.54 cal loads??

idahoguy · Sep 3, 2012

I have a Thompson .54 cal New Englander. I am shooting Great Plains 425 grain conicals with 80 grains powder. I hit the target all over the place. I heard Triple 7 powder burn hotter. Should I be using that instead. Also I believe I saw some magnum caps. What are those and do I need them. Any advice I would greatly appreciate.

Thanks

Austin

Idahoron · Sep 3, 2012

I didn't like T7 my self, it left a crud ring and my buddy that used it cracked his stock because he didn't reduce his load. Hornady great plains bullets like to be pushed a little faster. The skirt needs to flair out to grab the barrel.
I would try up to 100 gr of RS, or 80 gr of Pyrodex P and work up. My best load for my 50 was 100 gr of RS Select. If you get a slight hesitation on ignition go with the Pyrodex P.

Cow Tag · Sep 3, 2012

Ron, is Pyrodex P and RS very similar powders? I have never used either of these as I have always used 777 but I am thinking about doing some experimenting with other powders. I shoot a Rem. model 700 in .54 caliber. I cannot use Black Horn powder due to the ignition system on the Remington (blow back or something?) Also, when I shoot this Remington, the Winchester 209 primer is never dented even a little bit. Slightly tarnish maybe but no surface marring. The rifle has never failed to ignite and go boom but this is a very peculiar situation. Any comments that comes to mind? Thanks, Cowtag

txhunter58 · Sep 3, 2012

RS and P are both pyrodex.

However, think of Pyrodex RS and P kind of like ffg 777 and fffg 777

P and fffg are both finer/smaller powders so you can get more in a given volume and they carry more punch per volume.

Someone smarter than I needs to comment on your primer, but if the firing pin is not denting it more than that, I might be a little worried about going off in very cold temps when metal shrinks. Either that or you are getting enough blowback pressure to push the dimple back out? Not sure though.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

Cow Tag · Sep 3, 2012

TX Hunter, my Remington rifle is old. I purchased a different bolt assembly from the factory years ago so I could use the 209 primers instead of #11 caps. I do not understand your statement about blow back pressure. Is this pertaining to the actual primer? The actual firing pin is sort of blunt and small. Am I just plain lucky that my weapon even fires at all? I could go back to the number 11 old fashioned caps. Anyone willing to brainstorm on this situation? Cowtag

Idahoron · Sep 3, 2012

Well TX Hunter pretty much covered it. I don't use 209's at all except for a shotgun shell. What he is getting at is if the pressure is too high when the powder goes off some of the pressure blows back at the primer. This could cause it to punch back out. That might leave a slight dent instead of a deep one.

In reality you don't need the 209 at all. I have shot my friends 700 ML and his goes bang every time with a #11. Ron

Cow Tag · Sep 4, 2012

Ron, it usually takes me about 3X before I learn something and I got there this time ON TWO. I now understand completely what the TexasHunter was referring to. He is probably correct. The spent primer is perfect cept for the fact that it is slightly tarnish from its powder being blown up. Never realized any problem shooting this Remington and we are heading out tomorrow (Wednesday) to hunt cow elk in unit 61 Colorado. I will use the 209's again but could switch before next years hunt. Thanks for teaching me what the Texas Hunter meant. Cowtag

colorcountrykid · Sep 7, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Sep-07-12 AT 04:22PM (MST)[p]I'm shooting that exact same bullet over 90 grains of pyrodex ffg and it shoots them fantastic out of my old knight inline. Maybe try upping the powder charge a little like others have said. I talk to a guy on another forum who has shot that bullet exclusively for 20 years and he says that a 90 grain powder charge seems to be what works for him; if he goes even 5 grains up or down from there his accuracy goes south but at 90 grains they shoot awesome. But then again no two rifles are the same I guess. Maybe yours just doesn't like that bullet at all. Too bad if it doesn't because from all accounts it is a game slaying machine!