54 caliber bullet/lube/load recommendations

[tmont]

Gentlemen:
I recently finished building a 54 caliber Mississippi rifle.
I used one of Dan Whitacre's 7-groove barrels.
I am exploring various bullets/lubes/loads.
Wonder if you would mind sharing what is working for you.
Thanks in advance.
Tom

[ssnyder]

Gentlemen:
I recently finished building a 54 caliber Mississippi rifle.
I used one of Dan Whitacre's 7-groove barrels.
I am exploring various bullets/lubes/loads.
Wonder if you would mind sharing what is working for you.
Thanks in advance.
Tom

I tried a number of different bullet types when I was shooting a 7 groove .54 Mississippi. The one that I got the best results from was the Lee .54 mini. I got much better results with it than I did the Wilkensen or Hogdon .54's or the Lyman .542.
I was using MCM lube, melt if on a hot plate (just until it melts don't boil it) and dip the base of the mini in it. (Assumes the bullet is nose first in the tube.) It holds up well on hot days, better than just running the round through a lubrisizer and seems to keep the fouling down better.
Start with 40gr FFFG and adjust the load up or down as needed.

[oscarlovel]

Gentlemen:
I recently finished building a 54 caliber Mississippi rifle.
I used one of Dan Whitacre's 7-groove barrels.
I am exploring various bullets/lubes/loads.
Wonder if you would mind sharing what is working for you.
Thanks in advance.
Tom


Tom:

I am using a mold by George Gompf (Tennessee Bullet Molds) who shoots with Forrest Escort. It is a .54 Minie double cavity mold and I use 2.8 cc (45 grains) of Ol Eynesford 3FG with excellent results. My lube is 2 parts lard with one part beeswax (adjust beeswax as needed for temperature). My barrel was purchased from Dan Whitacre. He built the barrel on a Hoyt rifled blank, so I'm pretty certain we are shooting the same barrel. George makes an excellent mold.

[tmont]

Thanks Scott and Clint. Appreciate your responses.

[ms3635v]

Tom,

I am using a Moose Mould Wilkinson in my Euroarms .54 caliber Mississippi. I am currently using 40 grains of GOEX 3F, but I have talked to others who are having success with 38 grains. If you are going to try the Wilkinson, it should be sized .001" under and only the base should be dip-lubed (don't fill the compression groove between the base and the nose).

[tmont]

Tom,

I am using a Moose Mould Wilkinson in my Euroarms .54 caliber Mississippi. I am currently using 40 grains of GOEX 3F, but I have talked to others who are having success with 38 grains. If you are going to try the Wilkinson, it should be sized .001" under and only the base should be dip-lubed (don't fill the compression groove between the base and the nose).

Thanks, Mike. Appreciate your input.

[B-Davis]

I know this is a ghost thread, but what was the rate of twist for these barrels?

[gemmer]

Gentlemen:
I recently finished building a 54 caliber Mississippi rifle.
I used one of Dan Whitacre's 7-groove barrels.
I am exploring various bullets/lubes/loads.
Wonder if you would mind sharing what is working for you.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
Just out of curiosity, when did Dan start making a .54? Is it a roundball twist?

[John Bly]

Dan never made .54 caliber barrels. If he had a customer that wanted one he got the blank from Hoyt and fitted it on his breech.