Chrono results from .50 Traditions Deer Hunter

[PastorB]

Took my old .50 Tradition Deer Hunter to the range the other day, and fired it over the chrono just for grins. This gun has killed a lot of deer as I loan it out (under my direct supervision) for Youth Season here in my home state. I also have killed 9 bucks with 9 shots with it, the longest being 125 yards, with a 245 gr. 50 Ball-et, and a load of 60 gr. of Pyro P. As you will see, not much Ft/lbs. of energy according to the experts, but it lays the deer down just fine. I have never used more than 60 grains of powder (volume), as the gun is very light and has a short barrel. Here are the results, didn't measure groups as I was only shooting at 25 yards and just using target as an aiming point over the chrono. All PRB loads used .490 Hornady balls, and .020 linen. I also shot the 245 gr. Buffalo Ball-et, of which I have quite a supply of

over the same 60 grain charges.

60 gr. 3fff Swiss PRB. 1523 fps

60 gr. 3fff Swiss Ball-et 1481 fps

60 gr. Pyro P. PRB. 1535 fps

60 gr. Pyro P Ball-et. 1492 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 PRB 1694 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 Ball-et 1641 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex PRB 1390 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex Ball-et 1310 fps

CCI #11 caps used for all shots. Before folks get too Whoopie about the fps generated by the Triple 7, I will warn that I had several hang fires (one nearly 2 seconds!) using it. The hang fires only occurred after 3 shots in each string, so it may still be valid for hunting, but needs more testing. No other powders even had the slightest delay. Hornady PA Hunters are pretty much the equivalent of the old Buffalo Ball-et.

 

[Howie1968]

that is great information, thank you for sharing

 

[kyron4]

I like my Deerhunter, very accurate and extremely handy in the thickly wooded areas I hunt. I run 70 gr. of FFG with .490 ball and .018" pillow ticking lubed with mink oil . With my old eyes I can get 2" groups at 50 yards with the irons sights. I'll be working up a load using Hornady great plains bullets , just to see how well the shoot.

 

[PastorB]

I like my Deerhunter, very accurate and extremely handy in the thickly wooded areas I hunt. I run 70 gr. of FFG with .490 ball and .018" pillow ticking lubed with mink oil . With my old eyes I can get 2" groups at 50 yards with the irons sights. I'll be working up a load using Hornady great plains bullets , just to see how well the shoot.

Shot some 385 grain Great Plains bullets thru my Deer Hunter many years ago, didn't like the recoil at all. My first shot over 60 grains of powder went 1185 fps, the second shot had a hang-fire, and I drilled the chrono plumb center in the display. It was impressive, a clean kill, with shards of plastic and metal raining down from high in the sky. Some of it may still be orbiting the earth. Learned a lesson that day, always shoot from a bench when firing over the chrono.

 

[Bad Karma]

Even the slowest ball-et, pushes a 240 grain bullet over 1300 fps. Virtually identical to many fine. .44 magnum loads.

WRT the T7, if I were using it in a sidelock I believe I’d use a hotshot nipple with its larger diameter orifice. It does take more heat to ignite and obviously it’s also fouling the breech as you fire successive shots.

 

[hanshi]

Great info, thanks for posting it.

 

[TDM]

Very good data to compare and helpful. Thanks.

 

[deermanok]

Thanks for sharing.
I have a CVA Mountain Stalker rifle, 26 inch 1/48 twist barrel.
My best target load is with the Hornady PA conicals, which are about the same as the old Buffalo Ball-ettes.
I usually load 60 grains of 3f.
I haven't hunted with that particular gun yet but I would beef up the charge to about 80 grains.

 

[Harmonica Bob]

Took my old .50 Tradition Deer Hunter to the range the other day, and fired it over the chrono just for grins. This gun has killed a lot of deer as I loan it out (under my direct supervision) for Youth Season here in my home state. I also have killed 9 bucks with 9 shots with it, the longest being 125 yards, with a 245 gr. 50 Ball-et, and a load of 60 gr. of Pyro P. As you will see, not much Ft/lbs. of energy according to the experts, but it lays the deer down just fine. I have never used more than 60 grains of powder (volume), as the gun is very light and has a short barrel. Here are the results, didn't measure groups as I was only shooting at 25 yards and just using target as an aiming point over the chrono. All PRB loads used .490 Hornady balls, and .020 linen. I also shot the 245 gr. Buffalo Ball-et, of which I have quite a supply of View attachment 170739over the same 60 grain charges.

60 gr. 3fff Swiss PRB. 1523 fps

60 gr. 3fff Swiss Ball-et 1481 fps

60 gr. Pyro P. PRB. 1535 fps

60 gr. Pyro P Ball-et. 1492 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 PRB 1694 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 Ball-et 1641 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex PRB 1390 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex Ball-et 1310 fps

CCI #11 caps used for all shots. Before folks get too Whoopie about the fps generated by the Triple 7, I will warn that I had several hang fires (one nearly 2 seconds!) using it. The hang fires only occurred after 3 shots in each string, so it may still be valid for hunting, but needs more testing. No other powders even had the slightest delay. Hornady PA Hunters are pretty much the equivalent of the old Buffalo Ball-et.

 

[Harmonica Bob]

Thanks for posting that. I found that converting from no 11 caps to musket caps helped me allot. I am not saying to do this right before a hunt! I would not change anything without allot of testing. I had no 11 caps fail to fire a frozen rifle, and musket caps solved the problem.

 

[Gtrubicon]

Could you post a picture of a ball-et? I’ve never heard of that before. Thanks.

 

[TDM]

Could you post a picture of a ball-et? I’ve never heard of that before. Thanks.

I’m sure someone will post a photo but I don’t have one handy. Think of the ball-et as a half round ball, half conical. Or, a round ball with a skirt.

 

[Harmonica Bob]

I’m sure someone will post a photo but I don’t have one handy. Think of the ball-et as a half round ball, half conical. Or, a round ball with a skirt.

As far as I know, the company is out of business, and they are not available any more. They made "Buffalo Bullets" that were a swaged, 385 gr (in the .50) lubed, thick skirt, hollow point, Minnie bullet. I killed countless deer with them. Then they came out with the "Ball-et". These are good ideas, but staying in business takes more than a good idea.

 

[longcruise]

Isn't there an identical bullet around called a "Pennsylvania something or other?

 

[TDM]

As far as I know, the company is out of business, and they are not available any more. They made "Buffalo Bullets" that were a swaged, 385 gr (in the .50) lubed, thick skirt, hollow point, Minnie bullet. I killed countless deer with them. Then they came out with the "Ball-et". These are good ideas, but staying in business takes more than a good idea.

Isn't there an identical bullet around called a "Pennsylvania something or other?

I’ve never used them, just seen photos. DGW used to carry them but not anymore.

 

[New bp shooter]

Was t

Took my old .50 Tradition Deer Hunter to the range the other day, and fired it over the chrono just for grins. This gun has killed a lot of deer as I loan it out (under my direct supervision) for Youth Season here in my home state. I also have killed 9 bucks with 9 shots with it, the longest being 125 yards, with a 245 gr. 50 Ball-et, and a load of 60 gr. of Pyro P. As you will see, not much Ft/lbs. of energy according to the experts, but it lays the deer down just fine. I have never used more than 60 grains of powder (volume), as the gun is very light and has a short barrel. Here are the results, didn't measure groups as I was only shooting at 25 yards and just using target as an aiming point over the chrono. All PRB loads used .490 Hornady balls, and .020 linen. I also shot the 245 gr. Buffalo Ball-et, of which I have quite a supply of View attachment 170739over the same 60 grain charges.

60 gr. 3fff Swiss PRB. 1523 fps

60 gr. 3fff Swiss Ball-et 1481 fps

60 gr. Pyro P. PRB. 1535 fps

60 gr. Pyro P Ball-et. 1492 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 PRB 1694 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 Ball-et 1641 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex PRB 1390 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex Ball-et 1310 fps

CCI #11 caps used for all shots. Before folks get too Whoopie about the fps generated by the Triple 7, I will warn that I had several hang fires (one nearly 2 seconds!) using it. The hang fires only occurred after 3 shots in each string, so it may still be valid for hunting, but needs more testing. No other powders even had the slightest delay. Hornady PA Hunters are pretty much the equivalent of the old Buffalo Ball-et.

Triple 7 3 f as well .... Like the others....I have the same rifle...and use t7 ... I have not had any issues with it so was just wondering

 

[longcruise]

This is what I was thinking of

https://www.hornady.com/muzzleloading/pa-conical#!/

 

[Steve Wagner]

The hornady PA conical [240 grains, I believe] is the most accurate projectile I have yet tried in my 50 Traditions Hawken, although it has shot everything really well [prb and Hornady great plains 385]. 70 grains of T-7 2f, no over powder wad, CCI#11s. No misfires in the Traditions w any load. Ever. I have not tried the PAs yet in 2 TC Hawkens. All 48 twists. The Traditions appears to have much deeper rifling than either TC rifles I have, which seem to go against what I have read here about skirted bullets, rifling depth and accuracy. Go figure. The TC rifles are more fussy about T-7. Clearing the channel [after firing and swiping] w a cap is crucial w them. I ordered some Knight Red Hot #11 nipples from RMC for the TCs just to try out. I think they both have stock TC nipples. I tried the vented Hot Shot nipples from Track. They came w the smaller [.028? vs .034 ?] flash hole and they were a complete bust w T-7in my TC rifles. I was thinking that even though the GP 385s shoot well from my Traditions rifle, a steady diet of them might be a bit rough on it as it seems a bit lighter duty than the TCs. Maybe not a concern. Just going by the tang design and size. The PA seemed like a good compromise in weight if I felt the need. Open to thoughts here. Pastor B certainly didn't lose much velocity w the ball-ets. Good and useful comp. Thanks. SW

 

[user 49399]

Took my old .50 Tradition Deer Hunter to the range the other day, and fired it over the chrono just for grins. This gun has killed a lot of deer as I loan it out (under my direct supervision) for Youth Season here in my home state. I also have killed 9 bucks with 9 shots with it, the longest being 125 yards, with a 245 gr. 50 Ball-et, and a load of 60 gr. of Pyro P. As you will see, not much Ft/lbs. of energy according to the experts, but it lays the deer down just fine. I have never used more than 60 grains of powder (volume), as the gun is very light and has a short barrel. Here are the results, didn't measure groups as I was only shooting at 25 yards and just using target as an aiming point over the chrono. All PRB loads used .490 Hornady balls, and .020 linen. I also shot the 245 gr. Buffalo Ball-et, of which I have quite a supply of View attachment 170739over the same 60 grain charges.

60 gr. 3fff Swiss PRB. 1523 fps

60 gr. 3fff Swiss Ball-et 1481 fps

60 gr. Pyro P. PRB. 1535 fps

60 gr. Pyro P Ball-et. 1492 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 PRB 1694 fps

60 gr. Triple 7 Ball-et 1641 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex PRB 1390 fps

60 gr. 3fff Goex Ball-et 1310 fps

CCI #11 caps used for all shots. Before folks get too Whoopie about the fps generated by the Triple 7, I will warn that I had several hang fires (one nearly 2 seconds!) using it. The hang fires only occurred after 3 shots in each string, so it may still be valid for hunting, but needs more testing. No other powders even had the slightest delay. Hornady PA Hunters are pretty much the equivalent of the old Buffalo Ball-et.

That rifle has character and a good track record! Nice!

Just more proof that one does not need a magnum load for deer hunting.

 

[BCWILL]

Very informative! Thanks for that