.58

[user 36911]

My Hawken has a heavy barrel and i'd like to lighten it up some. It's a .50 and i'm thinking of having Bobby bore it out to a .58. I've had a lot of .54's but never a .58. I'd be increasing the PRB from 177gr to 280gr. That will increase the recoil a bit.

My question is for those who have a .58. How do you like it as a hunting caliber? What's your hunting load? My barrel is 32". Game will be muley buck and black bear. Maybe elk if I can get my Lakota friend to hunt with me and help with getting the meat out.

I considered shortening the barrel but i'd prefer to not do that. 32" is as short as I want to go on a Hawken and I like the longer sighting plane. My crappy vision can see the front sight better.

So, you .58 shooters. Give me your opinion. Good or bad.

Thanks

 

[user 36911]

Ok, never mind. I got all the info I need on the ALR forum.

Strange that none of you shoot a .58 ball.

 

[azmntman]

85 gr 2f PRB

 

[hanshi]

Never deer hunted with a .58 although I once had one and used it for other critters and things. Nothing wrong with the .58 and it's always a good choice for larger game. I just like the .54 better.

 

[Zonie]

Ok, never mind. I got all the info I need on the ALR forum.

Strange that none of you shoot a .58 ball.

You gave up on our members after only 2 1/2 hours?
I know it's hard to believe but a lot of our members aren't here but once a day and some of them don't visit us more than once a week so I suggest giving them at least a day before giving up on them.

 

[user 36911]

I didn't give up on anybody. I already got the answers I needed on ALR.

 

[Timber Wolf]

I didn't give up on anybody. I already got the answers I needed on ALR.

What’s ALR?

 

[mooman76]

I didn't give up on anybody. I already got the answers I needed on ALR.

Then why the snide comment " Strange that none of you guys shoot 58 ball"

I shoot a 58 but didn't respond because you got said never mind.

 

[Josephg]

But I shoot a

 

[user 36911]

mooman.........Call it snide if you want to. It wasn't meant that way. I just thought it odd that nobody shot the .58. Simple as that.

I got an immediate response on ALR and didn't need any more answers. I thought I was being helpful to say I didn't need any answer anymore.

If I wanted to give a snide comment it would be way better that anything I said in this thread. Stop being touchy.

 

[ord sgt]

I shoot a .58 calibre but I use a 500 grain minie in my Enfield carbine. No PRB yet.

 

[SDSmlf]

Have hunted with 58 caliber guns and patched roundballs for years and always looking to learn. Please share what information you received that answered all the questions.

 

[user 36911]

Mostly game shot with them. Loads used. Bobby Hoyt answers.

 

[SDSmlf]

Can’t add much to that. Mr Hoyt has only rebored three barrels to 58 caliber for me. Glad you got all the information.

 

[mooman76]

mooman.........Call it snide if you want to. It wasn't meant that way. I just thought it odd that nobody shot the .58. Simple as that.

I got an immediate response on ALR and didn't need any more answers. I thought I was being helpful to say I didn't need any answer anymore.

If I wanted to give a snide comment it would be way better that anything I said in this thread. Stop being touchy.

You didn't give it much time. Like Zonie said allot of people can't or don't get to the board but once a day, maybe less. Allot of people have jobs and such.

Anyway, when I hunted with my 58 I loaded 80 gr. but I didn't actually get a deer with my 58, unfortunately.

 

[excess650]

My normal load was 100gr fffg under a .562" PRB, and it was pretty decisive on a 200#+ WT that I shot with it. That rifle had a 32" barrel and a 2" wide buttplate, so recoil was mild in a 7# gun.

 

[Okie Hog]

Mr. Hoyt bored a New Englander barrel to .58 for me. Believe the twist rate is 1/60. It makes small groups using 90 grains of Black MZ powder. Recoil is light and that .570 ball knocks big boar hogs dead.

 

[user 36911]

My normal load was 100gr fffg under a .562" PRB, and it was pretty decisive on a 200#+ WT that I shot with it. That rifle had a 32" barrel and a 2" wide buttplate, so recoil was mild in a 7# gun.

Recoil should be pretty mild with my 10 lb gun with your load. Although, I was thinking more like 80-90gr of 2F for deer and bear. Maybe 100gr for elk if I get a chance to hunt elk again.

 

[azmntman]

85 works like a charm on elk, dont bother sending another 10-15 lbs downrange. Pop even dropped a buffalo with 85 gr (conical though, not PRB).

 

[user 36911]

For decades I used 80gr of Swiss 2F in a .54 PRB for elk. Never had a problem. The 280gr .58 should have more smack than the 225gr .54.