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Post by 340wby on Sept 10, 2005 23:45:00 GMT -5
I really like my 62 caliber HAWKEN,the damn rifle wont shoot slugs or mini-balls worth $%%^, but it shoots a patched balls into a 2 1/2" or smaller 3 shot ,hundred yard group off the bench regularly
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Post by klsm54 on Sept 11, 2005 11:29:27 GMT -5
I have always been a fan of a .54 caliber muzzleloader. To me, a recoil sissy, I could still handle a stiff load with a Maxi if I needed some real punch,and moderate loads with round balls are still downright pleasant to practice with.
I know others will disagree, but I don't consider anything less than the .54 to be a good deer gun when used with round balls. Pennsylvania has always been a Flintlock and roundball state, give me a .54 or .58, or larger, and those round balls are lethal.
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Post by Jack on Sept 11, 2005 20:25:43 GMT -5
I use a 50 with a Minie ball.
I'm not a black powder purist; I'm more from the "well, if I buy this used gun for $100 (I did) I can hunt an extra week" school of ML shooters.
My rifle is a traditional type made by CVA- nothing fancy at all- plain beech stock, etc. But, it's nice and light to carry, and it shoots rather well after I put a peep on it.
A 50 with a 360 grain Minie ball is a kicker in a light rifle, but it sure works!
Since it's my only front stuffer, I guess it's my favorite !
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bounce
Royal Member
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Post by bounce on Sept 11, 2005 22:25:56 GMT -5
All of them, try to have as many cal.'s as I can. But for deer .54 fowlowed closely by .58 then .50 then any of the rest that's leagal for deer. My old .40 was outlawed in NE. so it is now a winner for squirel in a new .32 match bbl. Did use it as both when a .40 and was a very good duel rifle. a .45 with a bullet is much better than any 45-70 center fire, their hardy any limit. You can load from 70gr to your guns limit?  say 140gr? That covers all the old buffalo rifles. So for you strong and hardy deer killers have Two Moon's make you a .75 to shoot a 750 gr. bullet with 160gr. powder or more? D*D will be jelious.....smiles.... |
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Sept 11, 2005 23:18:34 GMT -5
As I have said before, Missouri hunters used to be forced between a muzzleloader and a rifle. Made it nice - let the public land guys blast crap for two weeks and then you had the woods to yourself. Nope, not anymore - all the idiots went and bought cheap guns like jack lol and they still don't know how to use them 10 years later. So now public land is so crowded that I'm forced to hunt a bowhunting only place. But to the favorite caliber - I'll have to say 54 if you're using iron sights and 50 with a scope. I've killed deer with success with 50cal balls and certainly not afraid to use them again - but the 54 packs a wallop. With the wallop though means worse trajectory after 100 yards. Unfortunatly with the new technology, people are shooting deer 150-200 yards with muzzleloaders now.  Can't wait till I get private land again and I'll join the club - but until then I'll keep boycotting the new guns!!! |
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Post by deputydon on Sept 12, 2005 8:01:18 GMT -5
My Two Moons .62 caliber rifled half stock has taken more deer foe me than any other ML.
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Post by Bill on Sept 13, 2005 22:28:13 GMT -5
I use a .58 Cal. Killed a deer with it the first season Nebraska had and one every year since then thill I became self employeed and didn't get to hunt much. As far as I'm comcerned its able to handle just about anything on the N. American content with round balls. I have an Idea that it would pretty much knock a Moose on its hindquaters without much touble.
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Post by 340wby on Sept 14, 2005 8:51:11 GMT -5
"have an Idea that it would pretty much knock a Moose on its hindquaters without much trouble."
Id bet serious money ,youll be very surprized if you ever get the chance to try it!
yeah a 58 caliber round ball from a muzzle loader is fully capable of KILLING a moose, but having seen several (6 now) moose shot over the years with muzzle loaders and even modern magnums like a 375 H&H and 300 wby mag,Ive yet to see one drop to a shot, Id say the normal reaction to a HEART /LUNG shot placed behind the front leg
(which is what you best take with a round ball muzzle loader)
is to walk or run off a short distance, wander around for up to a minute then to slowly settle to the ground like a deflating ballon.
moose just are not all that impressed with the 1000 ft lbs of energy or less a muzzle loader hits them with, but then even modern rifles seldom DROP a moose in its tracks unless the central nervous system or spine is hit, and while a magnum hardly does any better ,neither knocks your average large bull on his butt!
now Im not saying a 58 won,t kill moose effectively, because it does a good job, only that it takes awhile for a 1000lb-to-1800 lb animal to bleed out and your sure not going to shock one off his feet!
think im wrong? place a few large sand bags in a garbage can, (which may weigh 10% of what a moose weights) place that on a table, and try to knock it off the table with your muzzle loader, youll have about the same success
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bounce
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Post by bounce on Sept 14, 2005 19:25:04 GMT -5
I can even hear bill smiling all the way across the state, with his .58 Hawken loaded with 180 or more gr. of swiss black powder and a patched round ball.
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Post by Bill on Sept 14, 2005 20:50:08 GMT -5
Yes you can can't you Bounce. :-)
I think that this .58 does a mite better than the average or above average .58. The same as does D-D's .62 and Bounces .58 as their not your regular traditional ML.
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Post by 340wby on Sept 16, 2005 16:32:27 GMT -5
I load 120-130 grains of 2 f under my 62 caliber patched balls, and IM well aware of the way a ball flattens into a half dollar size disc on impact leaving a huge path of destroyed lung tissue , deadly it is, but moose are huge and hard to impress instantly, ive seen them take several shoots into the lungs and run off a short distance then fall, sure those 58-62 calibers work great! yet Ive not seen a moose that was not spined or head shot drop at the shot,....killed quickly yes, dropped no!
Ive even made perfect heart shots on 120 lb fla deer that ran 20 yards before falling with my 62 calibrer
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Post by deputydon on Sept 16, 2005 22:59:31 GMT -5
I load 120-130 grains of 2 f under my 62 caliber patched balls, and IM well aware of the way a ball flattens into a half dollar size disc on impact leaving a huge path of destroyed lung tissue , deadly it is, but moose are huge and hard to impress instantly, ive seen them take several shoots into the lungs and run off a short distance then fall, sure those 58-62 calibers work great! yet Ive not seen a moose that was not spined or head shot drop at the shot,....killed quickly yes, dropped no! Ive even made perfect heart shots on 120 lb fla deer that ran 20 yards before falling with my 62 calibrer Excuse me..............I don't mean to brag...............I have a .62 caliber rifled barreled half stock custom built by Two Moons for HEAVY LOADS and Elk hunting. It was proofed with a load I won't mention,I normally shoot 220 grains of FFg and I have pacticed alot on long range shots. I know what she will do. And have harvested a large number of deer w/ this rifle. Never have made it Elk huntin' w/ her yet. Please don't anyone use this load in a normal rifle. At times I have backed off to 200 grains of FFg but thats the least I have ever shot in this gun. |
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Post by deputydon on Sept 16, 2005 23:01:40 GMT -5
P.S. If someone would pay for the trip I'ld be gald to try her on a Moose.
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bounce
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Post by bounce on Sept 17, 2005 9:42:32 GMT -5
This is to try and explane further D*D, Bill's, and my rifle. All were special built for extra heavy charge, all are diferant, D*D gun is a haff stocked English rifle, bill's is a Hawken, Mine is a 1750's Pennsyvania long rifle with 44" bll. As to what they will do, Mine is the little one. When I first got mine we had a gong at 100yds at are range. It was the cooking pot same as resteraunts use for brosting chickens, made of very heavy alluminumm. I loaded 140 gr and a patched round ball & fired at the gong witch was new at this time. I saw sand behind the gong splash up like I had missed. Then the gong flew straght back a full 45 degrees & swung like nothing ever before or cence buy anyone else shooting. on checking the gong it had a .58 hole on the front side & a jaged pea sized hole through the back side. Remeber mine was a baby charge, but do get over 2000 ft per second volosity from the 44 " brl. and they need more Powder to catch me in that way. Mine with that load will shoot toataly flat to 180 or more yds at 200 yds I need to raise the sights just a tad to be right on!!!
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Post by deputydon on Sept 17, 2005 10:07:58 GMT -5
The only down fall if you can call it that,is that as we get older the huge loads take a toll when pacticing. But I never notice anything when huntin'.
BTW we have been shooting these rifles for close to 20 years now if I have it figured right......... That sound right Bill & Bounce?
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say 140gr? That covers all the old buffalo rifles. So for you strong and hardy deer killers have Two Moon's make you a .75 to shoot a 750 gr. bullet with 160gr. powder or more? D*D will be jelious.....smiles....
