.32 round ball for deer

[kaintuck]

:stir:

I let my tom kat run em down and kill them....he's a beast~ saves me my powder and ball.....

:blah: :rotf:

 

[nchawkeye]

This topic came up on another forum a few months back...One poster did the research and if memory serves me well, 32 of the 50 states made no mention of minimum caliber...

Guess some of us believe in less government.... :shocked2:

 

[MSW]

There is a great deal of difference between "It can be done." and "It should be done." Just because someone tells you that you could kill a deer with a .32 doesn't mean that you should try to do it. The probability of only wounding the animal and it getting away only to die slowly and painfully is way too great to make it an ethical thing to do. The .32 is a sweet little round but is best used for squirrels, rabbits, varmints and paper targets. For deer, I am of the personal opinion that you need to use at least a .50 caliber. However, I will admit that a .45 caliber will take a deer cleanly and is allowed in several states. Many states require a .50 caliber or greater for hunting deer.

as usual, the Texan got it in one ...

 

[Lonegun1894]

This is one of those things that can be done, if needed, and by the right hunter, but not by the average hunter. There is only one hunter here who I have seen post a successful deer hunt with a .32 that I can remember right now, and as much grief as he was given, I'm not sure I would open that can of worms. Now, if you find those posts, I have nothing but faith in and respect for that gentleman, but this is a game of extreme precision, self-discipline, and hunting like a bowhunter. If you have those skills, this is very doable, and even responsible, but if anything is missing, or off, you need the discipline to pass on a shot. Now my state does not have a caliber minimum for deer for MLs, and allows ANY centerfire caliber. If we are going to compare the .32 ML to a .22LR or .22 Mag, then I can tell you that the .22LR is a very capable hog hunting tool, and I haven't met many people who don't think that a 175-350# hog takes less to kill than our local 125-175# deer. I do a lot of my hog hunting at night with a .22LR pistol or revolver, as it is more pest-control than hunting. I do my ML hunting in the daytime. I like a bigger gun than needed as much as and often more than most I know, but the main thing is that the right spot on the target has a big enough hole in it when all is over and done with, and a .22 or .32 is much more capable than most people would give it credit for. The true capabilities will only be found by someone with the ability to get close enough, the skill to place the shot, the discipline to pass up any imperfect shot, and the LACK of belief in all the BS we have all been fed by the magazines that we need the latest and greatest, or in our community here, the biggest caliber available. Now having said that and stirred up that hornet's nest, we all need to be honest with ourselves and make sure we use enough gun for our conditions and skills. What works for one, may or may not work for another. I have taken more hogs with .22LRs than anything else, but prefer my .54 for deer. Go figure that one out...

 

[Dphar]

Means what the title says. Do you think it is possible to cleanly take a whitetail deer with the little 32 caliber pea? Not saying its a good idea but could it be done in a real emergency situation? I understand some people use it for large hog but would it be too far of a stretch to use a 32 if you had to. Note. I make muzzleloading guns, I do not have any for myself. So no worries.

I would prefer head shots.
22LR kills deer even with heart/lung shots. Just not a good idea unless hard pressed.


Dan

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Most states have or should outlaw "dinky calibers" like the .32, .36 and even .40. for big game hunting. Leaving the caliber of choice up to the hunter is folly.

What about the folly of leaving the powder charge up to the hunter? :hmm:

Simply because I am launching a .54 round balll does not automatically mean it has sufficient power to provide a quick, humane harvest of a deer.

When it comes to what should or should not be allowed with a muzzleloading firearm... the caliber is only one factor in a five part problem, the other four are type of projectile, powder load, accuracy of the rifle or gun, , and the skill of the shooter.

LD

 

[Vaino]

If we start w/ say a .50 or larger for big game, we automatically have an advantage....whether it be PRB or conical and even if the powder charges are minimal.

Anecdotal instances of .22s or .32s etc. killing big game doesn't justify their use.

Are you proposing the adoption of the German procedure for obtaining a big game license? A thorough knowledge of your chosen, legal rifle, all available cartrdges and their bullets for such and their balistics and a study of your chosen big game animal's anatomy. Also trajectories of your chosen rifle and cartridge over varied distances would be one of the questions along w/ questions of the other data mentioned above.....if you passed, then a license would be issued.

Outlandish....you bet, but so is being under gunned and a lousy shot to boot......Fred

 

[Col. Batguano]

The more relevant question is; why are you in a SURVIVAL situation with only a .32 flintlock? :stir:

 

[cynthialee]

So it would seem to me that having an emergency situation come up you have what you have. If that happened to be a .32 then it is what it is.

Obvious answer to me would too keep a few emergency conicals in the shooting bag if all you have is a small caliber rifle.

 

[MattC]

Which leads me to ask; How effective are .32 conicals? or, how much more than .32 prb?

 

[crockett]

At point blank range and pure lead, lets say a 32 caliber round ball at 1600-1800 feet per second and flattens out about to the size of a penny and then that penny bores through both lungs and maybe clips an artery. And, it's a southern deer weighing about 100 pounds. The deer will die, that's for sure, but if it takes too long to bleed out the deer may run so far you can't find it unless you have a dog.
I don't think at point blank range that the 32 would be a 'stunt", I think it would probably be pretty reliable but the big problem is the huge limiting factor. Even in the jungles you'll still have open areas where the shot may be 40 yards off. Deer have been killed with a single buckshot pellet at that range so the 32 ball might work but it would seem to have lost a lot at that range- I think. As I said, at point blank range deer have been killed with 7 1/2 birdshot.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Which leads me to ask; How effective are .32 conicals? or, how much more than .32 prb?

Boy if that question hasn't been asked to death here before. :slap:

 

[nchawkeye]

Which leads me to ask; How effective are .32 conicals? or, how much more than .32 prb?

In the brain, no difference..

 

[nkbj]

A .32 paper patched 140 to 160 grain... yeah, I'd love to try one out.
But, does anybody know how to find those posts from the fella that was hunting does with the .32?

 

[mooman76]

The more relevant question is; why are you in a SURVIVAL situation with only a .32 flintlock? :stir:

Didn't you see Jeremiah Johnson? :blah:

 

[gearheart]

The more relevant question is; why are you in a SURVIVAL situation with only a .32 flintlock? :stir:

Didn't you see Jeremiah Johnson? :blah:

Likely 32 balls to the pound. Those authors mostly don't know manure from peanut butter.

 

[hanshi]

I don't take head shots since I've seen the results of a deer who'd had its lower jaw blown off which resulted in it's starving to death.

The brain is small and if it or its stem are missed there is a good chance the deer will survive and be left to die a more horrible death.

I'd hope if I was being shot the shooter would have a little more respect for me and make a clean kill. Enjoy, J.D.

I feel much the same about head shots as you do. With all due respect to those who make successful head shots on deer, I discourage these shots and never take them, myself. The boiler room is much larger and a lethal target.

 

A few conicals do make sense. Yet another advantage of muzzleloaders. You can choose your projectile. Allowing for working with rifling twist of course.

 

[AZbpBurner]

I always shoot the chest. But most of my kills are already 25-35 yards. If you had good postion you could get a good head shot, and a .32 would destroy a brain. Caught in the back woods and facing a 2or 3 day walk out I might try a deer better then going hungry.Here in the Ozarks I'm never more then a few hour walk to any road,so I don't spect I would ever try it.

For a 2-3 day walkout, you'll either be wasting a lot of deer, else if you can eat the whole thing, you ain't a-gonna be walking to make much time.

Given .32 cal and a few days' hike, rabbits and single-serve, dinner-sized varmints would be more realistic.

 

[Moose Guide]

To nobody in particular. Most states have or should outlaw "dinky calibers" like the .32, .36 and even .40. for big game hunting. Leaving the caliber of choice up to the hunter is folly.


You must live in the land of the restricted and the home of the regulated!