One caliber for hunting Whitetail deer...

[roundball]

Poll results to date...combined totals from the same poll on two different muzzleloading sites for a larger number of hunters...1st, 2nd, and 3rd place choices to date are running .54/.50/.58
================================================

.32=1
.36=0
.40===3
.45=======7
.50=============================29
.54==============================30
.58===========11
.62=1
.72=1

 

[Onojutta]

I assume we're talking about round balls here, so I chose .50 because the trajectory and energy combination of .50 round ball is the best.

Sized bigger than 50 carry more energy but begin to take on football punt trajectories, and sizes smaller than 50 have flat flight paths but begin to lack in energy. IMO, 50 seems to be the best compromise.

Accurate shot placement is more important to me than delivering a freight train's worth of energy, so trajectory is always my first consideration.

I also believe that there is a big misconception as to how much energy is needed to kill an animal. In the golden age, they used 40-45 caliber to kill men, deer, elk, panther, etc. at great distance efficiently. I believe the most aerodynamic sized round ball is somewhere around 45 caliber.

 

[roundball]

"...I assume we're talking about round balls here..."

Yes, traditional muzzleloader hunting with the patched round ball

 

[Hoyt]

It's a .58 for me. I would much rather have too much gun (overkill) than not enough for a given situation.

 

[Bob J]

I've used .50, .54 and .66 successfully. (The latter a smoothbore). I like the .54 but the .50 does well also and probably a .58 wouldn't be overkill. I load kind of conservatively (85 gr FFFg in the .54) and that probably makes as much differance as a few thousanths of an inch change in diameter.

It is amazing that a .54 ball has 27% more mass than a .50 round ball.

My Tennessee rifle shoots very accurately with 85 grains of 2f and that it what I killed my first roundball buck with. The buck was coming towards me at a slight angle, and the ball entered the front of the shoulder, passing thru diagonally and out the middle of the ribs, catching under the hide.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I voted for the 45 because that is what I have used for over twentyfive years on Ohio white tails. But I admitt more people would prefer the 50's. or even larger.

 

[tcsmokepole]

I voted 58 caliber. I've used it quite a bit and it knocks the snot of 'em.

 

[Rhett Griffith]

I voted .54 even though I am currently using a .50. I have taken a dozen or so whitetails with the .50 and about half that many with the .54. Both worked well, but the .54 seemed to leave a better blood trail and put them down a little quicker.

 

[David W.]

I voted .62 because that's how my Hawkens was built. I purchased some of the last remaining H&H barrels and the .62 was itching to go on something. Otherwise, I would have gone with the .54. Don't get me wrong though, I love how my .62 shoots.

 

[dbutch]

my vote...-.530-.570-.610 one down 2 to go..shot 135 lb. Wisconsin whitetail 35 to 40 yards through spine out through right rib cage-due to elevation of tree stand--Hunting public land..safer! Impressed with the entrance and exit - took out 3.4 to 4" of spine using 90 gr. FFF Goex
a first with flint and round ball..looking forward to doing the same with a .570 and .610 round ball..I voted 62 as it's on deck. I just can not live without a pass through.

 

[Anonym]

I chose .50 cal. For whitetail only, it's plenty big. I debated on voting for the .45, because it also works and it's a ton of fun to hunt with. Ended up with the .50 just because if you have to depend on it to put meat on the table, it will work better in the less-than-perfect scenario to get the job done.

I'm surprised how many voted for .54 for whitetail only. Never had a deer complain about my .50 being too small, and it just seems like a waste of lead and powder to push the bigger diameter. Different story if we were talking about mulies and elk...

 

[jbtusa]

The .54 probably got a lot of votes from out west. With mulies, elk, bear and long shots, most go with bigger the better.

 

[D Sanders]

.54 for me. Born and raised on it ya know. Didn't know deer would go down with anything else.

HH 60

 

[hanshi]

Reflecting the reality that I use a .45 flint as my primary whitetail rifle, I just had to vote for the .45.

 

[jaw69]

I voted 45 :bow: My son took his first deer with it this year. Angle into the rib cage back to the rear ham about 2 or 2.5 feet of deer dropped her in twenty feet. Round ball with 60 grain fffg has plenty of power. I though it was a marginal load but the old rifle shoots its best at that grain so we went with it. I was wrong the proof was in the meat it was a large wound channel and alot of damage to internal organs