New toy

[timothymattson]

Hi All,
Well, have my first BP revolver ready for Michigan deer season which is just around the corner. Assume I am lucky enough to harvest one, which will have to be up close and personal, I want to move on to a BP rifle to expand my hunting distances (and more target shooting fun).
Looking for a big caliber with some serious KO power, and one to maximize accuracy at longer distances. Welcome all opinions and experiences from all of you.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Which end o'the gun do want the serious KO power as yer put it?

B.

 

[stinkyfeet]

I shot both a 50 and a 54 percussion pistol and with 40 grains of 3f it would kill a squirrel and thats about it. With that load it barely makes a tink on the steel targets. You could try more powder but hope your wrist can take it as well as the gun. I use mine as only a finishing or back up round if required. The only time its ever been tested on live game was a spined doe and I gave her the old Abraham Lincoln to the back of the head and it worked well.

 

[timothymattson]

The business end ... LOL

 

[jamesthomas]

First of all I would NOT GO hunting deer with a blackpowder revolver. As to your second question I would chose a .50 cal. rifle. They are easy to find, either on an auction site, or wait till a Gun Show comes to your area. You might be able to find one then, if you do, you can inspect it yourself instead of trusting someones word on a rifle that might be junk.

 

[Dave K]

Can't go wrong with something in the 50-54cal. range. Bigger can be better, but the price of ball gets more expensive. Of course you can save money buy casting your own ball. Me? I am way too much into shooting to want to take my spare time to making ball. But there are many who really enjoy doing it. If it is cheap to shoot, you may shoot much more and that can make you a better shot. Save the hand gun for plinking. JMHO

 

[Stumpkiller]

Can't use one in NY during m/l season - one reason is they don't load from the muzzle. ;-)

"Cylinder-loader" Season?

 

[cynthialee]

how is walking around with a revolver with 6 shots the same as hunting with a rifle that only gets one?

Also...which revolver are you using?
A Walker or other larger pistol I hope....

 

[Dave K]

Stumpkiller, I never gave it a thought, but the old cap and ball revolvers do load from the front of the cylinder, or if you want to call that a muzzle, I guess you can. What ever N.Y. says on that is fine with me. I just don't know. I don't play with pistols.

 

[stinkyfeet]

For the record if he's in the southern part of Michigan its shotgun/muzzleloader or pistol for modern gun season. The regulation clearly states it must be loaded from the muzzle during smokepole season follow modern gun. I would rather sell ya a 50 caliber rifle dirt cheap then see you try to kill one with the revolver, if you really interested since your a fellow michign guy send me a PM I will give ya the Wolverine discount.

 

[rodwha]

I chose a .50 cal rifle for hunting. A PRB will do just fine on anything the size of a deer out to 100-125 yds. If I want to hunt something larger I can use a conical.

The cap n ball pistol not being adequate for hunting medium game has been dismissed by those who call in inhumane. The truth of the matter is that if you use an energetic powder such as 3F Swiss, Olde Eynsford, or Triple 7 you will get plenty of power with a RB or conical. If you use any of the other powders you are likely to be disappointed.

If you look at the energy figures you'll see that up close a RB from a cap n ball pistol (not the Dragoon or Walker mind you) has as much energy as a PRB from a .45/.50 cal out at 100-125 yds, which many have claimed complete passthroughs on deer with.

You may also note that it's bees stated by CW vets that the conicals didn't do so well on humans as it did on animals.

There are many people who hunt deer and hogs with an 1860, 1858, and ROA, as well as the Dragoon and Walker. If it didn't work well I'd think they'd do otherwise.

Here's a link to a 6 part video series by Duelist in which he tests several projectiles with both 3F Goex and Triple 7. Note the great difference in velocity/energy between the two powders, as well as the distance of penetration. Though a gallon jug of water doesn't equate to the flesh of an animal it still gives an idea and a way to compare. If you take note of the figures he got when using a 255 grn conical and 25 grns of T7 it was a little over what a 45 Colt would produce, which I'd say nobody would call underpowered.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WNYGs2_UZw

 

[BrownBear]

If you take note of the figures he got when using a 255 grn conical and 25 grns of T7 it was a little over what a 45 Colt would produce, which I'd say nobody would call underpowered.

I've sure whacked a lot of deer with a 45 Colt at standard velocities, so I'm with you. Never lost one, never needed a second shot, and never recovered a bullet. Longest shot was a little over 50 yards.

If my eyes and reflexes were still youthful I'd still be handgun hunting today. And with my ongoing interest in muzzleloaders, you can bet your bippy that I'd be using ML handguns if i felt I was up to the task. I have no doubt the guns are.

 

[timothymattson]

Thanks for all of the comments. I was out this weekend with it for the Michigan early private land anterless weekend. Had a broadside shot a really bid doe by passed as I had limited myself to 25 yards and under. My load I sighted in with at 25 yards is 40grains Pyrodex P followed by two wonder patches and then a .457 ball. I am able to keep about a 3inch group with this load, now keep in mind I will only use such a load for hunting, not everday shooting. Back to a point someone made, since it is not a "muzzle loading gun", it would not be legal during the dedicated ML season here in Michigan. I am not sure if that is fact, but I will confirm, but if so what a joke. My friends can be legal out with state of the art inlines capable of 200 yard accuracy with plenty of power to boot, and I can not be legal with a weapon that I have to use at bowhunting ranges, at best! And speaking of it, hunting with a bow (and even crossbow) is perfectly legal during the ML season.

 

[Patocazador]

Get clarification from your Game Dept. about BP revolvers before you toss in the towel.

I shot a small buck with my Ruger Old Army last year and was congratulated by one game warden and warned by two others that it was not a "muzzleloading" gun since it didn't load from the muzzle. I wrote to the Florida Wildlife Commission and was told that it WAS LEGAL. I keep a copy of that letter with me for other ignorant LEOs.

My load was a handcast all lead .456 flat-nosed 255 grain bullet with 30 gr. of 3FG. The bullet passed through both lungs and exited. The deer went about 50 yards and dropped.

Good luck.

 

[rodwha]

Using Pyrodex gives performance similar to Goex powder. You likely have less than 300 ft/lbs with a ball.

Can you find 3F Swiss or Olde Eynsford black powder, or Triple 7 powder? They can possibly get that ball closer to 400 ft/lbs.

 

[stinkyfeet]

From the 2013 Michigan Hunting guide:
Muzzleloading Deer Seasons
During the December muzzleloading seasons, muzzleloading deer hunters
can carry afield and use only a crossbow (except in the Upper Peninsula) or a
muzzleloading rifle, a muzzleloading shotgun, or a black powder handgun loaded
with black powder or a commercially manufactured black powder substitute. Only
certified hunters with a disability may use a crossbow or a modified bow during the
muzzleloading season in the Upper Peninsula.
Note: The wording has changed to a black powder handgun this year so you might be ok. I would still double check though. Just call Lansing and ask the numbers on the DNR website.