On Oct. 31st my older son and I used our 1819 Hall rifles on buffalo. His is a S. North contract rifle from 1831, Federal conversion to percussion sometime pre- Civil War. , mine is a J. Hall Harpers Ferry rifle from 1837. They both worked fine with the original load of 75 grains of 2f and a .524 pure lead ball.
We use a "buffalo decoy" that you can see in the background of the first pic. Otherwise it's nigh impossible to get close enough to select an older cull cow. Anyways, mine was 110 long paces away when I shot( kneeling, resting on the back of the decoy) held right behind her "elbow" and squeezed off the shot. the flintlock Hall is somewhat akin to Mount Vesuvius erupting right in your line of sight, but ignition is very fast. The ball ripped through both lungs and punched a big hole through the top of her heart, clipped the far side shoulder bone, and was against the hide on the far side. She took a couple jumps, staggered maybe 20 yards, and layed down pretty much as she is in the picture.
Zac was able to get a bit closer as his cow stayed next to the one I shot, but there were also 5 younger bulls crowded around her. He went down along side the coulee, and got to within 80 yards of them. One of the bulls started advancing toward him, but then then the big old cow stepped into the clear. She turned sideways and he fired. The ball hit behind her shoulder, she staggered and she ambled down the side of the coulee. She stopped head down and bleeding at about 120 yards. He had reloaded by then and shot her again as she was quartering away. That ball went in behind the last rib on her right side and was pasted against the hide low in her neck. It plopped out when we were skinning her. It didn't hit any bone, but did angle through the lungs.
The first shot killed her, and that ball exited, going through both lungs and some big arteries.
Last year I used an original 1817 US Common rifle, with the same ball, ( but patched) and same 75 grains of 2 f. That cow was closer and I plumb centered her heart, she only took a couple jumps and collapsed.
Bottom line , get close, aim carefully, shoot the load that shoots the best in your rifle. I believe that too much velocity will severely limit your penetration with a round ball, and yes- if you're going to go for more velocity, consider a harder alloy.. maybe 20-1 or so.
Bigger is better when it comes to round balls and really big game, but shot placement is most important.
Oh, and though the ball recovered from my buffalo is deformed and flattened, it still weighs 215 grains. Zac's is just shy of 219 grains- exactly as it was cast. I like the imprints of the sixteen groove Hall rifling too..
Good luck on your buffalo hunt, Hope we see some pics..
Big Goose
On Oct. 31st my older son and I used our 1819 Hall rifles on buffalo. His is a S. North contract rifle from 1831, Federal conversion to percussion sometime pre- Civil War. , mine is a J. Hall Harpers Ferry rifle from 1837. They both worked fine with the original load of 75 grains of 2f and a .524 pure lead ball.
We use a "buffalo decoy" that you can see in the background of the first pic. Otherwise it's nigh impossible to get close enough to select an older cull cow. Anyways, mine was 110 long paces away when I shot( kneeling, resting on the back of the decoy) held right behind her "elbow" and squeezed off the shot. the flintlock Hall is somewhat akin to Mount Vesuvius erupting right in your line of sight, but ignition is very fast. The ball ripped through both lungs and punched a big hole through the top of her heart, clipped the far side shoulder bone, and was against the hide on the far side. She took a couple jumps, staggered maybe 20 yards, and layed down pretty much as she is in the picture.
Zac was able to get a bit closer as his cow stayed next to the one I shot, but there were also 5 younger bulls crowded around her. He went down along side the coulee, and got to within 80 yards of them. One of the bulls started advancing toward him, but then then the big old cow stepped into the clear. She turned sideways and he fired. The ball hit behind her shoulder, she staggered and she ambled down the side of the coulee. She stopped head down and bleeding at about 120 yards. He had reloaded by then and shot her again as she was quartering away. That ball went in behind the last rib on her right side and was pasted against the hide low in her neck. It plopped out when we were skinning her. It didn't hit any bone, but did angle through the lungs.
The first shot killed her, and that ball exited, going through both lungs and some big arteries.
Last year I used an original 1817 US Common rifle, with the same ball, ( but patched) and same 75 grains of 2 f. That cow was closer and I plumb centered her heart, she only took a couple jumps and collapsed.
Bottom line , get close, aim carefully, shoot the load that shoots the best in your rifle. I believe that too much velocity will severely limit your penetration with a round ball, and yes- if you're going to go for more velocity, consider a harder alloy.. maybe 20-1 or so.
Bigger is better when it comes to round balls and really big game, but shot placement is most important.
Oh, and though the ball recovered from my buffalo is deformed and flattened, it still weighs 215 grains. Zac's is just shy of 219 grains- exactly as it was cast. I like the imprints of the sixteen groove Hall rifling too..
Good luck on your buffalo hunt, Hope we see some pics..
Big Goose
