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1-32 and 1-28 are good options for conicals....
Powder charge can also have a effect on stabilizing conicals at times.
Maybe also try a lighter or heavier charge...just to see.
And just like cartridge guns...some rifles will "like" some bullets more than others...
Try a different brand / weight of concial.

1-48 is what is commonly called a compromise twist...it is supposed to be good for both conical and round ball...sometimes it is , sometimes it ain't...
I'd also think 'bout trying roundball....roundball has been winning rifle matches and getting dinner for centuries.
Andy
 
Andy, you are correct about the roundball, it shoots well with 100 grains at 100 yards. We think this is the deer load.

I also failed to mention the conical loads are for elk hunting.

Also you are correct about why he chose the 1-48 after a little research.

So we will try a different brand around the same weight and mix up the charge a bit. Makes sense, thanks for the advice.
 
With Proper shot placement a .54 roundball will safely take an Elk, Did it a bunch in the fur trade era can still do it today, just my 2 cents.
Its still does in this day and age too...:D
Last Elk I got was with this rifle :
DSC06814.jpg
Its a J. Henry Trade Rifle Circa 1800 , flintlock and .58 caliber....
70 grains and a .570 round ball did the trick nicely.
Andy
 
If you can find them the Hornady Great Plains Conical seems to handle slower twists. Not sure if the slight hollow base has anything to do with it.
Yes the HB does have something to do with it.

My Renegade .54 shoots ragged one hole at 50 yards with Great Plains bullets but finding them is getting tougher and they will all be gone soon.

No sense in finding some, discovering they shoot great only to loose them.

I am currently researching hollowbase molds and considering casting again. I recently shot some cast Lee R.E.A.L bullets (solid base) and they shot terribly out of my Renegade. Bore fit was very loose and 12" at 50 yards was the best I got. One shot dead center BE but that was a fluke as there was no consistency with the 12 I was given to try.
 
Andy,
Just for grins this morning, as I was cleaning that .50 cal I built, I marked the cleaning rod with a piece of tape to see how many times it went around in the length of the barrel.

It only went around 1/2 a turn in 32" ! :eek:
That would make it a 1 in 64. o_O
That doesn't sound right does it? :confused:
 
Andy,
Just for grins this morning, as I was cleaning that .50 cal I built, I marked the cleaning rod with a piece of tape to see how many times it went around in the length of the barrel.

It only went around 1/2 a turn in 32" ! :eek:
That would make it a 1 in 64. o_O
That doesn't sound right does it? :confused:
It could be right...
My Hawken rifle has a 1-72 twist...for its .54 caliber barrel.
Andy
 
So far, it's been "killer" accurate at 50 yards with both 310 gr. bullets and round balls with 60 gr of FFG.
I was a little disappointed with it yesterday though. At 100 yards the round balls were all over the paper.
I didn't even try the bullets.
 
So I'm really new to this, so I hope I done offend anyone.

Does anyone know of a 54 cal break action that's northwest leagal?

I think to be leagal it has to have a breach plug. But it can be removed for ease of cleaning.

My brothers is a traditional, he loves it.

I'm more function over form so I am leaning towards a northwest leagal with break action, hi vis sights, in 54. But I cant find one.. looked at thompson, traditions, cva so far. Along with a few Google searches.

Any ideas?
 
The inline market gave up on the .54 a very long time ago. The popularity of sabots, power belts, etc means .45 and .50 caliber is about it unless you can find a used Knight or Remington rifle somewhere. Doubt if you'll find anything in a break open action.

As for function, traditional rifles are very functional. As for ease of cleaning, a hooked breach traditional rifle is ridiculously easy to clean. Really don't see what the issue is.
 
As for function, traditional rifles are very functional. As for ease of cleaning, a hooked breach traditional rifle is ridiculously easy to clean. Really don't see what the issue is.
Ditto all the above.

I say let's go back to the year Oregon radically changed the ML laws to traditional open ignition, caps/flint, loose powder & ball or conical only. It was about 1998 I think and it caught a lot of the "inliners' off guard.

I had a ML tag that year and it was wonderful ! Only a hand full or less of us were in the unit that year because we were shooting traditional!
 
Ditto all the above.

I say let's go back to the year Oregon radically changed the ML laws to traditional open ignition, caps/flint, loose powder & ball or conical only. It was about 1998 I think and it caught a lot of the "inliners' off guard.

I had a ML tag that year and it was wonderful ! Only a hand full or less of us were in the unit that year because we were shooting traditional!

Sometime in the mid 90's (don't remember exactly when) ODFW figured out the improving in-line technology (scopes, centerfire primers, covered ignition, etc.) was improving the success rate over traditional guns and too many animals were being taken. I remember getting a survey asking if we wanted to reduce the number of tags available or restrict the technology. We must have voted for restricting the technology. In-lines were still legal, but they had to be similar to the original Knight rifles, percussion cap and open ignition with iron sights. We're gradually creeping back. It will be interesting to see how the new bullet regs will pan out on success rates.
 

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