.54 Trade Rifle doing it's thing...

[big6x6]

I shot the .54 Lyman Trade Rifle some more today... All I can say is WOW! All I did was make the change to ffg Swiss and this sucker will flat out SHOOT! Load was 85gr ffg Swiss, .530 Hornady round ball, Ox Yoke .015 1000 plus patch, and RWS 1075+ cap and range was 60yds. First shot was low and to the left and the next 9(yeah there's 9 there!) were basically pretty close to being in the center circle:

Velocity for that load was still fast at 1728fps.

I also shot my .50cal Lyman Trade Rifle for the first time today.. First target was using 85gr fffg Swiss, .490 Hornady RB, T/C .50cal patch/Bore Butter, CCI #11 cap.. Shots were all over the place.. MV- 1920fps

Next up I used 90gr ffg Swiss, Ox Yoke .015 patch as with the .54, and .490 RB. It did a LITTLE better at 60 yds:

Muzzle velocity was still up there at 1917fps.. I think I can work on this load...

I also shot the .54 T/C Hawken today.... It shot only FAIR at 60yds. I used the same load as with the .54 Trade Rifle:

I'm gonna have to work on it some more... MV out of the T/C was 1712fps....


I'm really having a good time shooting these sidelocks! 8)

 

[Swampman]

Pretty hot loads. Looks like they shoot good!

 

[cayuga]

Good shooting.. with that Trade Rifle .54 you are deadly. That is some impressive shooting there. How long did it take to get the smile off your face?

 

[paia]

Nice report--thanks for posting the velocities.

My experience with 50's and .54's is that they shoot better with fff--might be worth a try. Also .495 and .535 balls with .018 or .020 patches, if they are not too tight for reasonable loading.

Great shooting--especially that Lyman Trade Rifle.

 

[big6x6]

Nice report--thanks for posting the velocities.

My experience with 50's and .54's is that they shoot better with fff--might be worth a try. Also .495 and .535 balls with .018 or .020 patches, if they are not too tight for reasonable loading.

Great shooting--especially that Lyman Trade Rifle.

Yeah I had thought about that! 8) I got some coming from Midsouth!

Yeah those velocities ARE pretty hot! I'm not going to let the velocities get more than what Lyman has listed for max Goex fffg loads in the 2nd Edition Lyman Blackpowder Handbook and Loading manual.

.490 roundball 28" barrel 1/48 twist- 2015fps 120gr Goex fffg(90gr ffg Swiss 1917fps)
.530 roundball 28" barrel 1/48 twist- 1773fps 120gr Goex fffg(notice how close to this I am with 85gr ffg Swiss- 1728fps!)

That .54 Trade Rifle group actually looked better in person that in the photo! That one is good to go!

 

[lewistt]

Great shooting! I still can't figure out why people think sidelocks are not as accurate as an inline!

 

[Bucker]

sidelock

are you shooting the bull or 6 oclock or what are you holding. I have been shooting 6 oclock. It has been years since I shot open sights so if I am doing anything wrong please let me know the way it is supposed to work.

 

[big6x6]

Re: sidelock

are you shooting the bull or 6 oclock or what are you holding. I have been shooting 6 oclock. It has been years since I shot open sights so if I am doing anything wrong please let me know the way it is supposed to work.

I hold 6 o'clock on the 3 inch dot.

 

[cayuga]

My Lyman Trade Rifle .54 is a flintlock. It likes 90-100 grains of Goex 2f and a patched .530 ball. And it will shoot length way through a small deer at 50 yards and still have the power to break a hind leg on the way out. That's a great rifle there.