.50 cal vs .54 cal rifles

Dixie sells the Investarms .54 Hawken that's from the same maker as the Lyman guns.
It has a 1 in 48" twist, ~29" barrel, double triggers, an adjustable rear sight and a Monte Carlo cheekpiece. It's a very comfortable gun that's an exact clone of the Cabela's .50 Hawken.
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Look at a Cabela's Hawken. It has the Investarms logo on it.
 
They seem pretty nice. They also have a 50 cal pedersoli kentucky on sale for $450. So im not sure how that compares.

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Hawg Haggen: Did you get another chance to go out hunting after you took that doe? (at a time in the recent past you were considering too) How's that doe's steak? (I'll bet she's a tasty one. Yes in~dee~dy)_:D
 
Longrifle or Hawkins?

The longer barrel of the longrifle gives you a longer sight radius for more precise aiming.

However, its been found (Wallace Gusler told me this and that the Germans got it right the first time with their jager rifle) that 32" was about the most effective barrel length for a smokepole. Hence the extra length of the longrifle really wasn't all that practical. So, I would lead toward a shorter 32 inch barrel gun over a longrifle. It would be handier in the woods and less prone to breakage (because it is thicker).
 
i know our cabelas hawken loves the s&w 500 bullets ive casted in the past. Those drop at 454 grains to! 70gr pyrodex RS and a lubed veg wad, tack driver at 100 yards.
 
Hawg Haggen: Did you get another chance to go out hunting after you took that doe?
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I got to go once more and missed an easy 100 yard shot with the 30-30. Guess its time for a sight change. Its been many a year since I missed a shot on a deer.
 
Miss: Oh well at our ages were entitled too every now and then. Aren't we.

I didn't see a thing B/P ing. To much grain'ing going on across the road from my place. 6 of them that lease 3-40s start their monkey business early in mid Sept thru Nov's hunting seasons and go thru a 100lbs every two weeks. Pull the deer off everyone's land all around to their lease. All the neighbors are a bit more than Hot about it. I don't care myself. Son and I split one between us a little bit bigger than yours. (small buck) enough meat to get by on over the winter. Kid shot it. So I'm happy_:)
 
50 or 54

I bought my .50 CVA plainsman over 30 years ago.
I have used it for rabbits, when I needed to keep my expertise up (aim small miss small or not at all)
And on Antelope (got to be sneaky) Mule Deer out on the open plains of Wyoming.
And I had one very good shot at an elk less than 100yds.
The deer for most part didn't take more than a couple steps before they dropped.
The elk walked off couple hundred yards and stopped. 2nd shot dropped him
So yes the 50 is a good choice.
But like some others I would go with a 54.
Slight more wallop, no big difference in recoil.
My 50 is a 1 in 48 twist. But once sighted in the accuracy is good with both RB and conicals.
Have fun shooting
 
i say just go with the 54

you can always load down OR up

i have two 54 cal. and like has been said earlier 32-34" barrel,, both of mine have 34"---1-60 twist round ball barrels,,

.530" patched round ball and 60gr ff goex,,,if used correctly and put in the boiler room will take any white tail you will ever shoot at,,,,i have never not had the ball to pass through the rib and lung kill zone,,,40 yrds through 120 yrds never failed yet to pass through

for the bigger stuff i move the load up to 80gr ff goex

i don't get this conical plastic sabo sh--....stuff,,,,and pellet powder WTFE

the first thing you want to do when you pick your rifle is get it shooting,,,muzzleloaders are just like center fires there will be a magic load that will work with your ball or bullet combo,,,seek it out,,,that is where lose powder shines,,,

i can tell you from experiance with a 54 you will never need a heavy load for a white tail deer,,,,if your rifle you buy likes and shoots accurately 50-70gr of powder with the bullet you choose,,,you will have a winner and a deer killer

put it on paper and get it shooting first,,,,the deer deserve your best shot,,,and you deserve the right to say ,,,one shot - one kill

my .02

ocharry
 
chickenmcnasty said:
They seem pretty nice. They also have a 50 cal pedersoli kentucky on sale for $450. So im not sure how that compares.
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I'm not sure where you've seen that price.
Dixie has the Pedersoli .50 Kentucky listed on sale for $625.
Cabela's has it listed on sale for $549.99.
And Cherry's Fine Guns has it listed for $620.
Dixie has the Kentucky kit on sale for $495 that's a skill level 1 kit rifle that needs to be assembled and finished.

That's a very fine gun. It has a 1 in 48" with double triggers, fixed sights and can also shoot conicals.

Dixie lists the Traditions .50 Kentucky rifle for $359.
It's a very accurate round ball shooter with a 1 in 66" barrel, fixed sights and an old fashion single trigger.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_92_186_191&products_id=12449
 
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arcticap said:
I'm not sure where you've seen that price.
Dixie has the Pedersoli .50 Kentucky listed on sale for $625.
Cabela's has it listed on sale for $549.99.
And Cherry's Fine Guns has it listed for $620.
Dixie has the Kentucky kit on sale for $495 that's a skill level 1 kit rifle that needs to be assembled and finished.

That's a very fine gun. It has a 1 in 48" with double triggers, fixed sights and can also shoot conicals.

Dixie lists the Traditions .50 Kentucky rifle for $359.
It's a very accurate round ball shooter with a 1 in 66" barrel, fixed sights and an old fashion single trigger.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_92_186_191&products_id=12449
Click to expand...

I think it might be mispriced. Its the only one that they have. They have 2 investarms also. But this is the only one at that price

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I think it might be mispriced. Its the only one that they have. They have 2 investarms also. But this is the only one at that price
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Don't Shy away from a rifle made by investarms, I have two, and both of them will put balls in the same hole. Very well made rifles. I think the long barrel rifles are nice, they are muzzle heavy but I can hold them real stead shooting un supported.
 
Is that the advantage to these over thee hawken? I tend to do a lot of stalking and treestand hunting, so i'm concerned the longer barrrel of the kentucky may be a burden.

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The Kentucky's are usually fairly light and balanced guns for their length. They usually have a slender barrel and stock. With their shorter butt stock they can be almost as fast handling as a carbine whereas the Hawkens often have heavier barrels. The longer Kentucky may require extra seconds to line up the sights but they can be shouldered quickly, especially while wearing a heavier jacket during a cold deer season.
A Hawken stock usually has a 14" length of pull while a Kentucky's might only be 13.5" or less.
The Pedersoli Hawken rifles weigh about 10 pounds or more. The Investarms/Cabela's Hawken probably weighs about 8 pounds while a Kentucky may only weigh 6 - 7 pounds.
Due to its heavier barrel, the Lyman Great Plains Rifle is not a lightweight rifle, not anywhere near as light weight as a Kentucky rifle of the same caliber. There must be a 2 pound difference in weight right off the bat. Something like close to 9 lbs. verses 7 lbs., or 8.5 lbs.verses 6.5 lbs. or so, give or take.
Just remember that if you wear winter gloves when you hunt then stick with a single trigger. Double triggers don't offer enough room in the triggerguard for wearing gloves, at least not without having an open flap for the trigger finger.
Every winter produces different weather but some years our BP deer season involves hunting in the snow, ice and freezing cold.
 
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Our muzzleloader here in kansas is in early september, but you can hunt with them in rifle season as well. If i'm hunting from a stand I wear an IWOM suit so I don't need gloves. If I'm stalking I will generally wear lightweight gloves that wouldn't be an issue for the triggers.
I guess I'm just really torn between the 2 styles and not sure which would be a better benefit for me to have.
 
I went at lunch today and shouldered both of them again. It seems to me the kentucky feels really front heavy, whereas the hawken seems to fit a lot like a shotgun. I'm 6'4'' and I thought the kentucky would fit better, but the hawken shoulders a little more naturally i suppose. So I guess the major question is, am I losing much effective range by going with the shorter barrel on the hawken?
 
Being 6'4" tall, the Kentucky's length of pull is probably much too short for you, and the drop of the stock won't fit you either.
I would just forget about that model if I were you.
 
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