Best Hunting Projectile?

[Whitefeather]

What do you folks think the best performing bullet is for ML hunting? I'm looking for maximum expansion, deep penetration and maximum weight retention.

Thanks

JP

 

[longcruise]

What do you folks think the best performing bullet is for ML hunting? I'm looking for maximum expansion, deep penetration and maximum weight retention.

Thanks

JP

You don't need expansion if your caliber selection is adequate. To me, adequate for big game with bullets (conicals) is .45 or better. Use a flat nosed conical. In .45 or larger the flat nose represents an adequate meplat (instead of an expanded bullet) to create an adeuate wound channel. Penetration will not be a problem unless you do use expanding bullets.

If your rifle will shoot round balls, consider them also!

 

[Sharp Shooter]

I think it is hard to beat the 54cal roundball.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Your state may have restrictions on what you can use on Wildlife land or Federal forest land. Some states restrict antique weapons seasone to round ball. Obviously a slug has more mass and penetration but many a white-tail has been shot plum through with a RB. I've done it myself several times with RB, and .50 cal using 72 grs. 3F.

 

[Whitefeather]

I think it is hard to beat the 54cal roundball.

Wished I could stuff one down my .50 cal bore! :grin: I'm shooting a .490 roundball now, but wondered if a conical or saboted pistol bullet would perform better.

WF

 

[tg]

The .50 with a RB is plenty for deer at the range permited with primitive sights, this is THE projectile for ML hunting, modern design bullets such as the Maxi and Bal-let and a host of others available are another subject alltogether.

 

[roundball]

What do you folks think the best performing bullet is for ML hunting?

Patched round ball

 

[RC]

PROVEN WINNER....PATCHED ROUND BALL :applause: RC

 

[wtilenw]

Round ball has worked for me very well.
Idaho PRB

 

[howdydoit]

PRB only way.

 

[Headhunter]

The Patched Round Ball.

Headhunter

 

[bob1961]

my PRB coming out my barrel :v .............bob

 

[greenneck]

In past years, hunting with one of them -eh- other muzzleloaders, I have used conicals (385 gr. .50 great plains bullet), had one of them punch through the deer and not expand at all.

Later, using an 240 gr. XTP hollowpoint in a .50 sabot, I shot a buck at 30 yards using 85 grains of powder, only to have the bullet expand so fast that it bounced off the ribs, travelled around the rib cage through the shoulder muscles and stopped in the neck. I got that buck, but I sure will never use that type of bullet on game again.

Roundballs only from then on for me.

Steve

 

[Halftail]

Actually I like a Plastic Coated Hollow Pointed Green Saboted Pre-lubed......... :youcrazy:
Naw I'm just Jacking Ya.....I don't like nothing but Patched Round Balls. :thumbsup:

 

[Runner]

Best depends on many things. Are you hunting short range? Are you hunting an area where there may be a stranger right over the hill that will shoot and claim your deer if it gets that far? Are you hunting a small area where recovery is hard if the deer goes too far after the shot? IE, no access to neighboring properties.
I use a 495 roundball over 70 grains of powder most of the time. I also keep a slug gun sighted in so I have a gun if that days hunt requires a little more range. If I need to drop them, I don't shoot a different bullet. I shoot them at shorter ranges using shots designed to drop them right there.

 

[Whitefeather]

I've shot one using another type of ML (the "I" word :redface: ) with 150 grains of pyrodex and a Hornady 300 XTP bullet and it blew right through the deer and dropped it like it was struck by lightning. I can't tell you how that bullet expanded cause it probably traveled through two more states after passing through. I was thinking of trying the 240 gr XTP, but was worried about the expansion being to great also. After reading greenneck's post, it just confirms it.

How does the PRB do in the expansion department? I was told they either don't expand at all and just punch through or hit a bone and riccochet around the body.

JP

 

[bramble]

My experience is limited, but I have 50 to 75 percent expansion. When you start with a .50 that's a decent hole.

bramble

 

[Stumpkiller]

They don't expand much. Here's an image of the only one I ever recovered. Frontal shot from a .490" and it lodged in the hide on the backside of the thigh after passing full length in a six-point. Tore up the aorta, lungs, punched the diaphram, liver, etc. Never met bone. He dropped in his tracks. Maximum diameter now: 0.520"

Distance to deer: 15 yards or slightly less while I was sitting on a stump.

Probably the best projectile for a whitetail is a 165 gr 7mm at about 2,600 fps. But since we're using muzzleloaders, and it would be silly to use modern projectiles in a primative weapon, we mostly use round balls hereabouts.

Get up close and hunt instead of stand way back and shoot.

 

[tg]

"How does the PRB do in the expansion department?'

The woderfull thing about this projectile is that it does not have to expand, mushroom or have any of the properties/characteristics of modern bullets to do its job well, it just kills very well in a very simple fashion without all the design features that have been put into other projectiles,its only fault is a comparative limited range which is OK because that limit is built into a ML with primitive sights anyway, and if we go to modern sights then to modern bullets we are in another sport.

 

[pchwcf50110]

For me personally my .45, .50, and .54 are bullet rifles. Lots of wallop and deep penetration with LBT style conicals. RB's get real interesting at .58 and up. My .62 and .72 are RB all the way.