Those of you that hunt with 50cal?

[Danny Ross]

This is not about: Is 50cal and roundball enough, or the load depends on the gun. I am just curious, for those of you that hunt with a 50cal and roundball, what size roundball, what powder, what charge do you use out of YOUR gun or guns, what animals have you killed using it (not how many)? If you want, add whether percussion or flint and what barrel length. I am curious because, I would like to see what others experiences are with the 50cal, Thought I might learn something from seeing what others use, as I am the only one I hunt with that has used one. So I will start. I have used Pyrodex and Goex BP, 95grs for both powders, a .490 ball, using a 30 and 32 inch barrel, using both percussion and flint. The only animal I have been able to hunt/kill using my set ups is deer. All animals shot, were clean kills but one, that one I gut shot, that animal was recovered/found dead the same day. DANNY

 

[Roguedog]

I have a .50 cal percussion gun that I use 70 grains 3F blackpowder, a .490 roundball and a .015 patch. I have killed deer with it and if the shot is placed right, they go down quickly.

Jeff

 

[jamesthomas]

My load is 70 grns. of 3ff KIK, 1/8th inch fiber O.P. wad,.490 RB., .022 mattress ticking, TOTW Mink Oil lube, Flintlock, 33 1/2 inch Green mountain barrel. I get around 2 to 3 inch groups at 50 yards. Trying out a load using 2ff Olde Eynsford. Looks like it may be 70 grns. also. I have to get to the range a couple of more times to dial it in.

 

[BrownBear]

Between flinters and cappers we have something over half a dozen- all used for hunting rather than ranges. Every one of them seems to like 3f powder somewhere between 70 and 90 grains, with only tiny differences in groups anywhere along that scale. As a result I use an 80 grain measure with all of them. Coincidence or not, all of them like 3f better than 2f, and there's a decided difference between the two powders.

One place you will find a difference is in the ball/patch combo. The TC's have the shallowest rifling, and as a result want the tightest patch. I'm using .495/.018 in those, and having to use quite a bit of force to start the ball. The Pedersoli, Lyman and customs are perfectly happy with a .490/.018 combo.

We shoot a lot of reduced charges (30-35 grains) for small game. They all like the light charges, making for some cheap shooting and great practice on small game.

 

[vthunter52]

My load is 90 grs. 2f, .495 RB, with .10 patch. # years ago this load chronographed at 1460, from 26 inch bll.

 

[flyfisher76544]

70 grains of Goex 3F with a .018 patch and a .490 PRB. Have taken deer and hogs with my flinter. 42 inch Rice barrel.

 

[stinkyfeet]

70 grains of Goex 3F with a .018 patch and a .490 PRB. Have taken deer and hogs with my flinter. 42 inch Rice barrel.

80 grains 3f schuetzen a .491 ball with a .015 patch lubes with T7 bore cleaner it does the job very very well if I hunt with that gun of course.

 

[Stumpkiller]

In my .50 T/C New Englander I use 85 gr FFg and a a 0.490" patched round ball. I have had great results and the one buck that fell without moving it's hind legs was with that load. Reared up and dropped in a heap.

 

[hanshi]

I've taken a fair number of deer with various .50 rifles. My current .50 flinter really likes 70 grns of Jacks Battle Powder (3F), a .490" ball and a .024" ticking patch. I use Hoppes BP lube but going into the woods my rifle is always loaded with Bore Butter; reloads are with Hoppes. This load gives me 1700 fps from a 38" barrel.

 

[roundball]

".....for those of you that hunt with a 50cal and roundball, what size roundball, what powder, what charge do you use out of YOUR gun or guns, what animals have you killed using it (not how many)? If you want, add whether percussion or flint and what barrel length....."

.50cal T/C Hawkens, cap & Flint, T/C 28” x 1:48” barrels
.50cal T/C Hawkens Cap & Flint, T/C 31.5” x 1:66” barrels
Pyrodex RS in early caplock days, then Goex in Flintlocks ever since

90grns Goex 3F
OxYoke 1/8” .50cal prelubed wool OP wad
.018”-.020” precut/prelubed patch
Hornady swaged .490”

.50cal Dickert Flintlock ”“ GM 42” round bottom groove barrel
90grns Goex 3F
Duro-Felt 1/8” .54cal prelubed felt OP wad
.024” precut/prelubed patch
Eddie May cast .490”

Hunting in thick woods, fortunate to have taken a number of good deer (whitetails) with those combinations over the years.
Heart shots usually result in a 25-30yd sprint before crashing in sight, with the occasional rare one falling in a body length or two.

 

[KHickam]

Well, I shoot a flintlock rifle - .480 RB wonder lubed patch and 120 grs of FFg - with this gun and load I have killed a couple deer and 2 turkeys as well as many varmints - 42 swamped colerain barrel :hatsoff:

 

[Wayne R Scott]

I shoot 90 grs. FFG with .490 round ball patched with pillow ticking in a 36" Montana barrel Hawken replica 1-70" twist.

Mule deer, whitetails, Pronghorn. Mule deer at 110 yards was the longest shot.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

My .50 has a 38 in. Green Mt. bbl. Have used 100 grs. Pyrodex now use 90 grs. Goex 2F. Drill cloth patch with Bore Butter.490 ball. With this gun I have taken deer,turkey and a squirrel or two. Only found one ball in a deer the rest passed thru. Dan.

 

[RevGeo]

In my Traditions Hawken I shoot 85gr Goex, .490RB with pillow ticking patch. That's for deer and elk.No complaints here.

George

 

[George T.]

In my 50 GPR I use either the .490 with .018 patches or .495 with .010. I use 2f and my hunting load is 100 grains. I tried to use 100 grains but most of the increase was in muzzle blast. I also tried 3F but it shoots much better with 2F.

Geo. T.

 

[jsdmphs70]

I use a .490 round ball with 80 gr of FF. The rifle is a part set gun I made. I has a percussion lock on a 36" barrel. Took a nice cow elk in September with a single shot at 65 yards in the right shoulder. Ball was found under the skin of the left shoulder.

 

[BrownBear]

Between my wife and I we have seven 50 cals (2 Pedersoli, 3 TC's, and 2 Lymans). The barrels range from 24" to 39" if I recall correctly. Though they vary a little on what powder charge they prefer, we've settled on 80 grains of 3f for all of them, whether Goex or Pyrodex P, .490 balls and .018 patches with grease lube. They all shoot that load very well, and the small gains from adjustments simply don't justify having different powder measures, balls or patches for each one. This way we can grab a 50 caliber shooting bag and the rifle of our choice with no concern and effort to assemble and carry exactly the right components every time we change rifles.

The other load for us is the same patch and ball with 30 grains of the same powder. Dandy load for head shooting small game, as well as cheap plinking.

I've taken quite a few deer with 50 cal, but my wife sticks to her beloved 54 cal Lyman Deerstalker. Just prefers it to all others in the field. That may change this year after shooting a 50 cal Pedersoli Frontier Carbine I picked up a year or so ago. It's even lighter and easier for her to carry and shoot, and she shoots it well.

 

[kopfjaeger]

I hunt and got black bear and whitetail deer with a .50 caliber. I have three .50 calibers, two Early Virginia flintlocks, and a Late Lancaster flintlock. My favorite is my Early Virginia flintlock with a dome lid patch box, a 42" swamped barrel, and a single trigger. My load is a .490 ( 177 grain ) ball, a .015 patch, mink oil lube, and 80 grain of FFFG Goex. The black bear was shot at 60 yards, and the whitetails were shot between 30 to 110 yards. The 177 grain ball had no problem putting them down.

 

[kodiakk]

I use 490 ball 15 patch and 90 grains.