36 caliber deer hunting

[Sparkitoff]

Somebody pointed out to me that Buckshot is around .36 depending on how many "O's" is has. People use that for deer where legal. I wonder how many ball aka pellets hit the deer on average?

 

[Gordoncourtney]

I am not going to do this, and I am not asking if you think it's a good idea. I just want to know if anyone has used a .36 rifle for deer hunting and how that turned out. The details of the load and shot distance is helpful.

There are some deer species where the .36 might be the bomb, like Muntjac, Chinese Water Deer, Pudu, Brokett Deer, and some deer-like antelope like Reedbok and such.

Any used the .36 rifle deer hunting?

I am not going to do this, and I am not asking if you think it's a good idea. I just want to know if anyone has used a .36 rifle for deer hunting and how that turned out. The details of the load and shot distance is helpful.

There are some deer species where the .36 might be the bomb, like Muntjac, Chinese Water Deer, Pudu, Brokett Deer, and some deer-like antelope like Reedbok and such.

Any used the .36 rifle deer hunting?

The .36 is very interesting to me as I have a .36 double rifle , by the long range rifle company Birmingham. No police permit to fire it . And no info on it , think it’s midland gun company but their factory and records was obliterated by ww2 bombs Sights go to 400 yards rifling twist to fast for balls so the choice is sizing down .375 bullets or Sierra bullets. 180g bullets seem perfect but only produce like 1400 max ft lbs, so you need 240g to get over 2000 ft lbs. A bit of a tall order with BP as the official power with a bull it is 960 ft lbs.

I think it all comes down to lead balls or conicals. And dream
on !!! Photo with extra 28g shot barrels

 

[Bigpete]

I haven't shot deer with my 36 cal but I've shot feral goats,which would weigh between 30 and 70kg,using a 36 cal maxiball which in theory would replicate a 357 magnum in power. The projectiles passed through easily but seemingly didn't expand much,not that I found any. Shots were taken at no further than 50m,and animals travelled no further than 50m.
I wouldn't hesitate to use mine on smaller deer like fallow,I do wish I could find a hollow point maxiball though

 

[Reds]

In Florida the minimum is .30 cal. I have a .32 Cherokee and have the Maxi ball Moulds for it. Some time back one of the members here was selling a bunch of new Moulds. I did gather many of what I use that he had but one he had was a Lyman double .36 Maxi and I said to myself “Self one day you may find One of those .36 cals”. So I got it along with the others mentioned and wouldn’t you know a few months ago I found a NIB TC .36 Seneca from yet another member here. Have not fired it and don’t know if I will but I can tell ya that .32 does a great job on our hogs down here in South Florida. I only shoot within 25 yards and if a body shot then have to be quartered away same as archery” in the armpit forward”. Farthest has run about 60 yards but none lost!!!

 

[Britsmoothy]

I've loaded 5x .36" shot in my 45 before now.
I don't think I'd use it anything bigger than a fox and not very far either.
Probably does not apply to the original post.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

The .36 is very interesting to me as I have a .36 double rifle , by the long range rifle company Birmingham. No police permit to fire it . And no info on it , think it’s midland gun company but their factory and records was obliterated by ww2 bombs Sights go to 400 yards rifling twist to fast for balls so the choice is sizing down .375 bullets or jacketed Sierra bullets. 180g bullets seem perfect but only produce like 1400 max ft lbs, so you need 240g to get over 2000 ft lbs. A bit of a tall order with BP as the official power with a bull it is 960 ft lbs , I even paper patched .308 jacketed bullets and have ,36 sabots

Without range time I am at a loss to make constructive suggestions but a ,375 magnum rifle will take down elephant let alone small animals . I think it all comes down to lead balls or conicals. And dream
on !!! Photo with extra 28g shot barrels

I was looking at Greame wrights book for BP double rifles

.360- 2.25 BP 50grain, 155 g bullet. 10 tons pressure 1700 ft sec 993 ft lbs

.450 3.5”. BP120 g , 270g bullet 11 tons 1975 ft sec 2336 ft lbs

.500 3”. BP 136g, 340g bullet , 11tons, 1925ft sec. 2794 ft sec

 

[Gordoncourtney]

I was looking at Greame wrights book for BP double rifles

.360- 2.25 BP 50grain, 155 g bullet. 10 tons pressure 1700 ft sec 993 ft lbs

.450 3.5”. BP120 g , 270g bullet 11 tons 1975 ft sec 2336 ft lbs

.500 3”. BP 136g, 340g bullet , 11tons, 1925ft sec. 2794 ft sec

Incidentally
.360 bore, 30g cordite, 300g bullet, 12 tons 1650ft sec 1613 ft lbs

A .375 nitro 2.50”. 40g ,270g bullet ,14.5tons, 1975ft sec 2336 ft lbs

My 450/400 3” ok for buff and elephant, 60cordite , 400g bullet , 16 tons, 2125 ft sec, 4005 ft lbs

Hope it’s of interest , still cannot understand how to add photos with this new format ???

My .36 ml. Add photos came up. Magic

 

[Gordoncourtney]

My .36 ml. Add photos came up. Magic

Meant to add the shot barrels, recently added, are 28 bore ml , new, unused , both barrels around 1885 note 400 yards on leaf sights , just no information on it

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Meant to add the shot barrels, recently added, are 28 bore ml , new, unused , both barrels around 1885 note 400 yards on leaf sights , just no information on it

While I am rambling on I got these .35 81g air gun pellets of eBay uk from. , more out of interest , bit expensive at £18/100 at the time I thought great for squirrels and rabbits , sorry not allowed to try them in uk, just for my collection. Ha ha.

 

[yellowhammer]

Interesting. I wonder if those Diablo .35's will stabilize in a round ball twist barrel?

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Interesting. I wonder if those Diablo .35's will stabilize in a round ball twist barrel?

I shoot the same EXACT pellets in my .22 and 177 in my pcp pump up air guns and they are deadly accurate to 50 yards. They come from ChechRepublic EU , I think a guy brings them to England and sells them on EBay uk. They come on .30 also as have some , they won’t need much BP Doubt if you will get them on eBay us. But I’ll look

 

[yellowhammer]

Lot's of 9mm/.35 pellet options....

I doubt that the form of that style of pellet will stay intact at bp pressures. Now, the H&N Grizzly, etc might.

 

[Spikebuck]

I cannot remember his username, but we used to have a guy on here from Ontario years ago that used .3X calibers on Canadian Whitetails, which would be good sized. He was also an exceptional gun builder. IIRC...he hunted with those rifles in a way similar to using traditional archery gear. Close range. Hunting skill and challenge.

Personally, I'd still use my .54 because I need a big hole to let out lots of blood for my color blind eyes to follow. But I don't doubt, and he proved, that used properly within strict limitations, a .3X will do the job on deer.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Close range.

That is the only equation where tiny calibers might be acceptable.

 

[Freedom]

36cal rifle is about twice the power of a 22lr.. which is crazy toxic on deer!
Keep your distances reasonable and you're shot angle square and you'll be plenty well served with a 36 rifle.

 

[yellowhammer]

Deer aren't hard to kill. Legend is some dude killed one with an ice pick. For prb's I keep it .50 and above for all of reasons already pointed out.

 

[SDSmlf]

Obviously shot placement is critical…

There are folks out there with blowguns using hatpin sized darts with small broadheads on them getting pass throughs on deer and killing black bear and hogs. All comes down to knowing your quarry’s anatomy and shot placement. And a the nerve and willingness to close, real close.

 

[ETipp]

After reading all of the replies to this thread I’m somewhat shocked, although I pretty much figured it was going to turn out that way.

My first question is, why would anyone want to shoot at a deer with a .36 caliber? Unless you had no other larger caliber ML, or you simply want to do it just to see what might happen, why? Even then it’s difficult to fathom.

There are several elements to this that are basically common sense. For beginners, RB or conical. Without doubt a conical of some sort would be best.

Shot distance. I wouldn’t even consider shooting at a deer with a RB any further than perhaps 25 yards. You might be able to stretch that out a few more yards with a conical.

Shot placement. This one is key, IMO. If you cannot confidently hit a deer in the head at 25 yards away, then don’t shoot. A head shot would absolutely be the best. If you are going to take a head shot, make sure you are on the mark. For a head shot from the side, behind the eyes and back to just below the ear. By far the most conducive shot would be from directly in front between the eyes.

A higher up and centered neck shot is the second best option. However, be prepared to make a fast follow-up shot. A deer will go down when hit just about anywhere in the neck. However, it often will take time to expire and be flopping head over hoofs while doing so.

Hunting terrain. If you hunt the thick stuff, or in steep terrain, then you darn well better hit one in the head.

Deer size. This is another key factor. If you plan on hunting large Midwest deer, a head shot is definitely the best option. But again, why?

Smaller, Florida and or southern deer you can definitely push that one some. Those would be the only acceptable ones IMO.

Deer mindset at the time. Just as in bow hunting, don’t even try to shoot at a spooky deer that’s on edge. Your only option that is doable would be a head shot.

Deer body position. If, for whatever reason, you decide to do a body shot, do not take a quartering to shot. It would also be wise to not take a quartering away shot. Pretty much broadside to where the projectile would have the best chance to travel through both lungs, or at least as far as possible through the vital area.

Deer can be tough critters to kill at times. I’ve personally shot one’s heart apart with a high powered unmentionable and it still went a fair distance before expiring. I’ve also shot one that had part of a lung hanging out the rather large exit hole that went much farther than I had ever thought possible. That buck was not large and it was not spooked. I could go on and on with more real life examples but you get the point.

It’s you alls party so do as you like. Just beware.

 

[45man]

I get a laugh about a .22 LR being a deer killer with other then a head shot. I have a pile of .22 bullets recovered from healthy deer I have killed. I also have many pieces of arrows with healed up deer. So many I am afraid to reach into deer cavities without checking.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

After reading all of the replies to this thread I’m somewhat shocked, although I pretty much figured it was going to turn out that way.

My first question is, why would anyone want to shoot at a deer with a .36 caliber? Unless you had no other larger caliber ML, or you simply want to do it just to see what might happen, why? Even then it’s difficult to fathom.

There are several elements to this that are basically common sense. For beginners, RB or conical. Without doubt a conical of some sort would be best.

Shot distance. I wouldn’t even consider shooting at a deer with a RB any further than perhaps 25 yards. You might be able to stretch that out a few more yards with a conical.

Shot placement. This one is key, IMO. If you cannot confidently hit a deer in the head at 25 yards away, then don’t shoot. A head shot would absolutely be the best. If you are going to take a head shot, make sure you are on the mark. For a head shot from the side, behind the eyes and back to just below the ear. By far the most conducive shot would be from directly in front between the eyes.

A higher up and centered neck shot is the second best option. However, be prepared to make a fast follow-up shot. A deer will go down when hit just about anywhere in the neck. However, it often will take time to expire and be flopping head over hoofs while doing so.

Hunting terrain. If you hunt the thick stuff, or in steep terrain, then you darn well better hit one in the head.

Deer size. This is another key factor. If you plan on hunting large Midwest deer, a head shot is definitely the best option. But again, why?

Smaller, Florida and or southern deer you can definitely push that one some. Those would be the only acceptable ones IMO.

Deer mindset at the time. Just as in bow hunting, don’t even try to shoot at a spooky deer that’s on edge. Your only option that is doable would be a head shot.

Deer body position. If, for whatever reason, you decide to do a body shot, do not take a quartering to shot. It would also be wise to not take a quartering away shot. Pretty much broadside to where the projectile would have the best chance to travel through both lungs, or at least as far as possible through the vital area.

Deer can be tough critters to kill at times. I’ve personally shot one’s heart apart with a high powered unmentionable and it still went a fair distance before expiring. I’ve also shot one that had part of a lung hanging out the rather large exit hole that went much farther than I had ever thought possible. That buck was not large and it was not spooked. I could go on and on with more real life examples but you get the point.

It’s you alls party so do as you like. Just beware.

You bring alot of good points to the table, ETipp.
I'm not here to judge anyone. I personally would not take a .36 PRB deer hunting. If'n I was out squirrel hunting and had a deer walk up on me very close, which has happened many times I might consider it. I know folks have killed deer with a .36 or smaller and I know some will do it again. I just feel them shots are an isolated incident.
Here in Florida, up until a few years ago it was a .40 caliber Minimum for muzzleloader shooting a single ball 20ga minimum if shooting 2 or more balls. Then after research and comparing other states laws, they changed the minimum caliber to .30.
I recon if I was out with my Crockett Rifle or my .32 SMR and that prime head shot was right in front of me I just might, but then again I might not.