Hunting with a Patriot

[410-er]

Not sure if I post this under muzzy pistols or hunting.I don't own a patriot,right now, :hmmyet)but was wondering if anyone ever hunted small or big game with one?

 

[El Lobo]

Well, I see nobody else has replied to your question so I will toss in my two cents' worth. I have a .45 caliber Patriot and it is a fine shooting target pistol. I personally would not hunt with it. If I did, I would not hunt anything with it bigger than a rabbit or other small game not requiring more than say 25-30 grains of Fffg. The reason is that I fear heavier charges might damage the stock and, since the Patriot is no longer in production, replacement might be problematic and or expensive. I have heard too many stories of Patriot stocks being damaged under heavy loads. Matter of fact, my own Patriot has a repaired crack in the stock just behind the lock mortise, the repair rather nicely done by a previous owner.

I use a scant 20 grains of Fffg in my pistol for target work and am quite satisfied with the results.

 

[410-er]

I was figuring a max of 20grs.Just want to see if anyone used them for squirrels,rabbits,etc.

 

[Ken Rummer]

I just bought a Lyman GPP from El Lobo. It is a 54 cal. It shoots good at 25 yards with 45 gr 3F. The Lyman Handbook lists a .530 ball at 943 f/s producing 439 ft-lbs. This will accompany my 54 hawken and will be for short range only, but I think it will do the job on deer.

I also have a Traditions KY in .50 which is a lot of fun to shoot but I would not take it hunting for anything heavier than 50 lbs.

If you want to hunt a bigger gun may be helpful. If you just want to shoot, almost anything will do.

 

[Skillet]

I've got a couple of Kentucky style pistols in .45 and have found them to shoot well with the TC Maxi-ball and moderate charges of powder.

Abt 25 gns of FFF (by weight) should get you around 850-900 fps.

This load will shoot through both sides of a hog in a pistol.

That Maxi has very good penetration in game, I've used the .45 in a rifle on a few deer and hogs and you'll rarely recover one.

If I were going to hunt anything bigger than a coyote with a .45 pistol, I'd use the Maxi, or something similar, and get as close as possible.

For small game, a PRB over abt 15 gns of FFF oughta do just fine.

Skillet

 

[renovato]

I haven't hunted with mine, but for small game, it has plenty of accuracy. I run 25 grains FFFG in mine and it's a tack driver. Another good choice is Traditions' Trapper pistol. It's about as accurate as the Patriot, with a better trigger. It's .50 and mine has held up to some pretty stout charges just fine. Lyman's Great Plains Pistol in .54 might be a better choice for larger game, but remember that a pistol just isn't going to generate a lot of power, regardless of charge. Keep the shots close and the game size realistic.

 

[silent sniper]

for small game the traditions crockett pistol would fit the bill very nicely. they are tack drivers. here is mine and its first kill.

my load was 20 grains FFF under a PRB

 

[torn moc]

Sniper...he didnt even see what Got Him! :rotf:

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I have a Patriot and with it,can't hit a flock of barns. I have a Palmetto target pistol (muzzleloader) and can shoot groups at 25 yds almost as good as with my rifle. I have never hunted with a muzzleloader pistol , although my wood chuck gun is a Ruger old Army. I've plugged chucks at pretty fair distances with it, although past 30 yds it is more a 50 -50 proposition. I have also killed several raccoons, skunks, cats, a fox, and a few other animals with the Ruger. Unfortunately, here in the peoples Keystone Republik, such guns aren't legal for hunting much. for large game a muzzleloader must be 50 or over and for small game, 40 and below. A cap and ball is NOT a muzzleloader (don't load from the muzzle) and is legal only for woodchucks and coyotes. Seems pretty stupid, but aint worth quitting my job and moving elsewhere over it.

 

[silent sniper]

what is the farthest you have killed something with the old army ?

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I usually shoot around 30 yds and under. I hit a groundhog at close to 40 yds once.