How far could you hunt?

[rodwha]

Sneak in close. Make believe that no matter what weapon you're using you won't shoot until you're in longbow range.

That's hunting.

That’s not always possible. Many places here have set blinds to use. Stalking puts you in other people’s shooting lanes which is both unsafe and possibly wrecking it for the guy next to you. You are not permitted to stalk. Might not be hunting to you, but it’s just the way it’s done in some places.

 

[user 36911]

That’s not always possible. Many places here have set blinds to use. Stalking puts you in other people’s shooting lanes which is both unsafe and possibly wrecking it for the guy next to you. You are not permitted to stalk. Might not be hunting to you, but it’s just the way it’s done in some places.

I understand that. I moved to where I could hunt my way. I know that isn't an option for everybody. I wasn't pushing my way on anybody else. I'm just expressing what I expect from myself.

 

[rodwha]

I understand that. I moved to where I could hunt my way. I know that isn't an option for everybody. I wasn't pushing my way on anybody else. I'm just expressing what I expect from myself.

Much more exhilarating to hunt as you mentioned. I guess that’s a reason I’ve always loved small game hunting.

 

[FiremanBrad]

I believe that Whitworth, properly loaded, is capable of the job. History proves that. Most people these days, myself included, aren’t up to the task. my bro in law owns one, unfired. I’d like to get it dirty!

 

[Idaho Ron]

Reading consensus most see MLs as sort range. About fifty yards for a smoothie, two or three times that for rifle gun when hunting.

Do any of you all think you could ‘hunt at two or twohundred in fifty yards with this, maybe more?thats a lot of lead, and accurate enough to hit a deer chest... if you could draw a beed on it.

I have been hunting with ML for over 40 years. I started with rabbits and moved up. Over the years Idaho has changed their regulations many times. The Fish and Game department started pushing for the "western" regulations, exposed #11 cap, full lead conicals, loose powder. The hunts I was the most after were wide open hunts that had great trophy opportunity for mule deer.
I knew about the Whitworth rifle. I wanted something along those lines. I decided back in about 2004 that I wanted to start participating in those hunts with a long range gun.
My first was a Renegade with a Green Mountain barrel. I added a Lyman 57 SML peep and a 17 AML globe sight. I was a successful target archery competitor and knew the value of range finding and setting the sight for the shot. I added Lee Shavers inserts and This rifle was the product.

I started shooting and fine tuning the rifle. The bullet I was using was the Hornady 410 gr great plains bullet. I was able to shoot sub 2" groups with it and at times it shot sub 1" groups.

I drew for a trophy tag in 2006.

That buck was shot at 125 yards. While I was lucky to get such a buck I was questioning the Hornady bullets.
The next year I was able to shoot another buck that was awesome. But now I was really questioning the Hornady 410 gr bullet.

The bullets were in my opinion over expanding. This was reducing penetration.

Hornady made the decision to eliminate the 410 from their production and that made me really start wanting something better. I bought many different moulds with poor outcome. The bullets I was making were just not shooting accurate enough for me to consider long range hunting with.
Again I went back to the 1800's for answers. My answer would be to go to a paper patched bullet.

In 2008 I decided to try a paper patched Lee 500 S&W bullet. The bullet had a wide Meplat for instant shock on game. The bullet was a 440 grain but with pure lead it weighed 460 grains. I used 25% cotton 9# onion skin. I sized it to .501 and started testing.
My first few tests were pretty good. It showed a lot of potential.
I ended up hardening the lead to about 6 to 7 BHN. It was slightly harder than pure. The bullets were shooting sub 2" with Pyrodex P powder and an over sized over powder wad that measured .620" in diameter.
I picked up a few more barrels and a few more stocks. I had a couple 50's and a several 45's.
In 2009 I drew the deer tag again.

That was the first animal shot with a paper patched Lee 500 S&W bullet. The shot was under 150 yards and the bullet smoked right though him.
Over the years shooting the paper patched lee 500 S&W bullet and the RCBS 11mm rifle bullet I have taken a lot of animals. My son has taken a lot of game with them too.

I train for shots out to 300 yards, so does my son. Even though I can make shots out to 300 yards and keep them well inside a 10" target I keep my first shot at or under 150 yards. I train by shooting my first shot under 150 and then my follow up shot can vary from 150 to 300 yards. If I had an animal shot that needed another hit I'm confident that I can do that. My last antelope was a 89 yard shot. My first shot was him drinking. At the shot he went down and got back up. My sight was set for 100 and I ranged it at 89. I didn't think I needed to adjust it. I should have. I quickly reloaded and set the sight for 150. My gun was on my sticks and I had my range finder. When he got to 150 I used my cow elk call and stopped him. The following shot was spot on and the buck dropped.
Since 2014 the hunts have changed and I don't go after that deer tag any more. Now days I am mountain hunting. Over the last 5 years most of my shots are under 100 yards. some under 50 yards. I still train out to 300 every year. And I feel confident going into the hunting season knowing I can make the shot, but I try to get closer.

 

[Bojangles]

Sneak in close. Make believe that no matter what weapon you're using you won't shoot until you're in longbow range.

That's hunting.

while that is exhilarating, I wouldn’t knock the long range crowd. Many of those guys are highly disciplined, dedicated, and skilled hunters.

I’m not much of a long ranger either, mostly archery and now giving muzzle loading a whirl.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Thanks Ron for sharing the pictures and information. I won't be following in your footsteps with paper patch bullets, but what a great starting point for those who want to do long range shooting.

 

[tenngun]

while that is exhilarating, I wouldn’t knock the long range crowd. Many of those guys are highly disciplined, dedicated, and skilled hunters.

I’m not much of a long ranger either, mostly archery and now giving muzzle loading a whirl.

I hunt close, and shoot ball that limits me regardless of what I might want for range.
I kinda bragged about it and felt a little superior to guys that bragged about three hundred yard shots.
Then I read an article about a man who shot a ‘big .50’ at half mile ranges.
I thought ‘what’s the point?”
Then as I read the guy addressed what I was thinking. He said words to the effect of “ there are boys out there with muzzel loaders archery and dad’s old 30-30 and don’t shoot more then a hundred yards. They laugh at me shooting half a mile and say that is not ‘hunting’. But if you surprise a deer from twenty five yards in a tree stand or a blind is it any different then surprising him from half a mile. Was learning my skill any different then yours?”
I think an ml is a short range gun, but if some one told me they shot a Whiteworth long range I might be impressed.
It’s not for me, but I can be proud for them.

 

[fleener]

Tenngun and Bojangles, very well stated.

We each have our own journey and it is our journey, not anyone else. I only hunt rabbits and squirrels with a rifle. That is my choice. I dont look down on those that use shot. I do like getting up close and personal with a deer, but I also have shot them from 300 yards with a ML. I like the challenge of the hunt and each hunt is different.

Fleener

 

[Loyalist Dave]

You could do it with a paper patched Whitworth.

To answer Tenngun's question, YES the Pedersoli is a hexagonal bore, and the bullets must be paper patched to work.

Once the rifle is well made, for the shooter the tasks are the practice, and the ranging. Most folks missed on the fact that Tom Selleck's character Matthew Quigley had an accurate rifle with a peep sight that he knew how to use, and he was an excellent judge of range with the naked eye. Take out that last skill..., and the first two won't matter. Forgive this video please, as he is using a breech loading firearm, even though it's black powder.



Today, however, we even when using traditional sidelocks and even traditional peep sights, are not limited to that skill, and could use a LASER range finder to be certain that our sights are well set...at least for the distance. One still needs to be able to judge the wind effects.

There is a guy who does some amazing things with distance and wind, but he shoots rabbits in the UK with a modern rifle, and thus I cannot post his videos here....

LD