50 cal prb for big game

[mdtrekker]

I have read through numerous posts and other discussions, not trying to get into the conical and round ball debates.

I shoot a traditional flintlock, made by Jeff Saddler, who apprenticed under Kieth Casteel. It is a .50 cal shriek model, and I currently shoot a 490 ball, 015 patch with 80 gr fffg goex.

I know shot placement is key, looking for any load suggestions if needed for bison, elk, moose, or caribou. Looking to take them all with this gun, 75 yd shot or less, not hard to get the shot opportunity, want to make sure it can do the job. whitetails, pronghorn, mulies, no problem.

Thank you for the help,

Eric

 

[rabjr]

I'd have to say your just fine with that load as long as your comfortable with it and it's accurate. I think within that range you should be fine for Bison but here you may want to up the charge another 10 gr maybe and see how the gun is. But I think your fine for all as is. :thumbsup:

 

[Headhunter]

Your load and Rifle will take any animal on the face of the earth. Like Swampy said, if it is accurate and you shoot it well, Go for it.

HH

 

[mdtrekker]

I was thinking about trying 90 and 100 grain loads, thinking it would help with impact power. Accuracy is good, so we shall see. Thanks for the reply

 

[tg]

I would agree with the above, if the charge could be raised 10-15 gr, and not suffer accuracy it would be a bit better.The range limite mentioned is good and allows for very good shot placement, I would not hesitate to use the .50 and ball.

 

[mdtrekker]

Thanks for the reply. Shot placement is always the critical point, just want to make sure I have the knockdown delivery with it for ethical harvest. Highly likely I will have within a 50 yard shot, but not further than 75 yds.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have read through numerous posts and other discussions, not trying to get into the conical and round ball debates.

I shoot a traditional flintlock, made by Jeff Saddler, who apprenticed under Kieth Casteel. It is a .50 cal shriek model, and I currently shoot a 490 ball, 015 patch with 80 gr fffg goex.

I know shot placement is key, looking for any load suggestions if needed for bison, elk, moose, or caribou. Looking to take them all with this gun, 75 yd shot or less, not hard to get the shot opportunity, want to make sure it can do the job. whitetails, pronghorn, mulies, no problem.

Thank you for the help,

Eric

What kind of round ball is it? A swaged ball is a modern projectile. We would not want to talk about modern projectiles here.
Your 50 cal with a good cast PRB would take a T-REX be glad you have such a outstanding weapon and go to the fired with confidence that you can cleanly take any animal on earth with it.
Good luck, Ron

 

[larry wv]

I for one am not going Cape Buffalo hunting with a .50 and 80 grs powder and prb. I can't run fast enough anymore Larry Wv

 

[tg]

If you need a gunbearer for a hunt for the first four animals listed give me a call :v

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have neve shot a flinter. Someday I have to give it a try. Ron

 

[smokehouseman]

My guess it that you're good to go with your .50 prb with the distances, accuracy and species of animal you're going after. Brown bear and bison I believe would be the exception to the use of a .50 prb. That's not to say that given the perfect circumstances they couldn't be taken but I would think you would want plenty of backup if things went sideways. Having talked to people first hand who have been in defensive situations where they've had to take these animals using shot guns firing slugs and oo buck shot and very high powered rifles at extremely close range, they still had a hard time putting these animals down. And yes I'm aware you didn't say you were going after bison or brown bears. A picture that comes to mind is in black powder book written by Fiala (I think) showing a bison being shot and getting back up again and coming after the shooter.

 

[longcruise]

I think it's a light combo for anything larger than elk.

 

[Trench]

I think with the bigger animals, penetration is really the issue, not power. You just need to know you can get to the vitals. I wonder if pushing it too fast would decrease penetration?

More mass is always better. If you could pull a .58 out of thin air, I'd go with that. :grin:

 

[roundball]

I shoot a traditional flintlock..... and .50 cal... .490 ball, 015 patch with 80 gr fffg goex.

All I can offer is personal opinion based upon some good years of deer hunting with the traditional round ball...I happen to be a simple man who believes is the simple axiom if I'm going big game hunting I want to use big game loads.

Understand we can kill a Bison with a well placed .22cal long rifle bullet...but if I was going after anything larger than a deer with a .50cal Flintlock I'd at least use a max powder charge with the .490".

And if I had a .54/.58cal in the rack I'd grab one of them instead, reaching for the .58cal first...just my .02cents on the matter...good luck either way you decide.

 

[tg]

More mass is always a plus with larger game, but at 50 yds or so if one wiats for the right shiot I would feel very confident with a .50 ball load I would goose it up some as long as I did not loose the level of accuracy I needed, a half inch bullet is a fair sized hole to punch in any critter that was mentioned, (I missed the Grizzly Bear thing somehow, I would want more gun for one of those, I would probably just show him a pic of a comical and he would fall over ten toes up )Here is where some practice on life sized cutouts of the various animals with no bullseye painted on them would really help get a guy dialed in on the distance and shot placement.

 

[mdtrekker]

I will be experimenting with loads of 90 and 100 grain. I will be able to wait for the right shot, but 50 cal worked then, why not now, right?

 

[mdtrekker]

No brown bear mentioned for me. Black bear is just fine.

 

[mdtrekker]

I wouldn't take that combo on a water buffalo hunt either. Give me a beretta for safari maybe, but I am going after american bison, south dakota.

 

[mdtrekker]

so what would you recommend for a 50 cal? larger ball, heavier powder? This is the input I am looking to get to evaluate conditions.

 

[mdtrekker]

Could you enlighten me on the swaged vs hand poured? I use the round lead balls, provided in the red hornady box, .490 size. Been lookin for a mould, I have lead since I use it for keels in the gunning decoys I carve, but have difficulty finding a 490 mould. That has been what holds me up from some of the woodswalk competitions because I do not have a mould.