Deer load ?

[Mark in WI]

I am sure this has been discussed alot I just did not find it yet. I am shooting a 50 TC Hawken, 80 gr 3f,.15 prelubed patch, .490 hornaday round balls. I was wondering what most would consider a max range for this load for whitetail deer. I was thinking 75-80yds would be about my personal limit if this load has enough power at that range. Thanks for the help.
Mark

2weeks until the ML season.

 

[jtmattison]

I think you're about right at 75-80 yards. If it were .54 I'd say 100-125 yards. Of course you have to put the ball in the boiler room.

HD

 

[Stumpkiller]

80 yards should be dooable if you have the accuracy to back it up.

I use 80 gr FFg in my .50 T/C New Englander, having toned down a tad from 85 gr FFg up to this year. Your load should be 7 to 10% hotter with the 3Fg.

Knock wood, all but one of my m/l deer shots (and all my round ball deer shots) have been between 10 and 40 yards.

 

[roundball]

I agree as well...I happen to use 90grns 3F in a .50cal T/C Hawken Flintlock...but lose a little pressure out of the vent. 100yds max with a .50cal is my thinking...whether 80 or 100yds I'd have to use a pretty solid rest in either case

 

[jethro224]

If you can put that ball thru the lungs at 80 yards take the shot. Same at 100. Your load is a good one. How good do you shoot? :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

That's the load (.018 patch rather than .015) my 50 cal GPR prefers. It's plenty out to 75 yards, my personal shooting limit, but I have little doubt it would do a good job with a good hit at 100.

I'm sighted in at 75 yards and it's only slightly high at 50. It's about 3" low at 100 and groups well, but I'm just not comfortable shooting that far with open sights any more. Younger eyes and a lot of practice would turn that into a 100 yard load, I bet.

 

[Mark in WI]

Thanks for the replies. I was about 1 1/2" high at 50 yds. The group was about 2" but the light was getting low and the sights were getting hard to see.
My only concern has been that with a dirty barrel the shots started to go 6" to the right. From my reading around here I think it has to do with the gun needing to be shot more to get the barrel broken in. I plan to just do a quick swab after the first shot and then reload.
I want to keep the shots 50yds or under but if I see something 75yds out I wanted to be sure the ball had enough energy to get the job done, assumeing I put it in the right spot.

Any other suggestions on things I might want to take or need to do as this will be the first time going after big game with a BP gun.

Thanks again
Mark

 

[Stumpkiller]

1-1/2" high at 50 yards is what I keep all my deer rifles regulated at. That way if I see a deer I just aim mid-chest and don't have to do the mental gymnastics. In the cover I hunt I get shots from 10 to 80 yards, but the window of opportunity may only be two or three seconds.

 

[roundball]

Thanks for the replies. I was about 1 1/2" high at 50 yds. The group was about 2" but the light was getting low and the sights were getting hard to see.
My only concern has been that with a dirty barrel the shots started to go 6" to the right.

IMO, a 6" shift in POI is pretty dramatic, more than I would have thought from a dirty barrel.

I don't know how fast you're shooting following shots at the range but for what it's worth, I had a new T/C .50cal RB barrel that walked 6-7 inches left as I began shooting it and it heated up...wiping between shots was no help...if I let it completely cool down it was right back in the middle again.
T/C replaced the barrel for me at no charge.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

I took my elk last week with 80gr pyrodex rs, .530 round ball in my .54 @ 140 yards. You do the math! :haha:

 

[Mark in WI]

IMO, a 6" shift in POI is pretty dramatic, more than I would have thought from a dirty barrel.

I don't know how fast you're shooting following shots at the range but for what it's worth, I had a new T/C .50cal RB barrel that walked 6-7 inches left as I began shooting it and it heated up...wiping between shots was no help...if I let it completely cool down it was right back in the middle again.
T/C replaced the barrel for me at no charge.[/quote]
The barrel getting hot could have been part of the prob. I took more time and cleaned between each shot the gun was shooting where I was aiming. The gun is about 20 years old but it doesn't have 100 rounds through it yet. I think I will see what happens when I can get the barrel broken in and see if it continues.

Just curious why they replaced the barrel? I always thought that the POI would change as a barrel warmed up. Does your new barrel have any change of POI as you shoot it?
Mark

 

[PreglerD]

Hello from Germany,

I use in my .50 Deerhunter 90 grs of WANO PP, .490 RB and a .010'' lubed patch plus a bore button over powder. With this load I'm able to get clean kills at roedeer up to 80 meters. I think it will work for the heavier whitetails, too!

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[roundball]

Just curious why they replaced the barrel? I always thought that the POI would change as a barrel warmed up.

Oh good gracious no...you can't have POI shifting all over the place

Does your new barrel have any change of POI as you shoot it?
Mark

None...its one of the most if not the most accurate, rock solid barrels that I own...came to me with the sights centered and I've never had to touch the windage...first thing I did was go to the range and run 50 shots through it as fast as I could load and shoot, got the barrel so hot I had to hold it with a rag in my left hand as I reloaded...solid as a rock...and I use it for a good half of my weekend range trips year round (except during hunting seasons)...

 

[Herb]

Here is my friend Carl with his .50 flintlock I built for him. He shot the same load you do, 80 grains of Goex 3F and a .015 patch with .490 roundball. He killed this mule deer buck, which is probably heavier than most whitetails, at a measured 160 yards. I read all the sign and that is accurate. The buck was walking away uphill and Carl kneeled down and held on the base of his skull. The ball dropped about 12" (he was zeroed at 100 yards) and struck the animal 2" right of the anus. The ball penetrated 18 to 24" of body, not striking any bone, and came to rest against the hide, still nearly perfectly round. The buck walked about 75 feet and laid down and bled out.

So yes, your load has enough power for your 75 to 80 yard shots. The limitation would be your ability to hit the rib area for a heart-lung shot, and not a shoulder or the neck.

 

[brubincam]

-----OR A BUTT SHOT-- :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: ---BUTT BUTT BUTT BUTT BUTT---say butt as fast as you can--sounds like a train-----

 

[Little Wattsy]

I think you're about right at 75-80 yards. If it were .54 I'd say 100-125 yards. Of course you have to put the ball in the boiler room.

HD

Ditto.

 

[uncrichie]

I was told thats called a Texas Heart Shot.

 

[silverfox]

Hay Texas Heart Shots put meat on the table and thats what counts. Saw one of those shots a little lower changed a buck to a doe and she only made it about 50yds before folding up. They are all good shots if they kill quiclly.
Fox :thumbsup: