Balls and Whitetails

[OLDBRO]

I am new here but not new to muzzle loading.Been away from the activity for several decades.Pulled out my CVA 50 and TC 54 and dusted them off the other evening.I shot black powder in the 70's and 80's and now want to hunt Whitetails in and around my area in northern Illinois. I almost exclusivly shot rnd balls /BP back then but with
sudbstitutes(ie)Pyrodex and Triple 7 and Sabots the the game has changed some. I don't think the CVA is rifled for sabots but the TC Hawkins was rifled for Maxi balls. So, will patched balls and a subsitute do the job for me today or should I switch to a modern projectile? Thanks

 

[paulvallandigham]

Welcome back. And Welcome to the forum. You need to do some exploring, and reading of the topics here to do some catching up.

The PRB and Black Powder will continue to kill deer just fine. You may have trouble finding Black Powder. Most of us are now ordering the powder shipped to our doors from one of several distributors. Graf& Sons, in Mexico, Missouri, is problably the closest one to you. Then there is Powder, Inc., in Arkansas, and Jerry's Powder keg, in Louisianna. Go to the "Links" section at the top of the index page to this forum to find a list of powder sources. Click on the names and you will get contact info, including 800 numbers to call. Delivery is very good- a couple of days at most for UPS to show up at your door. You may also want to buy percussion caps, but they are expensive, and you probably need to buy a thousand of them to justify the shipping charges. Even then its expensive.

You don't say where in Northern Illinois you are located. If you don't belong to a BP shooting club, it would be worth your effort in finding one, and joining. That way, you can pool orders for powder and caps with other shooters to reduce the cost even more. And, if there is a local retailer that carries caps, the members of the club will know who it is.

I see NO advantage to using the substitute powders, much less the sabots. They are designed for In-L*%* guns, with fast twist barrels, not the guns you have. The Flash point on the substitute powder, except Pyrodex, is much higher than that of Black Powder, requiring Magnum percussion caps, when you have been, and can continue to use standard #11 caps.

If you still have old patches, or patching material, you may want to buy some new stuff. The old stuff tends to rot or deteriorate over time, and there is no point in putting up with the frustration of having torn patches blow your groups all over the place. Its just ruins a range session, while you search out a fabric store, and buy some new fabric. Most people are shooting a .530" diameter ball with a .018-.020" thick patch in their .54s, using 80 grains of FFFg for a hunting load. If your shots are going to be closer than 75 yds, you can back that powder charge off a bit- say to 75, or even 70 grains, and the ball will still completely penetrate a deer on a broadside hit to the chest. Pick a load that provides you the best accuracy, and then place the ball where it needs to go to give you a clean, quick kill. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

I am new here but not new to muzzle loading.Been away from the activity for several decades.Pulled out my CVA 50 and TC 54 and dusted them off the other evening.I shot black powder in the 70's and 80's and now want to hunt Whitetails in and around my area in northern Illinois. I almost exclusivly shot rnd balls /BP back then but with
sudbstitutes(ie)Pyrodex and Triple 7 and Sabots the the game has changed some. I don't think the CVA is rifled for sabots but the TC Hawkins was rifled for Maxi balls. So, will patched balls and a subsitute do the job for me today or should I switch to a modern projectile? Thanks

Just as one reference, I've shot T/C Hawkens for 18 years...roundball exclusively for the past many years and they've always been excellent on deer at typical woods distances, with a .54cal PRB making a complete passthrough a bucks heart/lung area as far as 70 steps one time... .54cal load was:

90grns Goex 3F
Oxyoke prelubed overpowder wad
.018" T/C precut/prelubed pillow ticking
Hornady .530" ball

I'd really encourage you to mail order a few cans of Goex 3F if you can't get it locally and never worry about ignition, etc. But if you absolutely don't have time, substitute 90grns Goex 3F with 100-110grns Pyrodex RS which worked fine for me back when I used caplocks. (can't say about 777, wasn't available back then)

 

[OLDBRO]

Thank you for the info. I'm in Mchenry County about 50 miles NW of the Loop. A stones throw outside the Gulag that is Cook County. I have 16 acres and our area is over run with Whitetails. Twins and triplet born to more than a few doe's this year.I will stick with the balls, my shots are all under 50 yards.

 

[rabjr]

I am new here but not new to muzzle loading.Been away from the activity for several decades.Pulled out my CVA 50 and TC 54 and dusted them off the other evening.I shot black powder in the 70's and 80's and now want to hunt Whitetails in and around my area in northern Illinois. I almost exclusivly shot rnd balls /BP back then but with
sudbstitutes(ie)Pyrodex and Triple 7 and Sabots the the game has changed some. I don't think the CVA is rifled for sabots but the TC Hawkins was rifled for Maxi balls. So, will patched balls and a subsitute do the job for me today or should I switch to a modern projectile? Thanks

Just as one reference, I've shot T/C Hawkens for 18 years...roundball exclusively for the past many years and they've always been excellent on deer at typical woods distances, with a .54cal PRB making a complete passthrough a bucks heart/lung area as far as 70 steps one time... .54cal load was:

90grns Goex 3F
Oxyoke prelubed overpowder wad
.018" T/C precut/prelubed pillow ticking
Hornady .530" ball

I'd really encourage you to mail order a few cans of Goex 3F if you can't get it locally and never worry about ignition, etc. But if you absolutely don't have time, substitute 90grns Goex 3F with 100-110grns Pyrodex RS which worked fine for me back when I used caplocks. (can't say about 777, wasn't available back then)

What roundball said.

Theres no substitute for black powder period.

 

[tg]

" So, will patched balls and a subsitute do the job for me today or should I switch to a modern projectile? "

The patched roundball will do as well now as it did in your earlier days and you will really be ML hunting, some use the synthetic powders with good results, stick with the ball and help keep the tradition alive, and it is good to see you back in the game, good luck to you this season and many more to come.

 

[OLDBRO]

I thought the ball was the way to go.Need to pull my lead furnace out of mothballs and find my mold.
Any preference? GOEX/SWISS/other.Favorite on line dealers?

Thanks guys, I feel like I'm home at last:hatsoff:

 

[bdhutier]

I'm... about 50 miles NW of the Loop. I have 16 acres and our area is over run with Whitetails. Twins and triplet born to more than a few doe's this year.

Welcome back to BP!! I'm jealous of your acreage and W-tail abundance. :bow: Best of luck on your harvest this year!!

 

[doulos]

Ive had good service ordering from Powder Inc.
So far I seem to use Goex the most but I am definitely ordering more KIK.

 

[wtilenw]

I get mine from Powder Inc. and I shoot KIK 2F. I really love it!

 

[jethro224]

Welcome back. :hatsoff:

I have used www.grafs.com with good service. They will ship small quantities and they pay the shipping. You still pay the Haz-Mat fee.

All I use is Goex. I have a can of Swiss but still have not tried it. In my personal experience, the real stuff works much better than the subs. Also, a patched roundball WILL take down a big Illinois whitetail at 100 yards with a well-placed shot thru the ribs, no matter what the magazine articles/ads try to tell you.

70 grains 2F Goex/ .490 PRB/ 100 yards. 2 Ribs/ Both lungs/ took 4 steps.

75 grains 2F Goex/ .490 PRB/ @60 yards. Nicked spine and only got one lung/ almost lost this one, went over 400 yards. All about shot placement...

 

[rabjr]

I have used www.grafs.com with good service too.

Ya know Jethro I'll never get tired of seeing that top pick. :thumbsup:

Also kudos for not giving up on the other one, when most unfortunately would have. :hatsoff:

 

[OLDBRO]

A hunting bud took 5 white tails and 2 coyotes last year with a bow, all around 30 yards.There is little herd pressure,enough corn and soybean fields and DELICIOUS home landscaping to keep the numbers high.When we moved here in the early 70's
there was 1 deer that we would see occasionally.
Now when we come home at dusk we can see upwards of 30 to 40 feeding along our driveway and in the fields. They have adapted well to the low density housing in our area.I could literally sit in my kitchen doorway and take them as they move from the woods to the open fields to feed if my best gal wouldn't mind. She does so I don't.

Thanks for all the info.

 

[gmww]

Great photos and descriptions. I'm glad you described the shot placements and how the deer reacted. My daughter had some tough luck this year probably due to poor placement. Patch .490 RB at 25 yards with 65 grns of Pyrodex in the shoulder. Deer went down and then got up and ran leaving very little blood trail. We lost it in the thick underbrush when the tracking ended.

A few inches back and into the ribs would probably have a different result.