PRB loads

[Blizzard of '93]

Anyone use a dbl PRB load for hunting? If so caliber and powder charge info. Accuracy? Range?Effect on game :hmm: ?

 

[walruskid1]

i use my target load (as i have a lot of faith in its accuracy), 50-3F, .445 round ball. kills deer quite well with a well placed shot. i could amp it up but i don't think it would kill any better. never recovered a ball, punches straight through leaving a bore size hole. little or no expansion. leaves a good blood trail with a exit hole.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

110 grains of 3fg in my kentucky with round ball. Yes... its a lot but it good out to 120 yards. And no, My patches are not burning up lol. :blah:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Have never had much luck getting double ball loads to be accurate. Finally saw one of Lyman's high-speed photos of a double ball loads and each had a severely flattened side where they touched before the load was fired. Balls that damaged will not fly with much accuracy period. Besides which, it's illegal to use more than one ball in some localities, be sure to check yours before trying to hunt with such a load.

 

[roundball]

Have never had much luck getting double ball loads to be accurate. Finally saw one of Lyman's high-speed photos of a double ball loads and each had a severely flattened side where they touched before the load was fired. Balls that damaged will not fly with much accuracy period. Besides which, it's illegal to use more than one ball in some localities, be sure to check yours before trying to hunt with such a load.

My Lyman first edition BP handbook has a high speed photo of a pair of balls with flattened sides just after muzzlle exit.

But in spite of that, and to my surprise, I've experimented with double ball loads in .45 and .50cal TC barrels and they've printed surprisingly well at 50yds, only being an inch or so apart...and test results for 3 - .490s in a .62cal smoothbore & paper shot cup, were also quite good printing 4-5 inches at 40yds

 

[MikeChapin]

I have taken both deer and elk with a PRB. I use my 100 yard target load for hunting with all my rifles. All will print in a 3" circle at 100 yards.

I generally keep my shots to under 100 yards. For my .45, when I had it, I used 60 gr. 3F under a .440 ball. The .50 I use uses 70 gr. 3F and a .490 ball. Both will drop a deer in it's tracks with a well placed shot. I very rarely have had them run on me. One large doe I shot had the ball break the shoulder blade, shatter a rib, pass through both lungs, break a lower rib and lodge under the skin. This was at 70 yards.

For elk I've used both a .53 and .58. The .53 used a .520 ball on top of 80 gr FFFg. The .58 used a .562 on top of 90 gr 3F. Both have easily dropped elk at 70 yards or less. If the angle is a little less than dead on either caliber the ball will usually lodge in the skin on the off side. If the angle is 90 degrees the ball will pass all the way though breaking ribs on both sides.

I have good friend that uses a .50 on elk. He places his shot and has never had a problem with an animal running off wounded.

The common denominator here is shot placement. I get in close enough and place the shot though the heart/lung area. On the rare instance that the animal will run, I just note where they ran into the brush and wait ten minutes. If not pressed they will find a place to lay down and bleed out.

 

[walruskid1]

i'm sorry guys, i didn't see the DOUBLE ball loading request. i should read a little closer. :redface:

 

[MikeChapin]

I missed it too. I don't know why you would want to use a double ball. Accuracy goes down and it loosens your fillings.

 

[renovato]

Why aren't you posting your loads and results instead of asking for info on it? You've been telling us about your double PRB loads for a couple months.

I still haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list of things to do next time I'm working up loads. I just got in a couple Austin & Halleck rifles so looks like I'll be working up loads again soon too.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

? ? I just read about this load in a Lyman BP book I got cheap at a book sale. Haven't tryed it myself but plan to before long. Will try to foto and post

 

[TN.Frank]

Anyone use a dbl PRB load for hunting? If so caliber and powder charge info. Accuracy? Range?Effect on game :hmm: ?

Here in Tennessee it'd be illegal do to that. You can only use a single projectile to for big game. Check your gun laws before you use a double ball load to hunt with. Hate to see ya' get into trouble.