'd it hit, exit, extent of damage?

80 grains of Pyrodex RS. The deer was broadside. And I blew out both front shoulders with that conical. It expanded leaving and bloodied the whole other side as well.

You confirmed my suspicion about going through both shoulders. Sorry you lostall thatmeat. 80 grains is alot powder with a 425 grain conical.How big was the exit hole?

It looked like I threw a golf ball out the back side of that deer. What a mess.

I am sure that would win for elk and moose!

I often wondered if the hollow point design of the Buffalo Bullet Conical made it open that much or if smacking two shoulder blade would have done it to any conical, no matter the design. The bone fragments, the hole, and the blood damage was hard to describe.

I remember my father saw that deer when I was butchering. He was a firm believer in a 30-30 rifle for deer hunting (or a shotgun slug). He saw all that meat damage and just laughed at me. Although I saw a few deer he shot with a 30-30 and even that 170 grain silver tip he used to shoot would blow a good sized hole through them.