58cal hunting?

[mauser182]

Does anybody hunt with 58cal? This will be my first year hunting with a muzzleloader and I will be using my 58cal Enfield Musketoon. Any advice on types of bullets or powder charges? Any advice would be great.

 

[Bill Hall]

I hunt with a .58 percussion plains rifle with a 34"x 1" green mountain barrel. I've only killed one elk with it so far, but it did quite a number on her. I've killed a number of deer and elk with .54's, and I noticed a huge difference in "whompability" with the .58. I'll be taking it out again for deer in less than a month.

My elk load is 90 grains Swiss, home cast .575 round ball, cotton drill patch lubed with bear oil/ beeswax mix. I don't know if your musket can handle a load like that, but I'm sure 70-80 grains goex ffg and a round ball will kill anything that gets in front of you. Bill

 

[Trench]

I use a 36" 1:70 GM barrel with 90gr of 2F, a .570 ball, a .025 patch, and a tallow lube. What is your musketoon's ROT?

 

[roundball]

I will be using my 58cal Enfield Musketoon.

Don't know anything about your particular rifle.

But yes, I love the .58cal and have hunted one for a few years now...first a GM barrel in a T/C Hawken, then starting last year, a Rice barrel in an Early Virginia.

The GM was a 32" x .012" x 1:70" square groove barrel and its load was:
100grns Goex 2F
.58cal Oxyoke wad
.018" patch
Hornady .570"

The Rice barrel is a 38" x .016" x 1:72" round bottom groove barrel and its load is:
100grns Goex 2F
.62cal Oxyoke wad
.022" patch
Hornady .570"

 

[texcl]

.58 is my favorite caliber. my second muzzleloader was a 2 band enfield that I used for NSSA. The rifled muskets were made to shoot minies so I would suggest a traditional minie over 70 grains of powder to start then increase to see how your groups react. My rifle was a tack driver with 50grns of 3f but I'd hunt with 75grns of 3f because it was still pretty accurate but had a good amount of power to go with it. One thing to understand with minies is that the skirt is designed to take a certain range of powder so if you are under the range it wont engage the rifling well and if it is over it will distort the skirt and make accuracy fall off. I had also used the lee real bullet in several calibers and it proved accurate in all of them even with heavy powder charges, so I'd give a nod to it as well. Of course you have the round ball which is all I use now because I got rid of almost all of my percussion guns and use flintlocks now. I usually use 80grns of 3f for everything in my .58 virginia rifle and I have never recovered a ball even from 150 yard shots, some rifled muskets will shoot well with a round ball but most only shoot average groups and prefer bullets from my experience.good luck hunting!

 

[BrownBear]

With neighbors like this, I'm prone to largish holes in my barrels. This guy is "charging" right toward me as he's chasing fish, but he serves a purpose. If fast bears up close make a camera this nervous, imagine how nervous a REAL charge will make a rifle! :rotf:

I've got four 58 cals, and wouldn't hesitate to add #5 if the right one came along. I'm currently playing with bigger calibers, but a 58 is a nice compromise caliber for me. More than enough for deer, even if it's a little light for unruly neighbors.

 

[longcruise]

I've observed several of our club members shooting patched balls in various CW era .58 muskets. They get pretty good results too.

I'd give a patched ball a try with anywhere from 70 to 100 grains of powder and see how it works out.

 

[75dixie]

Use a minie bullet!!

I took a doe with my 1861 springfield replica last year. One shot from the 505 grain pill dropped her like a sack of taters. Lyman offers many choices for minies in 58 cal. I found a nice 400 grain that shoots great groups. Stay around 60 grains of powder to keep the skirt on. Great thing about minies is how easy they load! Try some and you will be hooked. No patch just start with your thunmb and they slide right down 2 fingers on your rammer.

 

[biliff]

.570 RB out of a 37" flintlock. It makes an impression.

 

[rabjr]

A .58 rb is just plain mean.

.570 ball, 90gr 3F and a .024 bear greased patch works for me.

 

[Curt LaManna]

Didn't Val Forgett Sr. drop and Elephant with a .58 cal? As I recall about 160 grns under a 550 grn Bullet?
I have a .58 and a .62 cal, both Jaegers and I think with enough powder and close enough, you can take about anything, but a Blue Whale?!?!

 

[bushytail]

I`m like you,that this year will be my 1st year for muzzleloader hunting.And I`ll be using a 58 cal NSW trade gun.Since I got a smoothbore,I want to play around with shot for squirrels and turkey too.They`re alot of fun to shoot.The 58 cal ball puts a BIG hole in paper,I`m sure it will do the same to a deer or any other animal.Good luck this year.

 

[rabjr]

With neighbors like this, I'm prone to largish holes in my barrels. This guy is "charging" right toward me as he's chasing fish, but he serves a purpose. If fast bears up close make a camera this nervous, imagine how nervous a REAL charge will make a rifle! :rotf:

I've got four 58 cals, and wouldn't hesitate to add #5 if the right one came along. I'm currently playing with bigger calibers, but a 58 is a nice compromise caliber for me. More than enough for deer, even if it's a little light for unruly neighbors.

So Brownbear...you never said what happened next right after you snapped this pic?? :grin:

 

[Bill Hall]

He invented Crapodex! (or someting like that) Bill

 

[BrownBear]

Nah, like I said in the caption, this one was just chasing fish and he stopped about 10 feet away with his prize.

Now, the sow that charged me a couple of years ago, she's the one that showed me the secret formula for Crapodex. Come to think of it, the next time I went into that same area I left the 58 at home and packed my 75 caliber! :rotf:

 

[texcl]

Ha! I think I would have brought the .75 and a change of shorts just in case.

 

[rkmeyer]

Dito that, texcl just call me chicken. Ooooh that's to close for me! :surrender:
Dusty :wink:

 

[hawk]

Nah, like I said in the caption, this one was just chasing fish and he stopped about 10 feet away with his prize.

Now, the sow that charged me a couple of years ago, she's the one that showed me the secret formula for Crapodex. Come to think of it, the next time I went into that same area I left the 58 at home and packed my 75 caliber! :rotf:

I think that the .75 would stay on the rack(still need to carry tp) and maybe a .50 BMG would give more comfort ...and less TP.LOL

no .58's here .54 and 62 ...my luck a .58 deal will show up and i'll fill the gap .LOL

 

[BrownBear]

...my luck a .58 deal will show up and i'll fill the gap....

Sad to say, there's no such thing as "filling the gap" once you get your first 58. After buying the first, you just won't be able to turn down the second... and the third... Heck, I'm up to four now, and I doubt I could walk away from a good deal on number five. :grin:

 

[roundball]

Sad to say, there's no such thing as "filling the gap" once you get your first 58. After buying the first, you just won't be able to turn down the second... and the third... Heck, I'm up to four now, and I doubt I could walk away from a good deal on number five. :grin:

:hmm: :hmm:
Is that one of those....complusive disorders ? I have no such affliction ( :shake: )

As I approach retirement and the few remaining years of hunting, what am I doing ?????
Selling off a lifetime accumulation of centerfire rifles and shotguns and a few T/C Hawkens that I no longer used to finance a few full stock long guns that "I needed" !
.50cal Dickert / .58cal Virginia / .62cal Virginia smoothbore
And a two barrel .45/.54cal smoothbore Virginia being built.

My plan was to hold on to a few remaining T/C Hawkens (below) until the Virginias were done and in hand, but the bad news is I'm still struggling with the idea letting them go...hanging on tight to .45/.50cal x 1:66" rifles, two .54cal GM smoothbores, and a .62cal GM smoothbore...I rationalize that the 32" barrels will make the smoothbores a little better suited for some occasional skeet targets or calling in a crow, etc. And maybe a floor lamp for one, and one over the fireplace...

( so WHO has the disorder ??????? :hmm: :hmm: )