Turkey or hornets nest

[arw22lr]

It would be fun & a challenge to hunt turkeys w/a ML rifle. The guns & hunting author John Wooters wrote that center-fire rifles should have a muzzle velocity of about 2000 fps max. for turkeys. Anyone know if that is about the mv of smallbore ml rifles, say .32-.40?

 

[arw22lr]

Wooters' reasoning was that over 2000fps too much meat would be destroyed (he used body shots).

 

[Brent]

Typical .32-40 loads will be closer to 1500 than 2000 for most lead bullet loads as used in Schuetzen competition. With black powder it would be a bit less, but not much.

Brent

 

[paulvallandigham]

Rather than use the old .32-40, try a .32-20. Mine will send a 110 grain bullet out at about 1300 fps, which is more than adequate within 50 yds. Because of the Cowboy Action shooting craze, you can find new lever action .32-20 rifles today.

The same 90-110 grain bullets cast for the .32-20 can be sized and shot accurately out of a .32 caliber muzzleloading rifle using black powder. Since the .32-20 was originally a black powder cartridge, you can load those cartridges even today with black powder for a nostalgic hunting experience, too. Use an OP wad behind these bullets in barrels intended for shooting the PRB, to seal the gases behind the bullet, for best accuracy. There just is not much body mass to stop any kind of conical bullet you use, regardless of caliber. A hit under the wing bones will put a turkey on your table. The nice part about using a slower bullet is it doesn't destroy much meat.

 

[arw22lr]

Actually I meant .32 cal to .40 cal muzzleloaders; should have written it differently. I am wondering if the muzzle velocity of these smallbore ml's is near that 2000fps "rule".

 

[nchawkeye]

It depends upon how much powder you use...
2000fps is easily attainable especially with these smaller calibers, but not necessary to easily take game...

As an example, in my .40 I drop down to 25gr FFF for squirrels and rabbits out to 50 yards...I go to 50 grs for larger critters like groundhogs and foxes...If I was able to use this rifle for turkeys, I'd load up 50 grs and have at it...

 

[texcl]

I'm building a flint .36cal tennessee rifle for spring turkey season here in ND. In ND the only rifle you can use for turkey is a muzzleloader, and I feel no shame in killing with one, I have killed turkeys in the past that had 10+ pieces of shot in them from shotgun hunters, and I have been in the field and seen more turkeys wounded by hunting partners using shotguns than with rifles mainly because the shot was too far, I personally think that the rifle is more effective and less likely to wound. I would not aim at the head though unless it's under 30 yards. The base of the neck is a good target, like any hunting shot pick your shot well and you shouldn't have any problems. I do have to say I have shot the majority of my turkeys with shotguns and I'm not going to say they aren't effective because they are, besides it's easier to load than my ML's.(but ML's are far more fun)

 

[Roy]

So where are ya hunting? I thought about going this year and using my .45 :thumbsup: