Got my load dialed in on my Traditions Kentucky rifle flintlock that I plan to use for deer hunting this season. A 50 grain charge of Goex FFG and a patched round ball shoots almost one hole groups at 25 and about 1 1/2" to 2" at 50. The groups begin to open up as I increase the charge. Is a 50 grain charge with a round ball enough for clean kills on a Midwestern whitetail given good shot placement ? Some guys in my circle keep telling me 70 grains is a minimum. Oh, shots will be no greater than 75 yards. -Thanks
Round ball and 50 grains in a 50 cal. for whitetail ?
- Thread starter kyron4
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I can't see how it wouldn't be fine to the ranges you'll hunt.
I push loads harder because I hunt out further, I don't mind recoil and its what shoots well. I don't do it because I think I won't kill deer with less powder.
I push loads harder because I hunt out further, I don't mind recoil and its what shoots well. I don't do it because I think I won't kill deer with less powder.
If you are confident in the accuracy and don’t expect to bust both shoulders and then have your ball howling off the hard pan beyond your intended target, you should be good to go. Plenty of folks using a similar load in rifles, not to mention handguns, with proper shot placement have great success. It will all come down to how well you can hit your target. Imagine with a well placed shot you will find your deer within 100 yards or so.
Patocazador
54 Cal.
I loaded a CVA Bobcat .50 cal. with 45 gr. of 3F BP with a PRB for my granddaughter when we hunted. It was very accurate @ 50 yards. However, we purposely hunted places where a longer shot than 50 yards was impossible.
She shot a spike with it @ 25 yds. and hit it in the neck so it was impossible to determine whether the load would have adequate penetration with a lung shot and still exit.
PS: My granddaughter was 9 yo at the time.
She shot a spike with it @ 25 yds. and hit it in the neck so it was impossible to determine whether the load would have adequate penetration with a lung shot and still exit.
PS: My granddaughter was 9 yo at the time.
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Rock Home Isle
54 Cal.
50 grains is more of a target load, not a hunting load.
The very first year that I ever hunted deer, mule deer, with a muzzleloader…my load was 54 grains of ffg. It was woefully under powered. I got 3 deer that first year and only one of them was a 1 shot kill.
I very quickly switched from that original load to a load of 95 grains of ffg in my .50 calibre rifle. World of difference, much more effective, much more humane…1 shot kills ever since.
Very good friend of mine hunts elk with 85 grains…that’s his minimum for all big game…I use 95 grains, and limit my shots to 100 yrds.
I bought a .50 Sharron Trade Rifle from a friend years ago and passed to on to another friend. The first owner/builder had hunted with it and taken 5 whitetails with it. He told me 50 grains of 3f would put a ball completely through a deer and that's what he hunted with.
I shot a deer last year with a Hawken style caplock , 70 grs. FFG and round ball at 80 yards broadside. complete pass through. Ran about 50 yards and dropped. Can't imagine 50 grs. preforming much different.
nchawkeye
58 Cal.
I would question what was happening, are your patches burning through?? There is a reason that gun will not shoot better than what you are describing....
With all due respect, it sounds like you already knew your own answer before posting the thread.
Rock Home Isle
54 Cal.
Troll?
Johnny Tremain
Silversmith in training
Find the Davenport Formula, its a sticky somewhere here.
It will lend you the amount of powder that is the max you can burn in your barrel, and work backwards for tightest group.
Yes, adequate for under 50 yards. Beyond that the drop would be enough to put you off a good kill. Increase charge to about 65 gr. Any loss in accuracy will be insignificant for hunting. Better a good kill than a wound and lose.
hanshi
Cannon
Some states where I've hunted required a minimum load of 50 grains of black. But that load will cleanly take deer if you hit them right. I once killed a deer at 75 yards with a .45 and 65 grains of 3F. The .50 ball has more mass and will do just fine.
No, just not sure if the difference between 70grs. and 50 grs. will make the difference between a clean kills or not. I can confirm the 70 grs. will produce a clean kill but can not confirm that 50 grs. will because I've never shot a deer with that load. I can only speculate that dropping to 50 gr. may not make much of a difference , but on the other hand maybe it does, I don't know. I'm asking people who have real world experiences shooting deer with a 50 gr. load to confirm this either way.
I hope this clears up any confusion.
Well yes and no, I assume (you know that saying) there would not be a big difference, but I'm being told 70 grs. is a minimum. I guess what I was looking for was some confirmation from people who have used a 50 gr load on deer and their real world results, good or bad. I would hate to lose or wound a deer based on my own assumption. Sorry for any confusion.
inside of 50 yards, yes it will do it
but I would be more comfortable with 75+ grain load
I suspect you can tighten up your group with a stouter load.
but I would be more comfortable with 75+ grain load
I suspect you can tighten up your group with a stouter load.
I read stories about youth hunts where someone's son or daughter shot a deer with reduced loads, 40 or 50 grains of powder. A perfect broadside shot at 50 yards or less is certainly doable.
I have a CVA Mountain Pistol, 50 caliber that I load with 45 grains of 3f and a PA conical bullet. If a had a deer come in to 15 to 20 yards while hunting with that pistol, I wouldn't hesitate to take the shot.
I have a CVA Mountain Pistol, 50 caliber that I load with 45 grains of 3f and a PA conical bullet. If a had a deer come in to 15 to 20 yards while hunting with that pistol, I wouldn't hesitate to take the shot.
SamTex1949
32 Cal.
why not conduct a simple test, take some scrap wood 2x4 or bigger , stack 2 together and shoot at, see what the penetration is at different ranges, If the ball punches through and depth there is your answer.
Mike in FL
50 Cal.
A deer is an easy animal to kill. Thin skin. Get both lungs. 50 grs is plenty. Best rifle I ever had was a Jim Chambers .50, 44" swamped barrel. My deer load was 80 3F. Small game and turkey 40 3F. 2 antler measures attached to loading block thong. Never shot a deer with 40gr, but I've no doubt it would have been fine. I've got 5O1years experience with flintlocks.
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