Don’t sleep on the .50 PRB, Story and pic.

[Okie Hog]

Yep, several years ago muzzleloader legend Toby Bridges went on a crusade against muzzleloader round balls. That cost him his Pedersoli sponsorship.

Muzzleloader legend Randy Wakeman went to Bridges defense.

Pedersoli Co. drops support of Toby Bridges due to his extreme views on ML - 24hourcampfire

Last year Toby Bridges saw the light and wrote an article favorable to patched round balls:

traditionalmlhunt-blog - NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER HUNTING (namlhunt.com)

 

[bud in pa]

A couple of years back i had a discussion with an "expert". The expert used styrofoam wads. he claimed that 45 cal. round balls were ineffective for hunting. Not enough foot pounds. glad I don't pay attention to experts. boy that name in the above post sounds very familiar. He threatened to contact my game department and prove to them how ineffective round balls were. As bugs bunny used to say "what a Maroon".

 

[nit wit]

Round ball are accurate and deadly. If you do your part they will do theirs.
Nit Wit

 

[nit wit]

Yep, several years ago muzzleloader legend Toby Bridges went on a crusade against muzzleloader round balls. That cost him his Pedersoli sponsorship.

Muzzleloader legend Randy Wakeman went to Bridges defense.

Pedersoli Co. drops support of Toby Bridges due to his extreme views on ML - 24hourcampfire

Last year Toby Bridges saw the light and wrote an article favorable to patched round balls:

traditionalmlhunt-blog - NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER HUNTING (namlhunt.com)

Probably his beter sponsors were bullet companies and in-lines! Truthfully there is room for both.

Nit Wit

 

[Pa-brushbuster71]

Skinner barrel mounted peep. I can’t say enough how much this changed my ability to hit.

 

[Bad Karma]

Yep, several years ago muzzleloader legend Toby Bridges went on a crusade against muzzleloader round balls. That cost him his Pedersoli sponsorship.

Muzzleloader legend Randy Wakeman went to Bridges defense.

Pedersoli Co. drops support of Toby Bridges due to his extreme views on ML - 24hourcampfire

Last year Toby Bridges saw the light and wrote an article favorable to patched round balls:

traditionalmlhunt-blog - NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER HUNTING (namlhunt.com)

That was the favorable article? What did he say in the unfavorable ones?

 

[Dave James]

I always chuckle at those whom claim RB isn't affective, I took great delight in pointing out most of the BP elephants where taken with RB. When I was younger my partner and I would take time off from the LEO job and take our 13 and 8 bored to private land and hunt hogs,it was great fun,and ended up with lots of hand and tenderloin

 

[Spikebuck]

This can't be true. Jim Shockey says round balls bounce off.

Just proves that having your own TV shows doesn't mean you know what you're talking about! Jim Shockey is about the money side and promotes what sponsors pay him to promote.

 

[Christophero]

That was a well flattened RB, as it should be. As dense as hogs are (I've butchered many) and thick as the hide is I am not surprised that it didn't exit. Yet, it did an excellent job of putting that boar down. Great job and write up. So glad you shared your experience with us.

 

[Okie Hog]

What did he say in the unfavorable ones?

Took some time to find it. This the article that got Bridges fired by Pedersoli:

"More than anything, it is the lackluster performance of patched round ball loads that make the majority of older guns unappealing to the modern muzzleloader hunter. These new shooters came into the sport to hunt the special muzzleloader seasons, not to relive history. And most want a rifle and load that's at least effective from 100 to 150 yards. And that's where the round ball falls way short. Typical .50 caliber round ball "big game" loads are only marginally effective on deer-sized game at 60 to 70 yards.

If the decline in the number of traditional muzzleloader shooters/hunters is to be reversed, muzzleloading rifle manufacturers and importers will have to begin offering a much better selection of older-style fast-twist bore bullet rifles, such as the originals that were popular during the 1840s and 1850s. These "traditional muzzleloaders" were capable of exceptional accuracy, range and knockdown power. Some would consistently produce 3-inch 10 shot groups at 40 rods (220 yards)."

Mule Deer, Elk and Western Big Game Hunting Articles and Stories -- MonsterMuleys.com

 

[PathfinderNC]

Took some time to find it. This the article that got Bridges fired by Pedersoli:

"More than anything, it is the lackluster performance of patched round ball loads that make the majority of older guns unappealing to the modern muzzleloader hunter. These new shooters came into the sport to hunt the special muzzleloader seasons, not to relive history. And most want a rifle and load that's at least effective from 100 to 150 yards. And that's where the round ball falls way short. Typical .50 caliber round ball "big game" loads are only marginally effective on deer-sized game at 60 to 70 yards.

If the decline in the number of traditional muzzleloader shooters/hunters is to be reversed, muzzleloading rifle manufacturers and importers will have to begin offering a much better selection of older-style fast-twist bore bullet rifles, such as the originals that were popular during the 1840s and 1850s. These "traditional muzzleloaders" were capable of exceptional accuracy, range and knockdown power. Some would consistently produce 3-inch 10 shot groups at 40 rods (220 yards)."

Mule Deer, Elk and Western Big Game Hunting Articles and Stories -- MonsterMuleys.com

Eeeks!
(Don't ya just love 'experts'? )

 

[Zonie]

IMO, his comment was right. At ranges from 100 to 150 yards, compared with a slug, the roundball does lose a lot of it's velocity and killing power and its trajectory drops rapidly as the velocity falls. I do not agree with his "marginally effective on deer-sized game at 60 to 70 yards" though.
As we know, out to 100 yards, a roundball is very effective on deer sized critters.

 

[deermanok]

Congrats on a good hog and to take with traditional gear and a round ball only adds icing to the cake.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

An ex is a has-been. A spurt is a drip under pressure.

 

[BillinOregon]

We kicked this bum off of here years ago. What a traitor to traditional muzzleloading.

 

[jefair1]

That was the favorable article? What did he say in the unfavorable ones?

He trashed round balls and supported inlines, which Pedersoli does not make.

 

[Bad Karma]

He trashed round balls and supported inlines, which Pedersoli does not make.

Yeah, I got that. Although his “support“ went to bullet/sabot shooters which are not necessarily inline by definition. (1 in 18 Badger barrel on a Renegade stock.)

The article listed was supposed to be his pro-roundball screed. It didn’t seem very pro-roundball to me so I wondered, “if this is Toby being pro, I wonder what con looked like.“ thanks to @Okie Hog I now know there’s not much difference between the two.

 

[LME]

IMO, his comment was right. At ranges from 100 to 150 yards, compared with a slug, the roundball does lose a lot of it's velocity and killing power and its trajectory drops rapidly as the velocity falls. I do not agree with his "marginally effective on deer-sized game at 60 to 70 yards" though.
As we know, out to 100 yards, a roundball is very effective on deer sized critters.

I shoot a 54 cal. not that it will take a deer better than a .50 cal but it has better results on marginal shots. You can take game with a .22cal. if it is put in the right spot? I use 80 grains of powder and a.535 ball in my .54 but the '50 shoots best with 60 grains pushing less weight. You don't have a lot of kinetic energy but the weight gives you momentum.I don't have the figures at hand right now but there is a huge difference in the two!

 

[Sun City]

Even if one just lives to middle age....it's amazing how many IDIOTS one can run across!!

 

[Boomerang]

Just follow the money.