Best calibers for hunting

[DanL]

Paddlefoot...In what area of GA are you hunting?

I am just across the Chattahoochee south of Columbus, GA. In my area we have basically the same deer as most of GA. I have had great success for better than 35 years with a .50 cal. I use 90 grains FFG and roundball. I have even taken quite a few of your GA pigs with the .50.

I have recently started shooting a .54 cal. I find it to have just that little more umph in case you run into your GA pigs on your deer hunt and depending on your location (especially South GA) you will see pigs in GA.

Even with great long term success with the .50, If I were to choose one rifle for this area...with what I know now...I would choose the .54 cal.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

DanL

[R. Hare]

Hi there,

I've used a .54 and .58 flint more than anything else, and been more than pleased with them.
I'm not sure the overkill idea really works.
What I mean is, I've shot muleys with the .58, and you can eat right up to the bullet hole,... no ruined blood-shot meat like a modern high-power can give you.

I don't have many recovered balls,  most seem to go through from most angles. but meat mainly undamaged.
Shot rabbits, etc with same gun, and so long as you pop them in the head, no bothers.

All best.

Richard.

[ironsights1]

Like some of the previous posts have noted, I've also seen everything from a .22 to a .375 Winchester take deer.  Personally, with a muzzleloader, I've taken them with a .45 up through a .62.  I feel the most confident with a .50 or larger but realize that a large caliber will never make up for poor shot placement.  Having said all of that, I personally have the most confidence in my .54 or .58 flintlocks for doing the job out to 100 yards.  They have been flawless over the past years in bringing in the venison. Tom

[omark]

im in western colo. i have used a 50 w/prb for several deer. several yrs ago i built a fullstock hawken percussion in 62. i generally take broadside chest shots, and with either, i dont think any have ever gone over 65-70 yds when hit right. i usually use 100 grs 2f in the 62 and 80-100 3f in the 50.  i shot a 2pt (western count) with the 62 at 135 paces and he didnt go 65 yds and the ball went clear through, of course.  i have thought of going to a 54 for economy. a 62 of course only yields 20 shots a pound of lead.

[Paddlefoot]

I haven't done any GA hunting yet, which is the major point of the question. I will be in Hall County, North Georgia, about 10 miles north of Gainesville. There is going to be a lot I will have to get used to. I was back there looking at the property my mom left me and there is a good bit of deer sign around but none of my family hunts so I couldn't get any feedback from them. High adventure in their eyes is killing a snake crossing the road.
I'm really looking forward to seeing more of the country back there. My property is not too far from the southern end of the Appilachian Trail so I have a lot of catching up to do. Researching ancestors and all...great,great, grandma was full blood Cherokee with relatives relocated in 1838 on the trail of tears.
I do thank you all for sharing your experiences and opinions. I'm thinking a Mark Silver-Virginia Rifle in .58 might be a good choice since I have a number of different molds for balls in that caliber and should be able to find some combo that shoots well. I have never shot a pig with a muzzleloader but we have Russian Blue Boars out here that do take a lot of killing even with modern stuff. Always use enough gun.

[R. Hare]

Paddlefoot,

My '58's a Mark Silver flint, and it's never let me down in years and years of hunting.
I don't think you could go wrong with this rifle.

Here in Alberta there are some big heavy deer, and it's never let one get away.

just need to keep range to about 100 yds or less, though some have stretched this a bit.
You should really enjoy your chance to hunt on the old place!

[BrownBear]

Mood and circumstances have a lot to do with caliber choice with several in the house.  I hunt deer in very serious brown bear country, seeing sign every day and often meeting their source.  These are the big coastal grizzlies with the biggest topping 1000 pounds.  You'd think I'd be hunting with heavy loads in my 58, just in case of troubles.  Not necessarily.  If they are particularly active in one area, I just hunt somewhere else.  Best bear "defense" I know of.

I've been hunting with a 50 cal (80 grains of 3f), mostly because I really like the rifle.  It's a dandy deer combo without regard for any bear "stopping" potential or lack thereof. 

Starting today I'm switching to a short, fast 58.  More bears?  Nope.  Tougher deer?  Nope.

The weather has turned to **** and the deer have moved into deep cover.  With the rain and all, I want a bigger blood trail along with more potential to drop a deer quickly.  There are bonus points since the bears like cover too, making for close encounters and quick reaction times.  It's also harder to detect their sign beforehand and pick another hunting area.

Come to think of it, the weather is getting worse by the minute.  Maybe I'll just stay home today and go back to the 50 caliber once it clears.

[northmn]

"Overkill" with a relatively slow moving patched round ball does not really exist.  When I say "slow moving" most loads are 2000fps or less.  In big bores more like 1800 or less.  About all that a big bore does is blow a bigger hole in the terrain on the far side of the deer.  You will not get the meat destruction of the high velocity modern rifles, but they work.  As to anchoring a deer on the spot, unless you break bones or destroy the spine or brain it ain't going to happen.  A friend of my son's bought a bolt action in 50BMG.  Shot a 750 grain bullet at 2700 fps or so.  He hit a large doe with it and blew out the far side of the rib cage and saw her run about 70 yards.  I have seen them go down on the spot with small calibers and seen them run hit very hard with very large calibers.  Seems that those that are in the woods and think they are safe go down quickest.  A big bore in a round ball is just better because it penetrates more if you need it and leaves an adequate blood trail.  If you have to anchor one on the spot, breaking a shoulder as Dpharsis mentioned is about the safest bet.  May destroy a little meat but shoulder meat is ground for hamburger anyway.  Slower bullets are not as bad as fast ones.  My old 270 with 130 grains would take out a whole shoulder.  I still remember watching a deer run off the field well over 100 yards and go across the road into a patch of woods hot by the 270.  Hit perfectly right behind the shoulder, flawless bullet performance with insides turned to jelly.  You tell me?

DP

[roundball]

But there is really something unique about a round lead ball...basically every deer I've shot with a PRB has fallen within sight...a couple where they stood, most after a mad dash for 25yds, and a couple that crashed down 35-40yds away past a few trees...I always try for a heart shot and they just don't get very far...I seen a couple make a mad dash after I've shot them through the heart and run headlong into a tree 25yds away, dead on their feet...a remarkable projectile really

[Candle Snuffer]

I've never hunted deer with anything less then .45 PRB and have also used the .50 and .54 PRB for taking deer and antelope.  They all work and shot placement is everything.  Roundball goes for the heart, I like to go for the lungs.  Just two different schools of thought on where to hit 'em, but both work provided we've done our part and put the ball where it needs to go within our chosen range of good marksmanship acceptance.  

I spend a lot of time at the range shooting my .45, so I do prefer my .45.  I've yet to make (in my book) a poor shot on deer size game with any of the three, .45, .50, and .54,,, knock on wood, and I do feel a successful hunt is directly related to range time with any caliber the hunter has chosen to hunt with.

I'm not saying I will never make a poor shot because it can happen in a heart beat to any of us.  I just feel if you're a hunter and prefer a certain caliber round ball over another and you have confidence in your shooting ability from your range sessions, there's no reason not to use what is legal in your state, be it a .38, .40,
.44, .45, and so on.  Confidence in your chosen muzzle loader and your shooting ability has a lot to do with making the good shot that will put meat on the table.

Just my thoughts.

[Daryl]

I was out testing both my .40 longrifle and .50 Canoe guns yesterday.  I came away with a healthy respect for the 'bounce' that light canoe gun has with 90gr. 3F GOEX and a .490" round ball. The .495" ball didn't seem to add anything to it's accuracy as both acounted for some 2" groups at 50 yards. What I did find, was that it was awful trying to shoot it offhand. It's light weight made hitting a rabbit target at 25 yards an iffy thing. Since that target was similar to a deer's lungs in size, I decided the rifle needs more barrel weight - the 21" .50 without underrib just doesn't cut it. Even the addition of an underrib on that short barrel won't give enough weight, so it's going to be re-barreled this winter. Mayber I'll put a 30" .54 on it due to it having a 15/16" barrel size. We'll see.
  As I'd like to use a flinter for deer this fall, I'll just put the .45 barrel back on my longrifle and use it.  It's very accurate, I have faith in it and my shooting with it. That's 2 good reasons to use the .45 instead of the .50.

[BrownBear]

What I did find, was that it was awful trying to shoot it offhand. It's light weight made hitting a rabbit target at 25 yards an iffy thing.

Hey Daryl.  Try a different style of shooting with that whippy gun.  Think of how you shoot a lively shotgun at a departing grouse.  I use my short rifles for quick shooting in close cover, for which they excell.  There's something about standing on a range that makes us try to use "quick" guns for slow deliberate shooting.  I'm amazed at how much better I shoot mine when I start with them at the ready position at my waist, then deliberately raise and fire them the moment the sights line up.  Sounds crazy, but it just about cuts my groups in half from slow and deliberate aiming.  It's more of an eye-and-hand thing like hitting a baseball than a whole body thing.

[roundball]

It's light weight made hitting a rabbit target at 25 yards an iffy thing. Since that target was similar to a deer's lungs in size, I decided the rifle needs more barrel weight - the 21" .50 without underrib just doesn't cut it. Even the addition of an underrib on that short barrel won't give enough weight, so it's going to be re-barreled this winter.

I gradually replaced every wooden under-barrel ramrod I had with 3/8" solid brass...the extra couple pounds out front is terrific in settling down muzzle wander.

[northmn]

While I think it has to do with nostalgia, the 13/16 45's are what got me hooked in the first place on ML's, I like them.  When I started shooting ML's in the later 70's about every Pennsylvania rifle I saw had a 13/16 45 barrel.  Also saw some great shooting with them.  They held pretty good for me, but then I never liked as heavy of rifle as some.  For five shot groups they tended to casue fatigue after a 3-4 relays.  I shot some of the best 5 shot groups ever with one.  At one match since I was the returning "champion" (long story you had to be there) I got to pick my target and take on all challengers for a very large locally ground sausage roll.  I remained undefeated and won the sausage.  It was a small life size squirrel target.

DP

[tg]

It has to be the cal/gun you feel most confident and comfortable with this is dependant also on the game of choice, a .54 will suffice for anything in the lower states ceot the big Bears, every game animal in the lower states has been kileed with the .50 ball but many would comsider it to small for moose and marginal for Elk, this is one of those things ya gotta figure out for your self.

[long carabine]

 I like big calibers...ie...the bigger the ball the bigger the hole and the less you will have to track the animal...if you have the right shot placement.

[Daryl]

I miss my .69, snifffff.

[Paddlefoot]

Well at least nobody said squirrel couldn't be taken with anything that didn't have a lanyard!

[Jerry V Lape]

Notice most of you reported your state having some minimum caliber or projectile weight for muzzleloading rifles for hunting.  Arizona had no restrictions on muzzleloaders regarding minimum caliber and the only restriction on modern rifles is it has to be a centerfire.  This includes deer, elk, bear, buffalo even.  Anyone else live in a state such loose restrictions?   They do have some minimum restrictions on draw weight and minimum width of broadheads for the archers though.  (40lb pull, 50lb on buffalo). 

Because there aren't restrictions, it isn't unusual to encounter some foul ball hunting with a .22 centerfire  for elk.  Ran into one of the State's possum cops who touted the .22-250 as his favorite elk rifle. 

[Daryl]

Jerry, there are some of us who could pull off such a stunt - BUT - wouldn't even attempt it becasue we have enough experience to know something could go drastically wrong and the game suffers.  Those who do carry such calibres for big game generally lack the expertise and knowledge to pull off the shots that are necessary. They also lack the morals to refuse to do the stunt.  There are bullets available that are capable on most of our big game in the .224 calibre, BUT, they are handloading propositions only and no ammo suitable for this is sold in stores. I would also draw the limit for sub calibres for big game at deer - nothing bigger. 

 Here, there is no lower limit other than it has to be a centrefire, except for use on buffalo. On both, the game branch screwed up immensly - as normal SNA-U.  What this means is I could conceivably go after moose or grizzlies with my .17AH. I could do the moose with handmade bullets, lathe turned ones at that, but still wouldn't. That would be a stunt and that moose deserves more respect- meaning a large bullet or ball.

[Jerry V Lape]

Daryl, I agree with you it is irresponsible to use a gun of insufficient ability for large game.  I am just amazed Arizona hasn't been more restrictive for their large game animals.  Far too many shooting with inadequate rifles.  Reverse of this is somewhat true as well.  I see even more hunters shooting magnum cartridges they are unable to handle because of recoil issues.  Many of them are unable to establish a zero with the rifle because they are flinching so bad at the range during thier one box/once a year practice a week before elk season.  If we knew the true numbers for these guys I would bet they do a lot of wounding for every elk recovered.   

[Kermit]

Out here in the upper left corner, .40 is the minimum for deer. It makes perfect sense to me. I don't think I've ever taken a shot at a Columbia Blacktail at more than 30 yards, and they are much smaller than your whitetails and mulies. Here on my island a big deer would be a 150lb (live) buck. Few ever get that big. A friend took a doe last fall that was 90lb live. Big rabbits.

I've got .25, .32, .45, .50, and 20 ga. The .50 smoothrifle would be my favorite on the east side of WA, but the .45 with 36" bbl is handier in the dense cover here on the rainy side of the Cascade Range. I've been thinking of a .40 smoothrifle lately.

[Dphariss]

Daryl, I agree with you it is irresponsible to use a gun of insufficient ability for large game.  I am just amazed Arizona hasn't been more restrictive for their large game animals.  Far too many shooting with inadequate rifles.  Reverse of this is somewhat true as well.  I see even more hunters shooting magnum cartridges they are unable to handle because of recoil issues.  Many of them are unable to establish a zero with the rifle because they are flinching so bad at the range during thier one box/once a year practice a week before elk season.  If we knew the true numbers for these guys I would bet they do a lot of wounding for every elk recovered.   

Just about anything is legal in Montana for just about anything. We like it like that.

Dan

[northmn]

Minnesota just "simplified" their firearms requirements and permit any centerfire rifle of 22 caliber or above.  One could hunt with a 22 hornet or a 380 handgun if they wanted.  Increased sales of 223's as many want to use them.  Still left the minimum for ML's at 40 for a rifle, 45 for a smoothbore (interesting distinction).  It may permit a little irresponsibility but I don't think it will too much.  the "magnum" mentality still exists and some may be able to hit with what they shoot.  I remember an individual in my deer hunting party many years ago that shot a 30-30 bolt off the bench so poorly I could have matched him shooting offhand with my 357 4".  I wasn't that good, he was that bad.  He should not have been allowed in the woods with any rifle.  A good shot with a 40 will get more deer than a poor shot with a 58.  Over the long run a good shot with a 58 will have fewer problems than a good shot with a 40.  Its all tradeoff.  Most like the 54 because it is the largest bore that can be shot comfortably with a heavier charge.  A 50 is great for deer because most can shoot one well and it still has considerable punch. A 45 isn't all bad either.  I hold that "deer rifles" were called that for a reason.

DP

[rich pierce]

With a .45 it is important to limit the range regardless of shot placement.  I once shot a very large, very old whitetail doe with a .45 over snow, beyond reasonable range (120 yards).  She was quartering toward me and the ball struck her low in the chest.  She ran 80 yards and went down, but was not done and required another shot.  Over snow it was no problem tracking her but otherwise it would have been very hard as the blood trail was intermittent and never dramatic.  I've always gotten good blood trails and one shot kills with bigger calibers.  The .45 has taken several deer for me, but I think shots should be within 70 yards.