Range for a 50 Cal flint pistol

[Davemuzz]

Ok guys.....now I haven't had a chance yet to run any load across a chronograph because of either the "honey do" get ready for Christmas list....or it's just plain raining cat's 'n dog's out there.

But, I finished my flint pistol with a 12" barrel and I've shot a few 240gr conicals out of it. It's got good accuracy out to 30 yards. I'm loading it over 40gr. of FF Goex.

So...what kind of maximum range should I be thinking of for a whitetail doe? I want a clean double lung shot, as I don't want to leave a cripple or be trailing for hours.

Thanks much.

Dave

 

[Davemuzz]

Well....at least I have an answer for upping my powder charge Link

 

[Stumpkiller]

Don't really know what to tell you. I'd guess out to 30 or 40 yards that should do the job, as will a .45 Colt, IF the deer cooperates and offers a nice patient broadside shot.

As far as not blood-trailing for hours? No promises. That conical isn't going to upset much at pistol velocities and the shock will not likely knock the hooves out from under the deer.

 

[BrownBear]

Using revolvers I've killed several dozen deer over the years using 44 Special and 45 Colt with 250 grain bullets at standard velocities of 700-750 fps. All were one-shot kills and I've never recovered a bullet. Longest was a measured 60 yards, but more typically they were in the 25-40 yard range. The longest tracking job was a good 50 feet.

The difference I see is that those bullets had really large, flat meplats reminiscent of the Hornady Great Plains or Lyman Plains bullet. I have no doubt you'll get full penetration on broadside lung shots at those ranges using your bullet if it's in that velocity range, but if they have a rounded or pointed profile, I'd count on longer tracking jobs. You'll still get your deer, but blunt bullets sure seem to hit harder, based on my kills with other profiles in revolvers.

The trick at any range is precise shooting at an animal fully broadside and relaxed.

 

[Davemuzz]

Yeah.....I'm all for the broadside shot. I've hunted plenty of doe with my 44 magnum and have enjoyed those hunts a bunch.

But I've never hunted 'em with a flinter pistol. So, I'm looking to take one with it if the opportunity presents itself.

If 40 yards seems to be the limit....then that's what I'll limit the shots to. But...I haven't ran the shot over the chrony yet. That will tell me a bunch.
\
Dave

 

[BrownBear]

With your background using a 44 and attention to detail, no sweat. Enjoy the heck out of the hunt!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Considering the short range to the game that will be involved, I would recommend that you use a Soft Lead ball in your .50 cal pistol for shooting deer.

1. You will get higher velocity, with any chosen powder charge, and the round ball will EXPAND on impact, even at lower velocities than you would get from a rifle.

2. The Expansion will do much more damage to the internal organs of the deer, than shooting a .50 cal. conical ever will. :hatsoff:

 

[Walks with fire]

You don't say what the twist is but I think I would try some 3f powder in that short of barrel. It will help get the velocity up a little and I would also try to shoot 50-60 grains if I could get it to group and I could handle it.

You can also file off the round nose of a Hornady PA Concial a bit with a file. They are soft lead, hit hard and designed for the 1/66 twist barrels. You can use a threaded nut for a small jig if you want them consistant.

I have a PA Hunter carbine with a 21" barrel that I paper patch with 1 wrap and file the nose down to a .320 flat meplat and shoot 80 grains of 3f. Pretty good little deer drive rifle and hits pretty hard. That 12" will benefit from the 3f and the lighter bullet plus the flat point at low velocity is the only way to fly as someone already pointed out. I hunted with a centerfire handgun for years and it isn't about velocity at all. I think you could do alright power wise to 50 yards max. as long as it will hit a pie plate consistantly you should do fine.

 

[BrownBear]

You can also file off the round nose a bit with a file. I have a PA Hunter carbine with a 21" barrel that I paper patch with 1 wrap and file the nose down to a .320 flat meplat and shoot 80 grains of 3f. Pretty good little deer drive rifle and hits pretty well. That 12" will benefit from the 3f and the lighter bullet plus the flat point at low velocity is the only way to fly as someone already pointed out. I hunted with a centerfire handgun for years and it isn't about velocity at all. I think you could do alright power wise to 50 yards max. as long as it will hit a pie plate consistantly you should do fine.

Good idea and good feedback all around! :hatsoff:

 

[Davemuzz]

I bumped the FF powder charge up to 50gr. and am still shooting the 240gr. Conical. I still have not had the time to drag out the chrony yet.

The 50gr. charge is shooting very consistently and the gun is not a handful at all. at 25 yards it's an easy 4" group from the rest. So I took a 3 shot group from the rest at 50 yards and got a 6" group.

That's a nice consistent group for a 12" barrel. At least from this amateur's standpoint.

Dave

 

[BrownBear]

That's a nice consistent group for a 12" barrel. At least from this amateur's standpoint.

Dave

Lotta guys can't do that with their modern revolvers, yet they still manage to hunt effectively with them. I'd say if you've got the vel you want (I'm betting so), you've found your load. I'll also bet that with practice that group will shrink a little too. In any case, I'd hunt with it, and be very happy doing so. :thumbsup:

 

[Davemuzz]

Thanks for your comments BB. I am gonna put a post on the gun builders forum on how can you make a single trigger into a single set trigger.

I have a rifle with double set triggers, which seems easy enough to do...ie: mechanical....but I'm not sure about a single set.

Dave

 

[Walks with fire]

6" @ 50 will take deer all week long. If it's not too much to handle with 50 grains of powder kick it up a little more and see what happens. Sometimes it will hit a sweet spot and group even better. You also need to see what the patched ball is going to shoot like even if you want to hunt with conicals; don't discount the ball.

 

[Davemuzz]

WWF....I'll give it a "shot" :grin: and see what it does!!

Dave

 

[BrownBear]

Have you been happy with the sights? I notice your age is pushing up towards mine, and I need superb sights for handgun use these days.

 

[Davemuzz]

BB,

If there is one thing that I've been blessed with all of my life, it's been my sight and my ability to see long distances without the aid of glasses.

Now, don't ask me to read a darn thing without the aid of 2.5 glasses on...or for sure I can't read a thing.

But, I'll pick out a groundhog blinking at 300 yards with my naked eye!!! To bad the rest of me doesn't hold up like that!!!! :cursing:

Here's a pic of my pistol with my front sight. Now, I have to do some cosmetic work on it (blacken the cut's that I made) to get it to match the rest of the gun.