Bloodied my Bedford .40 cal flintlock.

[No Deer]

Fantastic, I was not being critical at all. Kudos to you

I did not take your comment as critical at all, I took it as a compliment, and was agreeing with your statement.

 

[Tradbow]

Beautiful rifle and a very delicious looking pile of meat!!

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Always been a double rifle shotgun man I was thinking outside the box as I have a .600” cape rifle and a .36” doubles both percussion. ( Plus flintlocks ) The power of my 450-400 400 g at 2125ft sec the steel jacket expanding to 7/8” I don’t expect this sort of power from BP even if one can hit the target at 1900 ft sec i have also a carbine where in the distant past a .410 or 10.4mm barrel of 1885 has been fitted , nice little rifle so I guess .400 is my favourite round.

having set the scene l, thinking over hot coffee , outside the box ,I thought what about a .40 or .45 hollow point lead ball that would expand in theory it’s possible , making it hollow point is easy as shown. Might need a location tip to ramrod. Sadly I cannot try it in uk such are our draconian gun laws but just maybe somebody across the pond might try it
It a cold miserable day in uk I look forward to seeing the occasional squirrel some quite tasty. Ha ha lovely forum I wish you well

 

[James Stella]

Nice. Good job.

 

[Mtman725]

Congrats a nice freezer deer for sure.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

There’s a bit of stuff on google about a hollow point round ball but it’s just conversation and theory , nobody has tried it , agree it’s ramrod must centre the hollow of it will wobble in flight but if it makes a .40 ball into 5/8”on impact it’s worth thinking about. Do wish I could try it in uk. Sometimes daft things work sometimes they don’t. Either way great good fun. Like trying to make fast BP. If only !!!!!!!

 

[Crockford]

Nice Doe, I can already smell the backstraps cooking!

 

[Christophero]

" There’s a bit of stuff on google about a hollow point round ball but it’s just conversation and theory , nobody has tried it , agree it’s ramrod must centre the hollow of it will wobble in flight but if it makes a .40 ball into 5/8”on impact it’s worth thinking about. Do wish I could try it in uk. Sometimes daft things work sometimes they don’t. Either way great good fun. Like trying to make fast BP. If only !!!!!!!"

Thompson Center Arms began selling ramrod attachments decades ago that when the ball or conical was rammed home cut and X and a few other designs on the soft lead bullet in an attempt to help the projectile expand better. That was self centering in the bore. On a PRB I doubt it is necessary or beneficial, as it could hinder penetration if it flattens out too much. I used to drill a hollow point with the drill press into the MaxiHunter bullets I cast. Not deep, but enough to promote a bit more of a mushroom in the 50 caliber. They were centered well and did not effect accuracy any. Still, with a well placed shot it really wasn't necessary. I was just being anal about getting more out of the shot on game. Always tinkering was more like it.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

" There’s a bit of stuff on google about a hollow point round ball but it’s just conversation and theory , nobody has tried it , agree it’s ramrod must centre the hollow of it will wobble in flight but if it makes a .40 ball into 5/8”on impact it’s worth thinking about. Do wish I could try it in uk. Sometimes daft things work sometimes they don’t. Either way great good fun. Like trying to make fast BP. If only !!!!!!!"

Thompson Center Arms began selling ramrod attachments decades ago that when the ball or conical was rammed home cut and X and a few other designs on the soft lead bullet in an attempt to help the projectile expand better. That was self centering in the bore. On a PRB I doubt it is necessary or beneficial, as it could hinder penetration if it flattens out too much. I used to drill a hollow point with the drill press into the MaxiHunter bullets I cast. Not deep, but enough to promote a bit more of a mushroom in the 50 caliber. They were centered well and did not effect accuracy any. Still, with a well placed shot it really wasn't necessary. I was just being anal about getting more out of the shot on game. Always tinkering was more like it.

Of course you yanks already solved the problem of smoothbores, magic. I wish you well.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

" There’s a bit of stuff on google about a hollow point round ball but it’s just conversation and theory , nobody has tried it , agree it’s ramrod must centre the hollow of it will wobble in flight but if it makes a .40 ball into 5/8”on impact it’s worth thinking about. Do wish I could try it in uk. Sometimes daft things work sometimes they don’t. Either way great good fun. Like trying to make fast BP. If only !!!!!!!"

Thompson Center Arms began selling ramrod attachments decades ago that when the ball or conical was rammed home cut and X and a few other designs on the soft lead bullet in an attempt to help the projectile expand better. That was self centering in the bore. On a PRB I doubt it is necessary or beneficial, as it could hinder penetration if it flattens out too much. I used to drill a hollow point with the drill press into the MaxiHunter bullets I cast. Not deep, but enough to promote a bit more of a mushroom in the 50 caliber. They were centered well and did not effect accuracy any. Still, with a well placed shot it really wasn't necessary. I was just being anal about getting more out of the shot on game. Always tinkering was more like it.

Tinkering is great fun I live for it thinking outside the box. Remember a great man said imagination is more important than education

 

[TScottW99]

Congratulations on the fresh venison!

 

[Tom Breig]

Nice job Congrats...was going to buy a 40 cal, but was not sure how it would do on deer...Now I know...

 

[hanshi]

Congratulations on a fine deer. That rifle of yours is like something I'd want on my wish list. Gorgeous!

 

[nchawkeye]

There is absolutely no need to make a round ball a hollow point...A soft, lead ball flattens easily when it hits it's target....

Congrats on the doe!!!

 

[Gordoncourtney]

There is absolutely no need to make a round ball a hollow point...A soft, lead ball flattens easily when it hits it's target....

Congrats on the doe!!!

Yes agree you know far more than me on muzzle loaders but you need hard lead for penetration. And .4 balls, which we were discussing , are tiny things so you need the hardness for penetration then the hollow for expansion. It’s just thinking outside the box and that’s makes progress. Interestingly I read conversations but nobody has actually tried it. It’s a cold hard frost here in UK white everywhere I wish you well

 

[No Deer]

Yes agree you know far more than me on muzzle loaders but you need hard lead for penetration. And .4 balls, which we were discussing , are tiny things so you need the hardness for penetration then the hollow for expansion. It’s just thinking outside the box and that’s makes progress. Interestingly I read conversations but nobody has actually tried it. It’s a cold hard frost here in UK white everywhere I wish you well

Holy Cow!! Nobody told them 200 years ago that they needed hollow points!!! How did they EVER kill deer then?

To me the point of using a flintlock muzzle loader is to try to get as close to the past as I can. If I wanted/needed to use modern type equipment, I would use modern equipment.

And by the way, this deer did not realize that it had been killed by a 0.40 cal soft lead round ball, WITHOUT a hollow point.

 

[No Deer]

Nice job Congrats...was going to buy a 40 cal, but was not sure how it would do on deer...Now I know...

Thank you. I don't think you would be disappointed with a .40 cal. You just have to be more patient and let the deer get in close.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Holy Cow!! Nobody told them 200 years ago that they needed hollow points!!! How did they EVER kill deer then?

To me the point of using a flintlock muzzle loader is to try to get as close to the past as I can. If I wanted/needed to use modern type equipment, I would use modern equipment.

And by the way, this deer did not realize that it had been killed by a 0.40 cal soft lead round ball, WITHOUT a hollow point.

Haha lovely try. I cannot disagree happy Xmas It’s whatever makes you happy that counts .

 

[nchawkeye]

Yes agree you know far more than me on muzzle loaders but you need hard lead for penetration. And .4 balls, which we were discussing , are tiny things so you need the hardness for penetration then the hollow for expansion. It’s just thinking outside the box and that’s makes progress. Interestingly I read conversations but nobody has actually tried it. It’s a cold hard frost here in UK white everywhere I wish you well

I've killed Virginia whitetails with .390, .440 and .530 balls, nope, soft lead round balls, driven at the moderate velocities of a flintlock give plenty of penetration to go deep into the lungs of our smaller, eastern whitetails...With lung shots, they usually sprint off, 40-80 yards and fall over, funny, they do about the same with a well placed broad head or a jacked bullet out of a centerfire rifle....

 

[Gordoncourtney]

For me this has been an important and interesting conversation thank you all very much If an 96g. .40 ball can kill a deer. One day I will have no problem hunting with my .36, 1886. Double percussion rifle. It’s been a bit of a worry no being able to shoot it in uk, I’ll never get a police certificate in UK at 78 to shoot it , but I can dream. I recall it’s around 1/38” twist so it’s more for bullets than tiny ball. Made up a number of bullets and moulds to test up to 280g. But it seems the little .35 140g Sierra pistol bullets will be more than ideal , I add grease grooves and other fun bits to the various bullets on my little lathe. So for me this has been an utterly brilliant string. Thanks so much. Happy Xmas