What is your lowest hunting charge?

[SgtSchutzen]

You don`t need heavy macho powder charges to kill deer if you know how to shoot.
Amikee is asking if 60grs of powder is enough for 50 to 60 yard shots, and it is. Had he been asking about 100 yard shooting I would have sugested he try to work up a stronger load.
I shoot for the heart/lungs and get complete pass through penetration on almost every deer I kill using 60grs of powder behind a .440 ball in my .45cal rifle. Like I said in my original reply though, my shots are well inside the 100 yard line.

 

[hanshi]

I guess I should have added that here in Va. (for all calibers) the minimum load you can use is 50 grains.

 

[BrownBear]

Pick a caliber, any caliber, and you'll find guys that swear you're using too much or too little, no matter what the charge. It depends a lot on what they've read, what's worked for them, and the kind of country (and distances) they hunt.

Heck, I'm using 15 grains in a 32 cal, and there are guys around who won't hunt with less than 30 grains. And we're talking rabbits and squirrels there- not deer! Move to moose or elk and it goes not only for powder charges, but also for ball diameter.

It's all opinion based on reading or experience, and you kinda have to build up your own evidence for your own woods, your own animals and your own guns.

If there's one rule of thumb, it's that if you don't hit them in the right spot, the absolutely most correct load in the world ain't worth spit.

 

[Rhett Griffith]

I agree with BrownBear on this. Bullet placement is more important than energy from what I have seen. :idunno:

 

[SgtSchutzen]

If there's one rule of thumb, it's that if you don't hit them in the right spot, the absolutely most correct load in the world ain't worth spit.

Amen to that Brother :bow: :thumbsup:

 

[VEARL]

I shoot a 490 RB with .015 patch sitting atop a load of 80Gr. of Goex 3f. in my GPR.
My comfort distance is 75 yds (3 in group). To make a 100 yd shot I will have to hold a little high.
Never have recovered any RB on all the deer that I have harvested with it. They were all thru and thru.
For a fast second shot..I flip the switch to the attached grenade launcher and ...... :rotf:

 

[mr.flintlock]

60gr will give you enough power at the ranges that you mentioned in a 50 caliber rifle with patched round ball. The most important thing is, does that load give you good accuracy. Bullet placement is important on any game animal. I posted earlied about a 6point buck I killed Tuesday. Using a45cal. PRB and 50 gr of 3-f.

 

[August West]

I killed a doe on monday with 60 grs of 3f and a 490 ball patched with .015 ticking, not very far at all from where Mr. Flintlock killed his buck. The shot was about 50yds and she dropped on the spot, ball made a crater in the mud on the other side. If you hit them where you need to, especially the small deer we have down where I live, it doesn't take a magnum to put meat in the freezer. Chris

 

[KyFlintlock]

Where you hit them will matter more than how hard. I use whatever load gives me the best accuracy. If 60grs is what your rifle likes, that should do well for you at the distance you describe.
The places I usually hunt are thick, and most of my deer kills have been made at what could be considered archery ranges (less than 50yds). My favorite deer rifle is .45cal and it shoots best with about 60grs Goex fffg. My .50cal likes alittle more, about 75grs.
Just remember, put your ball in a good spot and the deer will be dead.

BOOOM!

 

[Spikebuck]

I shoot 90 grs of 2F in a 54 cal with PRB. While I believe one can kill deer with much less, as long as the gun is accurate for deer with a higher load, my preference is to use it. Just like one can kill a deer with a 30 lb bow if the shot is perfect, one can kill deer with low-end loads...if the shot is perfect. We all know that sometimes shots, for some reason or another, are less than perfect or hit much more muscle/bone, like on a very big mature deer , and it's nice to have the extra energy in those cases. Also flattens trajectory to make it less critical on distance judging.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Probably what I just loaded into my 20 ga. smoothie. 60 gr. 3Fg with a patched .600 round ball. Otherwise, for many years, it was 65 gr. in my .45 cal. flint longrifle. More not necessary for deer.

 

[buttonbuck]

I shoot what hits most accurate in the case of my 54 renegade it is 70 grains of 3f Goex. I have a friend who has a couple of 50cal tc hawkens he shoots 4" groups at 100 yards using 80 but inside of 50 he uses 60 and gets 1-1.5 inch groups I hunt timber and brush mostly and have never shot any deer over 60 yards most are bow range. From what I have experienced (I may be wrong here) but I think lower charges can help a round ball expand better.

 

[loki04]

Sir,

My lowest load? I decided to try a new load last year, which proved to be quite fatal. I used zero grains. There is nothing quite as fatal to your hopes of success than drawing a bead on a nice fat doe, and realizing that you have dryballed. :redface:

Loki