First Range Trip new .45cal Virginia

[roundball]

First range trip with the new .45cal Virginia to run 50 balls through and see how the barrel would do.
(Rice 42” B weight swamped barrel - .016” x 1:66" round bottom grooves)

I did initial sight filing in the shop where it was easier, just eyeballing to get them in the ball park, and they're almost perfect for a 50grn plinker charge at the range.
Only needs a few more strokes off the front sight to raise POI a 1/2”...but will run another 100 balls through it before I make any changes...for all practical purposes it’ll head shoot a squirrel at 25yds just like it is, its that close.

50grns Goex 3F plinker charge
Precut 1+3/8" x .022" x .58cal patches
Prelubed Natural Lube 1000
Hornady .440" ball

Small single ragged hole an eyelash bigger than a quarter at 25yds from a hunting position, 1/2" below center bull...really an excellent barrel.

 

[BrownBear]

Ah man....

And there's a 45 caliber hole in my selection of rifles. Thanks for laying the path, I think.

 

[Bob J]

Ah man....

And there's a 45 caliber hole in my selection of rifles. Thanks for laying the path, I think.

Me too, someday :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Ah man....
And there's a 45 caliber hole in my selection of rifles. Thanks for laying the path, I think.

The .45 is the first ML caliber I started with almost 20 years ago...have expanded into several other calibers & gauges and bought & sold a lot of MLs over the years, but have never been without a .45...just something about them.

 

[Vaino]

The .45 cal. is a good choice for a squirrel rifle and I've been using one since 1978 but w/ much less powder. My squirrel load is 30 grs. 3f w/ a .445 RB and an .018 patch lubed w/ Oxyoke 1000. Your thicker patch is necessary because of the round bottom rifling but the powder charge is excessive for squirrels but everyone should use what suits 'em. My deer load for this same LR is 70 grs of 3f using the same PRB and amazingly both the deer and squirrel loads are accurate but at different ranges w/o a sight change...of course this took a few trips to the range. Good luck w/ your sight-in....Fred

 

[roundball]

Today's trip was just using an arbitrary 50grn range load...the comment about it being able to head shoot a squirrel was only to make the point that the barrel and initial sight setting was good enough to do that right now without any tinkering around...not that I would use 50grns.

Yes, I use thicker patches with the round bottom grooves barrels...I used to use .018" with .010" under bore size balls in my previous GM straight groove barrels...but in the round bottom .45/.50/.58cals I have, I use .022" in all of them.
Funny how things work out but I also use .022" patches in my .54 & .62cal smoothbores as well.

 

[jamesthomas]

What is your patch material? been trying to find something in .22 or .20 myself.

 

[roundball]

That is from a batch of .58cal pillow ticking patches sold under the T/C brand name...they're labeled .018" but actually measure .022"...have a couple thousand of them.

And, Oxyoke sells foil packs of .020" that are a larger .60-.70cal patch, that actually measure .022"...their .018" pillow ticking measure .018" but their .020" labeled tight weave cotton measures .022"...go figure.

 

[wattlebuster]

Looks like a shooter to me whatever load you end up using :thumbsup:

 

[Trench]

Ah man....

And there's a 45 caliber hole in my selection of rifles. Thanks for laying the path, I think.

I'll be joining the .45 bandwagon, soon! Glad you like your new rifle? :thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

I know that's a great rifle in .45. A .45 was my first and second ML and I still have two. Anyone who hasn't tried a .45 should.

 

[roundball]

Ah man....

And there's a 45 caliber hole in my selection of rifles. Thanks for laying the path, I think.

I'll be joining the .45 bandwagon, soon! Glad you like your new rifle? :thumbsup:

Yes, its really outstanding...B-weight 42" swamped barrel in .45cal is heavy enough to hang on the target like a rock which helps accuracy, but is not so nose heavy that I need cross-sticks to use it

 

[Tony Logan]

Sounds like you have another nice gun. I do love my 45 Tennessee mountain rifle for target shooting, I have hesitated to take it deer hunting yet.
Maybe you've got experience deer hunting with the 45 prb. I have some questions as to what its maximum range would be with 70 grains of 3f and a 45 prb. i know it will work with a lung shot and some tracking up close. I just wonder at what range the energy drops off to impractial for a clean kill? What I am saying is even though my rifle could hit a deer's lung at 75 yds, I just dont know if I should take a shot that long?

 

[roundball]

Sounds like you have another nice gun. I do love my 45 Tennessee mountain rifle for target shooting, I have hesitated to take it deer hunting yet.
Maybe you've got experience deer hunting with the 45 prb. I have some questions as to what its maximum range would be with 70 grains of 3f and a 45 prb. i know it will work with a lung shot and some tracking up close. I just wonder at what range the energy drops off to impractial for a clean kill? What I am saying is even though my rifle could hit a deer's lung at 75 yds, I just dont know if I should take a shot that long?

I am not an expert and can only give you an opinion from my own personal experiences:
1) The lightest powder charge I ever used in a .45cal x 32" Flintlock barrel was 90grns Goex 3F;
2) The longest .45cal shot I ever took was a standing broadside 6 pointer at only 55-60 steps.

The ball hit a rib going in, went through the heart, and stopped bulging the hide on the far side, but he did go down in sight because at that close range there was still enough umph to get through the vitals...so personally, 60-75yds is my limit with a .45cal even with my 90grn charge.

It's not that I can't hit a heart lung area further...its the risk that a deer can start to turn just as the sear breaks and bring a really large bone into play by the time the shot is executed...then its no longer just a simple matter of a low energy ball at 75-100yds trying to plow through soft heart/lung tissue to get the job done.

I'm sure deer have been taken at longer distances with the little 128grn ball...but the longer the shot the greater the risk of hunting conditions entering the picture and having a wounded animal die a slow death somewhere.
I believe if we want more energy at longer distances, we need to use a bigger/heavier ball.....just my .02 cents.

 

[majg1234]

I killed a 90lb doe with my 40 cal S Mtn TVM this year,she was about 45yds out & broad side...60gr fffg goex hand cast WW ball from a lee mold,she was DRT (dead right there) with a medium high shoulder shot,This rifle is very accurate out to 80yds but I'll limit my shots to 55-60 but prefer much less I've killed deer with a 45 TC Hawken & PRB out to 60yds years ago when I started ML hunting,my load was 85gr of fffg

 

[hanshi]

A few years ago I used my old H&A underhammer .45 to take a deer at 75 yards. The charge was 65 grains of 3F in the 33" barrel. Penetration was through and through and the deer only ran a few yards before crashing. The shot was a double lung shot through the ribcage.

 

[caddo]

I have never killed a deer with a 45 calber so I can't speak to that. I can say that my 45 TVM will shoot the best group of any of my 3 rifles so far. I wouldnt be afraid to use it out to 60 yards on deer. MAYBE I'll get the chance this year. Sounds like Roundball has a real shooter there.

 

[Tony Logan]

I appreciate the feedback. 50-60 yds is a long way in the woods where I like to hunt. I believe I will give my 45 a chance this fall. Just trying to psych myself into it. I shot 2 deer under 20yds with my 50 caplock last year. They could have easily been taken cleanly with my 45 flinter but it was at home.

 

[roundball]

50-60 yds is a long way in the woods where I like to hunt.

Same with my hunting place...fairly thick woods, most shots are 25-50yds, normally can't really get clear shots beyond that unless looking down a loggers road or something

 

[Outdoor Success]

A few years ago I used my old H&A underhammer .45 to take a deer at 75 yards. The charge was 65 grains of 3F in the 33" barrel. Penetration was through and through and the deer only ran a few yards before crashing. The shot was a double lung shot through the ribcage.

I agree I have taken deer out to 65 yards with PRB at 70grns fffg with no issue under 30 yard recovery and shot through and through broadside. and one Running Doe at 90 yard through the neck that dropped her in her tracks (she was already wounded and one lucky shot but looked great for the scoped shotgun hunter I was with, That Kentucky rifle never looked so good :wink: )