One more time with the 40...

[jatuttle]

Since it's primitive weapons only right now here in MS, I'll be using my 40 with a .395 patched RB and 55 or 60 grains FFFG tomorrow and maybe Friday depending on success. I have yet to take a deer with this rifle, and would really like to do so this time around. Hunting from a ladder stand next to a pine thicket and in our old bottomland farm.
I've seen the pro's and con's of the 40 discussed here, but the man who built it for me was confident in its ability to put one down. Range for this stand is max 50 yards.
Any pointers? Hints?
Jeff

 

[Stumpkiller]

What's your average deer weigh down there?

Keep your prime dry, your flint sharp and pick a spot.

 

[jatuttle]

Pretty small, unless you're on one of the "pay hunts" where they are fed and groomed. Mine are free range, fair chase and might go 80-90 lbs. average (I think - really haven't weighed any). Should have mentioned it's a percussion too.
Jeff

 

[PJC]

Hint.
70 gr of FFFG will provide the muscle you need to do
the job.
40 cal for a white tail is a definite handicap.
It will do the job but you have to do yours.
Why further handicap yourself with what might
be considered a reduced load for big game.
Why risk the success of a lot of effort on a hunt
in order to save a few grains of powder?
Why risk a less then quick humane kill when
harvesting a deer in order to save a few grains
of powder?
I usually do not get drawn into this type of discussion
and may get roasted for my opinion but I hope it will help.
Look forward to seeing a nice photo of your hunt in the near future.

PJC

 

[410-er]

Have killed deer with the 45cal and 50grs.Hit them in the lungs/heart. :thumbsup:

 

[stinkyfeet]

I have killed 2 deer with a 40 cal and .395 ball but I use 70 grains of 3f and limit myself to under 50 yards as well usually half that is my average shot and I am impressed and pleased with the job the 40 does. Best tip I can give ya is avoid the shoulder. One more tip HAVE FUN

 

[jatuttle]

Thanks to all...my concern has always been overcharging, so I've limited myself to the 55-60 grain charge. No issues with pressure and a 70gr load? If not, I'll definitely bump it up.
Jeff

 

[AWsaddles]

My deer charge is 65 gr in my 40 because past that my accuracy begins to decrease and patches start to show signs of gass leaking. 65 gr gets me in the mid 1900 fps range with 3f and a 38 inch barrel. About 50 yards is as far as I shoot but I have killed a few with mine and most have been closer than that. I love my 40 and it has also proven an excellent small game rifle with light loads.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I have three friends who are .40 aficionados and kill deer left and right, never lost one that I know of. Their longest shot was 90yds, doe down in a few yards, a bunch at 70yds and less.

But...... they meet every Wednesday morning, year round, and spend the morning shooting their rifles. They ring gongs, they punch paper, even saw one guy knock pine cone after pine out a nearby tree at 35yards. They know their guns and how to shoot them.

I am building a .40 myself, mostly for squirrels, may hunt deer with it but I have a .44 I "deerly" like to use when I go with a lighter caliber.

If I can ever find what load my new 12ga fowler likes, to consistently put patched balls in the same place time after time, my other flint deer rifles might get a long break.

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

I've taken 3 Ohio whitetails with a 40cal flintlock. Load; 50gr-3f, 395prb, 36"barrel, MV 1740fps. Shot distances; 26, 71, and 46yds. All shots were complete pass through's. The 26yd btn-buck went down right there, the 71yd yearling doe went 30 yds. The 46yd mature doe went 125yd. Big balls are fine, but accuracy is final!

 

[jatuttle]

Well, round one goes to the deer this year...saw 2 bucks and 5 does from the stand, along with a fox, a coyote (heard but not seen), 3 swamp rabbits, and too many dang squirrels to count. Could have taken the first buck, but wasn't 100% sure he was legal so I passed. Other one was a spike, and the does had big mama running point - she had the sixth sense working perfectly and led the other four behind cover.
So no boom today. Should have popped those swampers, they were huge!
Jeff

 

[cynthialee]

You has rabbits!?
If I had rabbits around these parts I'd be too busy hunting them to bother thinking about Bambi. I love rabbit meat.

 

[jatuttle]

You're right, the rabbit meat is definitely a better meat. These swampers are about 2 or 3 times the size of a hillbilly...I've shot them up to 5-6 lbs. before, and there's lots of meat on them. Probably won't deer hunt past Christmas anyway. Thanks for the inspiration!
Jeff

 

[Bugflipper]

40s are popular where I'm at because of the law. 40 and under for small game, 40 and over for big game. There's honestly mixed results with them. Assuming it comes down to shot placement and range. I've probably heard more negatives than successful stories, but then again I'm real close to a shooting range and the fellows trying to see what went wrong are the ones out there shooting in winter, not the ones that had no trouble.

Folks really can't suggest a max load without knowing the barrel diameter. What may work well in their 15/16" or even 1" may be dangerous in a 3/4" or 13/16". I use a 175 gr lee .401 swc pure lead behind 60 gr 3f in a 13/16". It's lubed with beeswax/alox and a bit of olive oil to make it less hard. Does fine out to 127 yards as that's been my farthest shot. No idea how many I've shot with a 40 over the years but have never had one get away. I've never used a ball though so can't say how they do besides folks I've run into complaining that they didn't get their deer and other saying they did. Deer are 75-180 lbs here for adults.

 

[jatuttle]

May have 1 or 2 more opportunities to try the 40 between now and end of year. Took it out to shoot a load I had left in it since last post. I was impressed by the offhand accuracy of 60gr FFFg under the .395 prb- had 4 shots, 2 ragged holes. Now that was encouraging, made me want to give it another go. Love that rifle!
Jeff

 

[dbutch]

My take on a 40 cal. for deer..
bump up the powder charge,
use a hardened roundball(pass through).
limit your range.
Perfect shot angle-placement.
The 40 cal. I shoot is a tack driver..a confidence builder for sure.
Good luck..Shoot straight.

 

[mike garner]

it's all about shot placement.