Those who have killed deer with a .40cal PRB...

[roundball]

...please post details and photos, thanks !

 

[WV-Rocklock]

Roundball,

I've had my flints on the back burner for a while as I've been hunting with my longbows for the last few years.

I did a search and found a post I made 7 years ago on my first deer with my then new 40. (Time flies!)

My load was 60 grns of 3 F, .400 cast RB and .18 pillowtick patch. I only had a clear shot at the head and neck. The ball took out the spine and was just under the skin on the off side. The deer was a small button.

I apologize for the poor pictures.

I took another doe,later with the same load at about 75 yards. The shot was broad side, double lung and the ball went on through. The deer went about 50 yards and was recovered. I didn't take any pics of this one.

I'm sure someone will post something more current soon.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Back in 1988 I believe it was when I got my .40 I shot an average size doe at about 85yds. (too far maybe)using 55grs Pyrodex .395 Hornady round ball pillow tick patch lubed with wonderlube. The shot was broadside thru both lungs looked like a pencile passed thru. Got good blood trail with deer going about 100yds. The only reason I took the shot was because I had been shooting that gun all year and squirrel hunted several times and felt very confident making the shot. Wouldn't shoot one that far again and passed on others. Now use a .50 or .54 and blackpowder but wouldn't stay home if the .40 was all I had. No picture was taken. Dan.

 

[Rat Trapper]

great posts guys. Enjoyed the info, but the .40 ball still looks kind a small to me. Hope we get some more posts on this subject.

 

[Walks with fire]

I can't say on the .40 but I shoot a .50 and I consider it to be even a bit small. I too will look forward to the posts on this topic. The .50 is all I have ever used on deer.

 

[majg1234]

last year took a doe with my TVM SMTN 40cal.No picks though (battery was dead) 60gr Ffg Goex,felt wad from a ruger old army over the powder,015 pillow tick patch,beeswax olive oil lube and hand cast 390 ball from a lee mold.She was broad side a little less than 40yrds,complete pass through and DRT with a shot placed a little high on the shoulder

 

[hanshi]

That sounds doggone impressive. Love the .40.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I don't have any pictures but my nephew and his son have both shot several large bucks with 40 calibers. One was a ten point over two hundred lbs. Another was a twelve point even bigger. :idunno: :idunno:

 

[roundball]

...please post details and photos, thanks !

There are some threads about hunting with .40cals...really asking for specific details / photos with this thread...so far, pretty skimpy

 

[tg]

Navy Arms Kentucky caplock with Gm .40 x36"barrel using .400 ball .012 patch oil/wax lube 60 gr 3f goex, Deer on wall taken at around 45-50 yds slightly quartering away standing still ball stopped on far side in shoulder Deer went 15yds and piled up, one week earlier took a large forkhorn at 40 yds broadside ball was thru and thru same gun ans load took two or three does with same gun load all under 65-70 yds all,but one thru/thru did not loose a Deer shot with .40. let several nice Deer walk that were out paat 70-75 yds, these are Blacktail considerably smaller thna the Whitetails and Muleys many hunt though the one on the wall was a pretty larger deer, we had taken pics of one of my Does and one taken by a friend but the disposable camera got disposed of somewhere netwen camp amd home at the end of the hunt, all these hunts were between 1994-1999 as best I can recall

 

[BillinOregon]

Nice blacktail buck, tg!

 

[tg]

Yeah, I had one that I am sure was bigger I took with a CVA Kentucky .45 in the late 80's probably 130+ score but it was cut up into craft items,I was never imnto the "trophy" thing, a friend stopped by and saw this one an mentioned that it was a rather large Blacktail, so I did some checking and decided to have a friend mount it or it would have been reduced powder measure now,I have seen several larger ones which could have been taken with a centerfire with scope bit I accepted this possibility when I went to ML only hunting, I do have several sets of racks around on plaques since I shot this one on the wall and use the fork and spike horns for crafts, I do not hunt for horns as such I have taken probably at least as many Does as Bucks in my lifetime, the .40 was a good little Der rifle but does have a built in limitation as to effective range in my opinion and 50-60 yds would be a good max IMHO just to give the benifit of any doubt to the Deer, you can get that little ball moving pretty fast with 60 gr 3f and if the barrel will hold good accuracy that speed makes up for the lack of weight up to a point, but the range is the all important factor.I recal.l in the 1970-80'd that .45 a,d .50 cals probably made up well over 75% of the cal of ML's used for hunting and many were .45's "magnumitis" took a while longer to get a foot hold in the ML world,not that there is any thing wrong with using .54 thru .72 guns for Deer, many times the smaller cals ae more comfortable to shoot and woll do quite well if one sticks to the pre determined limitations, as for that once in a lifetime Buck that is always out forth as the reason for a bigger gun tha shoots farther ...he will always be there out of range of what ever you carry into the woods

 

[tg]

I found a photo of the Fork horn that was taken with the same .40 that took the Deer on the wall it was taken about a week before or after I don't recall which was first, I think the Forkhorn was

 

[roundball]

:hmm: ...not much .40cal activity in the world of deer hunting.

 

[wilded]

I don't have pictures but have taken several does and feral hogs with my Vincent .40 I try to keep my shots inside about 60 yards. My load is 55 grains of 3F and they sometimes run a ways but I have not lost one yet. Of course our whitetails here in Central Texas weigh less than 100 pounds. It seems to kill every bit as well as my daughters .223 modern rifle. ET :idunno:

 

[Rat Trapper]

Recently got a pic of a real nice buck a friend shot in MO. when he was here in Oct, he told me he was going to shoot a deer with his .40 Hawken that he built. Not to be, used his 243 win. I'm going to use mine on rabbits and squirrels, before I even think about going deer hunting.