Having some problems at 100 yards

[klsm54]

Dare I ask? ...

What powder would you be using, Red....? ....

(I figure this answer ought to get a rise out of the crowd... ;D)

[Bill]

Red, don't worry about an exit wound. What you just told me in your comment about the ball being under the hide on the off side is thats going to be a dead deer.
So what more do you want

[Purebred Redneck]

bill said:

Red, don't worry about an exit wound. What you just told me in your comment about the ball being under the hide on the off side is thats going to be a dead deer.
So what more do you want

I'd want something to make it through both shoulders if it came down to it. I prefer a shoulder shot b/c if you're to one side too far you hit the neck and if you're on the other side too far you hit the lungs.
If you aim for the lungs with a ball and it doesn't go there - it means a shoulder or a gut/liver shot. Neither one would be prefered with a ball.

[jimiowa]

admin said:

bill said:

Red, don't worry about an exit wound. What you just told me in your comment about the ball being under the hide on the off side is thats going to be a dead deer.
So what more do you want

I'd want something to make it through both shoulders if it came down to it. I prefer a shoulder shot b/c if you're to one side too far you hit the neck and if you're on the other side too far you hit the lungs.
If you aim for the lungs with a ball and it doesn't go there - it means a shoulder or a gut/liver shot. Neither one would be prefered with a ball.

The answer is obvious then! You need a bigger Gun! ;D
Maybe one of Two Moons Super 58's?
Though I can't quite see it myself, aside from the backstraps(only part I care about) the only meat on a deer is in the sholders and hams.
Why would ya wanta blow them all up?

[Purebred Redneck]

Ultimatly, I want a neck shot right between the neck and the front of the shoulder to put them down on the spot and then I'll run up and kill them with a knife or load another round depending on how spry they still are.

The next shot of choice is the shoulder shot. Why would I want to waste all that meat?
#1. Missouri has a lot of opportunity for deer hunting. Although I'm restricted to public land now, the chances of killing multiple deer are argueably less than private land. Nonetheless, missouri has virtually unlimited tags and the state in some cases will pay pay the processing fee if you donate meat to charity.
Me, I donate meat to myself, family, and friends.
But if you can shoot multiple deer, why not put them down right they stand or within 50 yards???

I always argue this
Why risk a gut shot and hours of wasted time when you can put a deer down on the spot. You can have the thing quartered on ice and back hunting in the afternoon. If killed in the evening, you can actually have the thing back at the truck before dark as opposed to going out and looking for it in the dark.
It's a matter of convience...especially when you're a bad shot

As for Scott, I don't know if you're being an @ss or not.
If not:
I use 75gr of pyrodex for balls
90 for slugs
and somewhere inbetween for miniballs.

[klsm54]

admin said:

.........As for Scott, I don't know if you're being an @ss or not.
If not:
I use 75gr of pyrodex for balls
90 for slugs
and somewhere inbetween for miniballs.

Now that wasn't nice... ;D

I was just curious. Have you ever tried real black powder??

[dakota]

I like to shoot through the shoulders. I like the game animal to drop where I shoot it. I am not that good of tracker for one thing. Therefore, I can understand your point of view regarding wanting penetration - through the shoulders.
How does your rifle shoot the minis and maxi's? How is the penetration with those projectiles?
It seems to me that 1 in 58 inch twist is perfect for round balls (at least in larger calibers) and I suspect in .50's also. I don't have experience with your .50 and the 1 in 58 twist. However, it seems to me you have a problem with the bullets stabilizing. I may be wrong and if your group is small but just to one side and low I am puzzled as you seem to be.
I admit having a strong negative reaction regarding sabbotted pistol bullets in muzzle loaders, it has not worked for people I have seen use them. However, I guess it does work for others.

[Purebred Redneck]

Scott, I have not tried black powder. I can't find it anywhere...
I've always used pyrodex.
I did buy a can of 777 last winter when it was dirt cheap but I haven't tried it.

I've seen what a 240gr hornady xtp did to a doe last year on a rib shot. It performed very well on that type of shot. There was a little bit too much expansion in my opinion. If that "little" bullet did that much damage then I wonder if it will fall apart on a shoulder hit. Of course all it has to do is get past one shoulder (assuming that the bullet will find it's way to the vitals.)

The problem with saboted rounds is the marketing that took place at the height of the 45cal sales. If you buy the lightest bullet, you can shoot 150-200 yards.
#1. Most rifles won't shoot a decent group at that range
#2. Most people are not capable of pulling that shot off with centerfire rifle. Most people don't use a horizontal treestand rest nor lay down prone. So I don't think 90% of hunters can hit them that far.

Those light 200gr 44cal bullets aren't going to work on deer. Like you, most people can't track deer. If they don't see the deer react like it's hit - they assume they missed. Some don't even go and see if they hit. And when you factor in the fact that most of the time you won't see a hit (at least clearly) b/c of the smoke...
My problem is not tracking. My problem is forgetting exactly where I shot so it takes me a while sometimes to find blood in the first place. But once I find it, I'm like a friggin bloodhound that can spot a speck of blood 10 feet away.

As to how rounds shoot in my gun.
The only conical I shoot is the big hornadys. The T/C and buffalo brand conicals are pieces of crap. I can normally put 3 slugs certainly under 2" at 50.
Hornady round balls are just a little bigger of a group at 50 --- though they tend to produce the better group at 25.
Penetration with the big 385gr hornady is not an issue at all.
If I had to guess, a buffalo ballet will penetrate alright.
The ballet weighs as much as most pistol slugs but this thing is solid lead instead of copper with exansion noses.

I'm going to check out the weather channel and will probably go shooting this afternoon so long as it gets really hot. You're like -what
Yeah, I try to go shooting when no one else will. Although I wonder if they'd let me do a penetration test shooting through their computer, washmachine, etc. ;D

[dakota]

In November, 1984 I shot a buck in the shoulder with a 165 grain Sierra bullet from my 30-06. The shoulder stopped the bullet. I followed that deer and finally brought it back to the pickup by midnight. Since then people have accused me of overkilling or using a too big a bullet/gun etc. However, I have not had to trail one since then. When it comes to centerfires I use a large enough rifle to drop the deer. My .54 muzzle-loader has a similar effect on deer.
A marginal size gun/load for hunting does not interest me much. Shooting the game and walking over to where it stood when I shot is what I like to do.
It looks like you have had a lot more experience with various types of projectiles from muzzle-loaders than I, so I probably should not have offered advice.

[Purebred Redneck]

Any advice is always appreciated b/c it leads to the next post and a newer topic.

I have found the solution to my problem at the range today
I've finally been able to try out the Harvester Saber Tooth bullets. These are a full 50cal, 270gr (comes in other wieghts too) bullets much like CVA's. They are easy to load even with a flimsy ramrod.

I was very pleased to shoot a 4 shot 4inch group at 100 yards. My target had a 6inch green circle and all the shots stayed in it ;D ;D ;D
Iron sights on a bright sunny day makes it hard to shoot.

These things are great and I can't wait to use them in the fall