Novice Black Powder Hunting and Large Game

[longcruise]

No grizz there, but maybe some trolls! :haha:

 

[swathdiver]

I want to use black powder to hunt large game, or at least to be protected from large animals while hunting small game.

Get a Ruger Old Army and sight it in for use with Kaido 255 grain conical bullets. Use either 777 or Swiss or Olde Eynsford Black Powder.

Such a combination is more deadly and powerful than the old .45 Long Colt which has reliably taken ALL North American big game.

In recent testing this load penetrated 11 water jugs and kept going, not even a .30-06 does that. Mike Belevieu's videos are posted on youtube.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I want to use black powder to hunt large game, or at least to be protected from large animals while hunting small game.

Get a Ruger Old Army and sight it in for use with Kaido 255 grain conical bullets. Use either 777 or Swiss or Olde Eynsford Black Powder.

Such a combination is more deadly and powerful than the old .45 Long Colt which has reliably taken ALL North American big game.

In recent testing this load penetrated 11 water jugs and kept going, not even a .30-06 does that. Mike Belevieu's videos are posted on youtube.

:youcrazy: Your comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Erik550c]

I saw that video a week ago! I'm not sure if CA will let me carry and hunt with a twin barrel .58 Howdah pistol... They don't allow double barrels, but the Howdah fires separately unlike a double barrel shotgun may. I don't think I can carry another rifle and I really don't want to have one shot only. Cabellas has the 20 gauge Howdah pistol for sale, but it is a twin barrel. I don't see being able to afford the .58 version Howdah pistol full price. I suppose I am limited in my choices. What are my options considering I want stopping power? The Uberti 1847 walker .45 may not cut it. I wonder if I'm going to have to carry two rifles (one BP) and skip the double barrel for CA regulation, but then I only have one shot and probably won't be able to switch rifles when needed.

 

[Tinker2]

I'm not sure if CA will let me carry and hunt with a twin barrel .58 Howdah pistol... They don't allow double barrels,

Have you thought about moving before the rest of the nation puts a fence around California?
:slap:



William Alexander

 

[necchi]

Buy a Trad ML rifle, Learn to shoot it.
You won't need a second shot.
If you fear walking in the woods or other hunting area because there may be some animal out there that will attack you,, you need more help then we can offer here.
You need to become familiar and comfortable with an outdoor situation in your area long before you carry a gun.
Get some hiking boots and some binoculars first, go for a walk in the wilderness and enjoy it.
Talk to the local Game agencies for real life information and regulations, we can not answer your speculation questions.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Buy a Trad ML rifle, Learn to shoot it.
You won't need a second shot.
If you fear walking in the woods or other hunting area because there may be some animal out there that will attack you,, you need more help then we can offer here.
You need to become familiar and comfortable with an outdoor situation in your area long before you carry a gun.
Get some hiking boots and some binoculars first, go for a walk in the wilderness and enjoy it.
Talk to the local Game agencies for real life information and regulations, we can not answer your speculation questions.

:applause: Sage advice and good words to live by. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

A person should have respect for animals and nature,......NOT fear....Fear will get you or someone else killed.

 

[Erik550c]

Sounds good. I'm starting with target practice and squirrels.

 

[bpd303]

Don't know about CA squirrels, but here in AR we have some Ninja's and you can't be too careful around them.

:rotf:

 

[Erik550c]

Ours come out and don't usually notice humans in parts of SoCal and NorCal, but those are the one's within a mile or two of civilization.

 

[Dwight Rutherford]

I have hunted and fished throughout Calif. for the past 65+ years. I have never been in danger of being atacked by any predator. Have run into a surly fellow human from time to time but never in any real danger of harm. Did catch a glimpse of a brown bear about 100 yards away one time, it was headed south as I was headed north. It was more interested in getting away from me than I from him. As others have suggested, find a black powder hunter and get some field time with them.

 

[swathdiver]

What are my options considering I want stopping power? The Uberti 1847 walker .45 may not cut it.

Hogwash, the Walker can cut it but so can the Ruger Old Army. How about a nice LeMat then?

I'm comfortable enough with the Remington New Model Army and Colt 1860 Army to use them as you intend, if I was so inclined. They will kill ALL North American big game.

 

[Erik550c]

Good to know for peace of mind. Have you ever had any problems long-term with a brass trigger guard (but steel frame)? I'm thinking longevity. I guess they all have brass.

 

[Erik550c]

Also, as I said before I want defense from animals while out on the wild. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Zonie]

The frame, cylinder and barrel (and with a Colt the barrel wedge) takes all of the heavy stresses when the gun is fired.

The brass grip frame and trigger guard don't have to be very strong so brass works fine for these areas.

The original Colts were made exactly the same way with steel barrels, cylinders and frames and brass grip frames and trigger guards.

About the only difference between Colts made this way and the reproductions is Sam Colts guns had silver plating on their brass parts.

 

[Okie Hog]

i'm a dedicated muzzleloader hog hunter who does not carry a backup gun. Been chased twice by big wounded boars and once by a sow with pigs. In 60+ years of hunting i've had one other encounter with a dangerous critter.

Several years ago i was tracking a wounded hog in a wide gully. Suddenly had a sense something was wrong. On the bank about 25 yards away was a big male cougar switching his tail and licking his face. That cougar was bang flopped by one of those other muzzleloaders.

 

[russecv58]

Buy a Trad ML rifle, Learn to shoot it.
You won't need a second shot.
If you fear walking in the woods or other hunting area because there may be some animal out there that will attack you,, you need more help then we can offer here.
You need to become familiar and comfortable with an outdoor situation in your area long before you carry a gun.
Get some hiking boots and some binoculars first, go for a walk in the wilderness and enjoy it.
Talk to the local Game agencies for real life information and regulations, we can not answer your speculation questions.

^^^^^This!!! :2

 

[Erik550c]

Ours come out and don't usually notice humans in parts of SoCal and NorCal, but those are the one's within a mile or two of civilization.

Edit: I had misread the satirical post this was a reply to when I posted this.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

I want to use black powder to hunt large game, or at least to be protected from large animals while hunting small game. I want to buy the largest capacity, easiest to load, quickest firing, longest range black powder revolver (or any other type of black powder if I have to) gun that can kill elk, deer, and grizzly bears if possible.

I don't have room for a rifle unless need be (my bag has an air rifle already for small game).
Erik550c

:2 Dump the air rifle (learn how to set snares)

Get a SxS 20 gage that will shoot round ball, keep one side loaded with ball (your Bear stopper) You can load shot for small game or ball for deer in the other.

Better Idea for bear...travel with a sensible partner & his .416 Rigby :thumbsup:

 

[Dphar]

Hello, black powder novice here with some questions about hunting and defense. I had to post this in the general section because it isn't specific to one class of black powder guns. I want to use black powder to hunt large game, or at least to be protected from large animals while hunting small game. I want to buy the largest capacity, easiest to load, quickest firing, longest range black powder revolver (or any other type of black powder if I have to) gun that can kill elk, deer, and grizzly bears if possible. I don't know what it is, but I heard percussion black powder guns are the easiest to load. What antique revolver and caliber is the best for hunting and wild animal protection? Can any be fitted with a scope? I've been looking at .44's from Cabella, but I can't find any non-lead balls (for hunting in California where lead is becoming banned) that will work for it. I saw expensive .45 non-lead balls, but couldn't find a good .45 revolver. I am interested in a new reproduction antique Colt .45 revolver, but can't find it and cost is an issue. I am fine using lead for protection and cost efficiency for as long as it is legal, but is a .44 revolver going to cut it? I want a revolver for capacity and speed. Do I also need a .50 cal for stopping power (once again, I plan on only having black powder)? Is the Traditions Trapper .50 cal percussion pistol a good backup weapon/one shot grizzly kill gun? I don't have room for a rifle unless need be (my bag has an air rifle already for small game). If I had the money and room I wouldn't mind the Traditions Hawkens Woodsman .50 rifle. I want to use lead free ammo for game hunting, what are my options for powerful enough guns that will accept lead free munitions (and where can I buy the ammo)?

Any recommendations would be helpful, I know that carrying black powder only for extended hunting isn't the best choice. Like I mentioned, hopefully there is one revolver that does it all. If not, hopefully a revolver and large caliber pistol can do the trick together.

Thanks again!

Erik550c

Bear Spray. A big can and the knowledge to use it right.
Shooting at a Gbear at a distance with a BP handgun is a recipe for becoming bear poop.
Aside from something like a 500 S&W or a 460 S&W or 480 Ruger there is no good Grizzly handgun for shots at any distance unless a good head shot is made and even the 460-480-500 are marginal in any event. Why? Hard to shoot well. A Walker in theory has the power, nearing 44 mag (marginal but better than nothing), but needs HARD bullets for penetration and the revolver weighs as much as two 54-58 caliber percussion pistols. And does not have the power.
So if you want a backup pistol that is VIABLE then get one of the S&Ws mentioned above with a barrel of 6" or more. Or get a PAIR of GOOD percussion pistols in 58-62 with a twist no faster than 48" loaded to near 1000 fps if you must have a ML pistol. Or get a big can of bear spray.... Probably the best option for most people.
If you want to hunt and shoot a GBear with a ML get a 67-72 caliber ML rifle twisted 72" to 80" for a round ball, load it to 1600 FPS or a little less for the 72 and learn to shoot it well. Then have a BACK UP HUNTER with you in case the bear has to be "stopped" and maybe a second large caliber RB gun with a bearer for a second shot. If you hunt in occupied Gbear habitat and worry about such things the same caliber or bear spray recommendations apply. Just make sure you avoid Gbears when hunting other game and take precautions AFTER you kill something. Where I live they are learning to come to gunshots...
Dan