Roundball Bear Load

[Bob J]

After looking at the bear photos in rawhide's topic, I seriously doubt that my .54 charged with 85 grains 2f would break through a shoulder for a quick kill. Would a .62 loaded with a roundball and 100 grains 2f?

 

[roundball]

After looking at the bear photos in rawhide's topic, I seriously doubt that my .54 charged with 85 grains 2f would break through a shoulder for a quick kill. Would a .62 loaded with a roundball and 100 grains 2f?

I've never shot a black bear so this is an opinion only based on their similarity to deer.
If I was going after black bear and had my choice, I'd take my .58 or .62...I normally prefer the bigger calibers for big game.
Either for short to medium distances out to 75yds for the smoothbore, a good 100yds for the .58cal.

If I had neither and I was going to buy a larger caliber for bear, I'd buy a .62cal smooth-rifle.
Tremendous versatility beyond just black bears if you might hunt any other game like deer or hogs with PRBs...plus shot loads for squirrel, rabbits, doves, turkey, crows etc.

And IMO, 100grns Goex behind a .600"/325grn lead ball would get the job done with authority.
My deer load is 110grns Goex 2F and its been devastating on deer.

 

[shortbow]

I've shot them with a .54 and a similar load, kilt 'em no problem.

 

[tg]

With most big game Elk, Moose and such breaking thru the shoulder is not the prefered method of choosing the best shot placement I have talked to a few Bear hunters and they concured the same was true for Bruins, maybe a new game plan might be in order, just commenting on what I have been told by some reliable sources, basic theory is to not waste power busting up bones but rather take out vital organs directly by going around the bone so to speak.I guess taking out the vitals and smashing some bones on the way out would be doable, hopefully a number of experienced PRB Bear hunters will add to the data base here.

 

[biliff]

FWIW,
Last bear I shot with a RB was a shoulder shot at 100yds (ranged it later at 103). Hit the bone right at the transition from flat to round (imagine a canoe paddle). Broke the shoulder and put enough bone/lead fragments into the major blood vessels to kill it quickly. Pretty much just rolled down into the creek bottom at the shot. Ball did not penetrate to the far side of the chest cavity as the far ribs were untouched. Never did find the ball.

Load was a .570 ball and 90gr FFFg Goex (I think, been a few years). Best guess, the bear was about 180lbs.

Based on that one example, I was probably on the outer edge for a shoulder shot on a not particularly big bear. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Flint311]

Shoot for the lungs/heart and they will go down. All of mine were shot with 90 gr. in a 50 cal. homemade flintlock. Farthest shot maybe 40 yards. One went 500 lbs. Good luck and post pics!

 

[rabjr]

A .570 ball with 100grs 3F zips right through.

 

[rabjr]

This was at 18 yards and shows just what a prb can do. Shot through both shoulders.

*Warning!* The following shows a dead bear. If your squeamish and/or don't like that, don't click on the link.
http://www.nimrodsplace.com/video/Unclesbear08.wmv

 

[nchawkeye]

Back in the 80s, I was interested in building a flinter larger than my .45 as the bear population in eastern NC was growing...

The NMLRA started their own record book back then, I ordered mine the first year it was out and started researching what others were using...

The largest grizzly killed was killed with a .54 caliber ball in front of 120grs of FF Goex...The range was about 100 yards and the ball was found under the hide after passing through both lungs...

I figured if that caliber was good enough for a grizzly it would work for a black...

 

[Rat Trapper]

Having done a little bear hunting over the years, I'd go with a nice big fat conical. The conical will go through both sides. I'd also aim just behind the shoulder for a heart/lung hit.

 

[roundball]

No question many calibers will take animals, even at long ranges...with perfectly placed shots...that's why all of us know that "deer have been killed with .22 rimfires", etc...but you'd never see me going after a Grizzly with a relatively small .54cal PRB in a muzzleloader at 100yds...not my style.

Personal choice is to err on the side of caution by using plenty of caliber so if that big animal starts to turn just as the sear breaks...and its suddenly no longer a perfect shot by the time the Flintlock executes and the ball gets there...I have greater confidence that the larger, heavier ball will still get it done at distance whether an entire shoulder has now gotten in the way or not.

 

[Outdoor Success]

Back in the day a 50 cal Hawkins was considard the prefured Bear rifle. I know of many of elk that has fallen to a .50 and a.54 I don't have any doubt that the .54 would work great on Black Bear. That being said either would work unless it is an excuse to get a new .62 cal than thats the one you should go with :grin:

 

[Shine]

At this very moment im using 70 grs 3f and a. 490 roundball

 

[bowkill]

Hey swampy, when are you going to release a greatest hunting video.... I would buy one....or better yet sell me another hunting bag and throw the cd in for free. But if you are like me it would probably be a vhs tape because i spend all my money on flintlocks.

 

[Bob J]

Personal choice is to err on the side of caution by using plenty of caliber so if that big animal starts to turn just as the sear breaks...and its suddenly no longer a perfect shot by the time the Flintlock executes and the ball gets there...I have greater confidence that the larger, heavier ball will still get it done at distance whether an entire shoulder has now gotten in the way or not.

That's my concern, Roundball. Say you're hunting deer and a big black bear happens along and decides you're what's for dinner! A bear intentionally approaching you isn't the same as an unobserved bear ambling thru the woods. It seems that a stoutly charged .58 or .62 would be more apt to break through than a moderately loaded .50 or .54. Swampy's video proves the effectiveness of the roundball.

 

[Bob J]

This was at 18 yards and shows just what a prb can do. Shot through both shoulders.

*Warning!* The following shows a dead bear. If your squeamish and/or don't like that, don't click on the link.
http://www.nimrodsplace.com/video/Unclesbear08.wmv[/quote]
Thank's for posting that video! As I recall, that was a .58, wasn't it? How much did that bear weigh?

 

[rabjr]

That was from a 32" .58 I built my uncle yep. The ball went through both shoulders/lungs. The video stopped just short of its last moment. I forgot now but if you count the seconds after the shot, it was dead at 32 or 34 which is what one expects from a good bow hit through the lungs. It was small, dressing out 120 lbsish but it still showed what a ball that size at that close range can do.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Happily this year I get to pay attention to any black bear I see (open season!).

I have no experience with live ones, but have examined dead ones (field dressed and skinned). I'd put my money on the .62 ball and 100 gr powder. I've deer hunted with 0.715" to 0.490" and bigger definately puts the added mass to work.

But I'll be carrying a .54 and 85 gr FFFg and think that would get through the shoulder blade or upper arm bone well enough should the opportunity arise out to 60 yards or so. I don't think I'd opt for a shot that was of a forward angle such that it had to get through a forearm.

 

[Bob J]

That's the concern I have, Stumpkiller; if you had to shoot through the shoulder/forearm 'cause the large black bear was approaching you, would the .62 do it? I think the 340 grain roundball fueled by 100 grains 2f would do it with authority. Not confident the .54's 230 grain roundball powered by 85 grains would break through with enough "umph" to put it down quick. Yes the .54 is adequate for a well-placed shot, but we're talking a big black bear with an attitude (and a frontal/quartering shot).

 

[paulvallandigham]

If there is a reasonable possibility that you will be shooting Black Bears with a .54, consider casting your RBs from alloy lead, which will make the ball a few grains lighter, a few thousandths larger in diameter, but will penetrate through bone, muscles, and organs much better than soft lead balls. That .54 is still about 1/2 oz( approx. 230 grains). of lead, which is Nothing to sneeze about, as is. Given a choice, I would prefer using some kind of conical bullet for any bear, but when you get above .50 caliber, the weight of those RBs becomes a real factor in penetration. There is nothing small-boned about an Elk, for instance, and Elk are killed with pass-thru shots all the time, using a .54 cal. RB. A .58 caliber RB weighs about 6/10th of an oz( approx. 260 grains), and a .62 cal. RB weights about 3/4 oz( approx. 325 grains). That is a lot of lead, in large calibers to be hitting any game in N. America.


Remember: 7000 grains to the lb. 437.5 grains to the oz. Then weigh the RB you choose to use when hunting any animal to get an idea just how large it is.

Because of the round shape of a ball, penetration is more related to the weight of the ball, than to velocity. That is quite different from what we experience shooting modern smokeless cartridges and high speed bullets. :hmm: