40 cal for small game/deer

[Rat Trapper]

Wisconsin allows a rifled muzzle loader in 40 cal for deer hunting. Anyone here tried that?? I've never considered anything smaller than a 50 for deer. Guess the 40 might be pretty good on small game if it is loaded down enough. So what are your thoughts.

 

[BrownBear]

I'm awfully picky about my shots, and with that as a base I wouldn't hesitate if the right shot was presented. But would I start the day with a 40 and the intention of taking a deer? Probably not. It would be more a case of hunting snowshoe hare and taking the right deer shot if it was presented. That was the justification if you will, of cartridges like the 25-20 and 32-20 in their hayday- small game rounds that could take a deer in a pinch. I've taken deer with those while on hare hunts, but would never set out on a dedicated deer hunt with one.

As for a 40 specifically? I draw the line at 45 for dedicated deer hunts, though I've never owned or hunted with a 45. It's a high priority for me to get one, and in my mind it will be a deer rifle that can also be used for small game. Careful shooting still required, and it's certainly my own mental game at work.

 

[Rifleman1776]

You will find defenders of the .40 for deer. But, the fact is a .40 roundball just plain runs out of energy very quickly. Keep in mind, those of us who use the antiquated roundball for hunting are shooting something that has a ballistic equivalent not much better than a thrown brick. I used a .45 prb for deer for many years and consider it adequate up to about 100 yards. The .40, only a small fraction of that. Answer: No.

 

[gordy]

I would have to agree with whats been said thus far. I would not start out with the intention of haveresting deer with a .40 but if it were legal in the area i was hunting small game in. And the season was on I,d take advantage of a good close oppertunity. (if I needed the meat?). I think most states require a .45 or larger for deer? For the most part I,d rather hunt small game and up-land birds. :hmm:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

The fact is it really doesn't take much to kill a deer with a well placed shot. Brown Bear mentioned the 25/20 & 32/20 but probably more deer are killed with .22 rimfires than with any other caliber. I'd trust the .40 to at least 50 yards on a solid broadside shot.

 

[Rifleman1776]

CJ, not all shots are "well placed". That is why extra gun is almost always needed. Your comment about .22s may be true. But, it leaves out how many are simply wounded (by the poachers who use them) to die later and go to waste. A great many. Sadly.

 

[David W.]

I'll give the .40 one thing, they're very accurate. They do lose bullet energy much faster than a larger caliber. I would stick to close shots, not over 50 yards and a stiff hunting load if I were to use the smaller caliber.

 

[hanshi]

Here in Va. we have an odd situation. .45 is the minimum caliber for deer during the muzzleloading season but for the regular season the requirements say only that it has to be .23 caliber or larger. So it appears the .40 would be legal during the regular season.

I'm a careful shot in the woods where a typical shot is 30 to 40 yards. With this in mind I'd take my .40 into the woods for deer without hesitation. My dedicated deer rifle to date has been a .45 with a record of ALL one shot kills up to 75 yards.

 

[roundball]

My personal view as well...IMO a .40cal is no more of a "general deer rifle" than a .22 rimfire is.

Now, I've been sitting for squirrels with a throttled back .45cal & 40grns Goex 3F...and on two separate occasions shot a Doe and a 5 point buck that wandered into the oak flat looking for an acorn, crossing just 20yds in front of my boots.
There was enough mojo for perfect heart shots at those little distances, and I may do the same some day with a fired up .40cal.
I have a deer stand that overlooks a trail that crosses a 6' deep drainage ditch only 25yds away...I'd try a .40cal on a chip shot like that too.

But...other than unique examples like those, I'd hate to waste one of my precious deer season days intentionally deer hunting with a .40cal...sure as I did, a B&C buck of a life time would step into view 80yds down an old loggers road and I'd be holding my small game rifle.
:hmm:

Other's mileage may vary...

 

[BrownBear]

But other than unique examples like those, I wouldn't waste one of my precious deer season days intentionally deer hunting with a .40cal...sure as I did, a B&C buck of a life time would step into view 80yds down an old loggers road and I'd be holding my small game rifle.

That pretty well sums it up for me. If you have another caliber choice, why risk it?

 

[Chuck Yoder]

It's all about placing your shot right. My last two bucks were killed with a 45 cal. flinter. I have killed a bunch over the years and from experience i can tell you that a hasty marginal shot with a 54 cal. pushed by 90 grains of 2f can produce a long blood trail. Be a little more carefull and you can drop it in his tracks. I just finished a 40 cal.flintlock and plan on using it on deer here in MO. this year. I think whoever you are and whatever you are shooting, be confident in your abilities and if your not sure of the shot, don't take it. killing a deer can be as simple as letting the air out of it.

 

[roundball]

It's all about placing your shot right.

Actually that's a very wide open statement, and it applies to every caliber and powder charge PRB combo that is used for game.
And you made no qualifying comments about using your .40cal...so on its face, your post implies that your new .40cal will be equivalent to a .58cal for example...and I'm sure you couldn't have possibly meant that.

Of course perfect shot placement is the goal...everybody knows that...and its the goal of every caliber/gauge projectile used.
The problem is actually "delivering" that perfect shot placement under hunting conditions of low light, shadows, slightly unseen angles, a deer starts to turn just as the sear breaks and gets a shoulder in the way and the list goes on and on.

So assuming you didn't mean to imply that the tiny 92grn .40cal ball is equal to all larger calibers/gauges...distance limitation is the only variable that can come close to leveling the playing field of comparing a tiny caliber 92grn ball to the larger caliber PRBs, with their greater frontal area, greater weight, normally greater velocity at distance than smaller balls, and of course greater penetration in spite of heavy bone unexpectedly getting in the way, etc.

Since I have a new .40cal myself that I haven't fired yet, curious what your qualifier will be to make your .40cal perform like a larger caliber deer rifle...for example, a 25yd limit with standing broadside heart shots only?

 

[gearheart]

My hunting pardner took a doe with his 40 cal flinter. Both lungs hit and broke the shoulder on the far side. Knocked it a$$ over heels. Then 30 sec later she got up and ran 200 yards into a bush and died there. I'd recommend a little more gun. :v

 

[CrackStock]

I have a hand full of .40s and love them for targets and smaller game, but they sit on the rack during deer season in favor of .50s and .54s.

CS

 

[FishDFly]

In the Texas hill country, some "does" will weight 50 to 60 lbs.

The further north you go, the more they weigh, a nice doe in Canada might equal 4 or 5 Texas Hill country deer.

????????? what is enough in one place is not in another.

 

[rdillion]

Two deer down with a 40 cal. Also two deer down with a 357 mag lever rifle using a 158gr cast lead bullet at 1100 fps. Bullet placement is the key.

 

[FishDFly]

Two deer down with a 40 cal. Also two deer down with a 357 mag lever rifle using a 158gr cast lead bullet at 1100 fps. Bullet placement is the key.

Not on my place, I get to chose what is used to hunt with.

RDE

 

[larry wv]

A friend has a .40 cal conical mold. .38 cal is legal for deer here.(wv) I want a .40 and would use it on deer with a conical. I also think a .40 prb should be limited to close shots and maybe not at all on the big bodied deer. Larry

 

[rdillion]

I'm really getting sick and tired of people telling me that I'm an unethical hunter because I hunt deer with a 40 cal muzzle loader which happens to be legal in my state. I choose my shots and for myself don't shoot at a deer much over 50 yards. The deer I've shot with a 40 have dropped dead on the spot so what is the problem. I've had deer in the past run 100+ yards after a broad-side from a 54 cal. All I'm saying is that it's about shot placement so get off my a--. :nono:

 

[CrackStock]

I see that a few people give the common answers of both sides regarding using a .40 on deer and the one making things very personal is you.

If it is legal in your state, then you should feel some consolation that your law makers share your opinion. (or bent to the will of voters who do)

People spoke about their choices and they dared to disagree with your point of view.

Please do not demand that all of us accept your opinion when we honestly hold differing ones.

For all I care, you can stalk deer with a sharp needle and a soda straw.

But if shot placement is all that is needed, why limit the ball size at all. Prove it with a .32. For that matter, why not a .177 cal pellet? Maybe your legislature will pass that one. Hopefully not though, because, size does matter in killing anything. Temporary cavitation, wound channel, bleed out...
We just disagree about the size of projectile hat one should responsibly use in cleanly taking deer.

Can't this be done without crawling into the gutter?

CS