RB or Maxi-hunter??

[bowbender68]

Hello All,
I am new to muzzleloading, and will be heading to the range this weekend to work up a good load for whitetails in my .50 T/C Hawken. With most of my shots likely to be 100 yards or less, is a RB sufficient, or would I be better off going with a 350gr Maxi-hunter? Any input is very much appreciated!

 

[Rebel]

See answer to your question in your post above in the percussion forum. No need to ask the same question in more than 1 place actually. Believe me, people here will see it no matter where you put it. ::

 

[Stumpkiller]

The round ball is certainly capable and definately more traditional. My buck this year died without moving from the spot the ball caught him (pierced his aortic arch). The Maxi-Hunter is heavier, hits harder, takes more powder to get moving, costs 4X as much if you buy instead of cast your own and is a concession to modern design.

Either will kill a deer at 100 yards. If your rifle won't shoot one well, the choice should be easy.

 

[tg]

I would think that if you are interested in "Traditional ML Hunting" as this forum is called that the RB would be the best choice... if you were interested in "Modern ML Hunting" then the conical might fit the bill better.

 

[leadball]

PRB for sure! I tried the conical thing when I bought my first muzzleloader because the fella at the local gun store said Rb is ok for small deer at 25-30 yards but lacks the energy for anything bigger or farther. Well, after shooting a box of 20 conicals for practice, I just didn't feel satisfied, completed, if you will. So I read some stuff online about the effectiveness of Prb. Well, I purchased a box of .490 Lead balls, patches, 3fg Goex, and proceeded to have a good time shooting without going bankrupt. This was 2002. Well, summer faded into fall and with that opening of Wisconsin's zone T season so I decided to give Prb a try. After 2 moons had passed, a small buck was coming out of the swamp at about 35 yards. Pulled back the hammer, pulled the trigger, hit the cap, and the dead silence was shattered and the air was filled with clean white smoke. The deer ran 10-15 yards tops and died. I completed the blood tie. Following year, a large doe was coming down the trail at about 45 yards. Same procedure, same results. This year, 2 more deer fell to the will of the Prb. If you are just hunting deer at under 100 yards, I promise that your soul will be cleansed and filled with the grace of God, a baptism if you will, if you use the Prb. I am truly one of the "born again," a true believer as I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to bear witness to the wrath of the mighty lead pea. Do not underestimate his power :master:

 

[KyFlintlock]

Stumpkiller hit it on the head.

 

When I bought my GPR flinter it came with a 1x32 fast twist for shooting conicals. I bought the rifle because the price was very good (I will not go into details as it is not important) and my intention was to just throw in a .54 1x60 for PRB - and this is what I did. However, I will someday soon change barrels and give these conicals a trial. I guess that the bottom line - for me - is that I like shooting the good old PRB but I will try the conicals just for the heck of it and I wanted the option in my battery.

 

[buckknife]

If you are just hunting deer at under 100 yards, I promise that your soul will be cleansed and filled with the grace of God, a baptism if you will, if you use the Prb. I am truly one of the "born again," a true believer as I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to bear witness to the wrath of the mighty lead pea. Do not underestimate his power :master: [/quote]

Amen brother :thumbsup:

 

[RussB]

Bowbender68, I, for one, find your question to be a very good question if you are lacking in experience with either, or both of these projectiles.

The vast majority of the posters on this forum will recommend the roundball over the conical, for just about every application. And that is the whole beauty of this Forum...different people, different views, different experience.

As far as posting your question, or response, in the right place....it is damn hard to do unless you are totaly Peroid Correct, or a dyed in the wool In-line shooter. When you look at the definitions provided by the powers that run the place you will see;
.................................................................................................................

What separates the

 

[tg]

I would think that there is a great deal of diference between a gun with a lock from 1790 and a trigger from 1810 and a PRB and a modern design conical that is a result of 20th century technology, but those in power have defined this forum ...accurately or not and that is what we go by... I wouild really like to see a definition of this elusive "spirit" that folks are so quick to throw up as a shield to protect the use modern stuff and cast forth the term "traditional" in the same breath ....no flame intened just an observation, and I am not interested in argueing what is or isn't traditional...I already know.

 

I would think that there is a great deal of diference between a gun with a lock from 1790 and a trigger from 1810 and a PRB and a modern design conical that is a result of 20th century technology, but those in power have defined this forum ...accurately or not and that is what we go by... I wouild really like to see a definition of this elusive "spirit" that folks are so quick to throw up as a shield to protect the use modern stuff and cast forth the term "traditional" in the same breath ....no flame intened just an observation, and I am not interested in argueing what is or isn't traditional...I already know.

It could be said, thet we shoot modern Goex blackpowder in the "spirit" of 200+ year-old blackpowder,.... :imo: :m2c:

YMHS
rollingb

 

[RussB]

....(snip)........ I wouild really like to see a definition of this elusive "spirit" that folks are so quick to throw up as a shield to protect the use modern stuff and cast forth the term "traditional" in the same breath ....no flame intened just an observation, and I am not interested in argueing what is or isn't traditional...I already know.

It could be said, thet we shoot modern Goex blackpowder in the "spirit" of 200+ year-old blackpowder,.... :imo: :m2c:
YMHS
rollingb

Folks, the three of us will never settle this continued debate.....I don't dress for any particular peroid in history, I have no persona, I shoot the iron sights I can see best, and hit best with, all my rifles are flintlock, or caplock, I shoot only "real" black powder, when it's available, I have cast every projectile I have shot in the last 20 years in my muzzleloaders, I experiment with different shapes and styles of minies, and above all else I don't think I have to be ashamed of myself for doing this because it does not meet someone's expectation of being period correct.


No flames intended here either.

Like many others, I have the very same interest in being PC as I have in the modern in-lines with scopes....It's simply a passing interest. No more, no less.

I will continue to read Ned Roberts, and hunt with my flintlocks, But I will most likely never be PC, or own an In-Line. While at the same time I will read about what both are doing.

Certainly no flames intended with any of this. I enjoy reading about PC, I think a "persona" is a great thing for those who want to do it...I admire those people for the effort they put into their research and study, the making of their own clothing, their rifle being as close as humanly possible to other rifles of that time frame, and on, and on.....These folks deserve respect. And I do my best to give them respect. I love seeing, and reading about what they do.

The only "spirit" I know of, is the one of camarade and fellowship that can be found among fellows of like or similar interest. And, that is a good kind of "spirit".

I enjoy the forum with all it's different catagories of muzzleloading entries and if a catagory is needed for those that are strictly PC, then perhaps the powers that be can create such a catagory.
Muzzleloading, being the generalized term it is, covers a very large area. I'm sure there is room enough for all of us in here somewhere.

In a couple of months I will be 65 years old, I have been doing this muzzleloading thing for a good 45 to 50 years of that. I have never had a problem with another shooters way of doing things, and I don't intend to start now.

Respectfully, Russ

 

[Rebel]

Very well stated Russ. Couldn't agree more. There is room in the sport for all, and we should all do our best to get along for the sake of the sport.

 

RussB,.... First let me say thet "I agree" with most of what you said,.... secondly, I think the "spirit" of hunt'n with a traditional (style) muzzleloader is an "intangible connection" with original muzzleloaders, tho the powder and projectiles some fellas use do "differ" from history.

....... and thirdly, I have to admit thet I consider modern inlines to be a "poor choice" fer someone attempt'n to find the "spirit" of hunt'n with a muzzleloader!! :results: eace: :imo:

As always YMHS
rollingb

 

[Charles/NM]

Going back to the original question: Which is better for under 100 yard deer shooting, PRB or Maxi-Hunter?
I use PRB in my old T/C Hawken .50 for fun shooting and the 350 grain Maxi-Hunter for hunting desert mule deer. Two reasons:
1. My rifle shoots the Maxi-Hunter very accurate. I consider making an accurate shot on a live animal more important than holding to rigid ideas about what is "Traditional". IMHO a greased lead bullet in a muzzle loader is indeed very traditional.
2. I can reload a bullet much faster than a PRB if Ineed to. There probably isn't going to be an occasion where I need to quickly reload, so that arguement doesn't hold much water.
I say shoot both projectiles testing a variety of loads and loading procedures that have been discussed on this fine forum and make up your own mind based on what you find more accurate and satisfying to shoot. I think we've all agreed that either projectile, properly placed and shot within it's distance limits, will kill a deer very dead.
You have already made the most important decision and that is to shoot a traditional muzzle loader on your hunt. On my last hunt in NM in the National Forest up behind White Oaks I only met one other hunter who was carrying a side lock traditional rifle. His was a T/C Hawken .54 with a Power Belt bullet. Everyone else in the woods that I met was shooting a modern rifle and gave me that "Good luck with your inferior rifle" look.

 

I think the original question raised the "PC" issue because of its very nature. One could ask what is better under 100 yds, roundball, maxi-hunter or a modern jacketed bullet out of a .30-06....What is better for killing a big game animal is not the issue in muzzleloading. The reason that we have .270s and .300Winmag, etc. is that they are "better" at killing at all ranges....Many of us shoot roundballs because they are traditional, not because they perform better. They have been proven adequate in the hands of a skilled shooter for under 100 yd game killing. If I wanted to be SURE I was going to fill my license on, say, an elk, I'd pick a bigbore modern cartridge rifle, because you might not get a shot under 200yds. But that isn't the point--the point of hunting with old timey rifles is to relive the tradition--and with that tradition comes limitations. :m2c:

 

[Rat]

I'm hoping to see another hunter with a side-lock or flintlock someday.

For the last five years or so, every single last man-jack I've seen is packing an inline...even my hunting partners use inlines...it's a sad situation.



When I do talk to someone, the "look" I seem to get is more of a "what the heck is that" look!! Although, no one ever asks: "what is that?" Most of the time the fast movers just fly by without seeing me.

For me I think RB is the choice because it just goes with the rifle...kind of like NOT shooting a roundball in a cartridge rifle. I'm not a purist or traditionalist really. I guess it's kind of like, I could put a V-8 in my '48 Dodge, but the flathead six just seems more natural, and even though a V8 would be more powerful, the six gets it around just fine, goes the speed limit, and never fails.

The round ball will kill the game and never fail. The need for a slug, for deer, is purely psychological. I'm not against slugs, but prefer to shoot them in rifles meant to shoot them, such as my 1861 Springfield....and really have no desire to shoot a roundball in the Springfield.

Rat

 

[cayugad]

Bowbender68.. a nice rifle you got there. I have a couple of them and they are sure good shooters. As to what will work better for deer. They both will do the job. If your not worried about the traditional implications of the two projectiles, then get both of them and try them at the ranges you feel you might encounter.

Which ever projectile you are better able to place is the one to use. Both will do the deed. In my T/C Hawkins, it likes 70 grains of FFFg and a patched roundball. It will group excellent (unless the flint is slow and I make mistakes).

I would suggest the roundball only because they are more fun to shoot and will not cost you as much. Most of all have fun with the rifle and learn the rifle. The rest will come easy.... Good luck.