I have never shot a muzzleloader before. I would like to start hunting with one. I took plenty of deer with a rifle and for the last few years have only bow hunted, and now would like to try muzzleloading. Wanting to use the older more traditional style rifles and not the new inlines.

I am thinking of getting the lyman trade rifle in .54 caliber.

I don't know anything about black powder rifles, where can I get an idea of teir maximum effective range on deer? Id like to at least be able to be accurate and effective kill a deer at 100 yards, but is 150 yards possible? How much bullet drop would there be from 100-150 yards and are their ballistics tables available to help me get an idea?

i would be willing to meet with you and let you shoot my muzzle loaders.

I generally limit my shots with a .54 round ball to 125 yards. But 150 is doable if you practice at that range and have little or no wind.

I get a five-shot average over the chronograph of right around 1550 fps with 95 grains of GOEX FFFg under a .530 patched ball. A charge of 85/90 grains of Pyrodex RS or 80/85 grains Triple Seven will easily match that velocity.

like Whistler, sorry if spelt wrong. got an invite here also. trier getting a muzzleloader hunt going at WMA for hogs last year. best wishes

Thanks for the info and the invites! And that chart is great! I know what Ill get will be different depending on the specs I have and my rifle which Ill only know by shooting, but your chart gives me a great idea of what types of numbers I can expect. The bullet drop from 100-150 yards is a lot better than I was expecting!

they lymans are great guns, .54 is a great caliber. I have a hawken 54 that I've killed some deer and hogs with. love it.

you are going to find that traditional muzzleloader hunting is much like bow hunting....its a skill that you will have to develop and maintain. its not going to be like a centerfire or an inline where you just sight them in once and stick them back in the closet until you're ready to go.

a traditional lyman like that will definitely take a deer at 100-150yds....bullet will definitely drop some over that distance....how much will depend on where you zero the sight. but you're going to have to do some endless practicing to be that accomplished with that iron sight. its doable though. when I hunt with mine I just won't shoot that far. I keep my shots within 100yds. because of my capability...not the gun.

I shoot a 435grn tc maxiball over 90grns pyrodex rs. I have no idea what velocity this is I've never chorno-ed it or anything. at less than 100yds though it shoots well. It might do well farther than that too. I've honestly never tried.

Practice Practice Practice... Do your home work with differnet powder charges. Just Example.. You might find that 85 grains of triple seven FFG shoots just great at say 75 yards.. so you up your charge to 100 grains so you can shoot to 100 yards. You might throw your ball or sabot all over the target. My best advice is to do your home work with differnet bullets and or balls with differnt patch thickness. I've shot a Lymann for years and in the 54 cal it's a tack driver with the right combo. Good luck!