.40 cal. for deer

[bob in the woods]

Not my 1st choice of cal for deer, but circumstance may find me with a .40 in my hands this year .  Anyone here have experience in hunting deer with a .40 ?     I'm using a .390 ball and 60 gr of 3F

[Mike Brooks]

It will work. Shot placement will be critical, as you already know. You'll probably shoot right through the thing as usual, just a bit smaller hole is all. I knew a poacher in southern Iowa that used a .22lr with great success.

[n stephenson]

I have killed 14 Whitetail deer in Tennessee with a .40 caliber flintlock . I`ve killed 3 with a .45 and 7 or 8 with .50 and .54 .  My first flintlock was .40 caliber and it took 6 deer and bunches of squirrels and groundhogs. Many people will say a .40 is too small , I say if you can shoot accurately and , take shots that are ethical distance , a .40 will get the job done. As a side note, a TON of original Southern rifles were built with .38 to .42 caliber barrels . They probably knew about what it would take to get the game they were after. I feel that shot placement is more important than just about anything else  .The rifle you shoot the best is the best caliber for you to hunt with , within legal parameters . . I`ve seen deer run off after being shot with modern Magnums  and I`ve seen them dropped by much smaller things. Just hit em right!!    JMHO  Nate

[bob in the woods]

Shots are usually within 20 to 25 yards.  I usually use my smoothbore or sometimes my .54 for deer , but will be loaning them out.
I figure I'm better off with the .40 than someone not used to it. Or........ I've often thought about setting up my swivel gun [ 4 bore ] on a log mount overlooking the deer trail, and wait with match in hand . Should work 

[Standing Bear]

Yes, I've used a .40 RB on white tails. .395 ball over 75 gr FFg. As said above it'll do it t but so will a .22 LR. I'm found the .40 marginal, .45 just ok and now use .50 or .54.
TC

[Joe S.]

Did you make sure you can use a forty in your state?ours wants no less than forty five.If so why not,just know your and its limitations.

[WadePatton]

Did you make sure you can use a forty in your state?ours wants no less than forty five.If so why not,just know your and its limitations.

Has anyone, anywhere, actually been bore-checked?  Wondering, I've never had any weaponry checked ever. Do some agencies carry bore gauges? 

Also the TN rule is .36 or bigger, but many jurisdictions don't go that small. The one that counts is where you hunt.

[sqrldog]

Minimum cal. in AL is .40 so using it is legal here. I had a friend that shot a bunch of deer with a .40 cal. some traveled a little ways but all succumbed to the little ball. As said above shot placement is the key. He was helping with a population reduction and the .40 was the only flint rifle he owned. I personally like a .50 caliber or larger for deer. Tim

[Joe S.]

Did you make sure you can use a forty in your state?ours wants no less than forty five.If so why not,just know your and its limitations.

Has anyone, anywhere, actually been bore-checked?  Wondering, I've never had any weaponry checked ever. Do some agencies carry bore gauges? 

Also the TN rule is .36 or bigger, but many jurisdictions don't go that small. The one that counts is where you hunt.

I don't know anybody who has but times are a changing.As LEO gets younger they seem to come with worse attitude combined with its all about revenue enhancement I would not dought they will carry them along with everything else in their batman utility belts.Too funny nowadays getting the shakedown from these young bucks while the older,seasoned one stands in the background rolling his eyes.Back in the day the old guard would just drive by and knew by your looks if you where an a-hole or not,I try to get it but I guess it a case of to much gestopo TV

[Dave Patterson]

Did you make sure you can use a forty in your state?ours wants no less than forty five.If so why not,just know your and its limitations.

Has anyone, anywhere, actually been bore-checked?  Wondering, I've never had any weaponry checked ever. Do some agencies carry bore gauges? ...

The one that counts is where you hunt.

Yeah:  NV does.  Have had several hunting buddies field-checked for bore/caliber.

And yes:  if you don't live in NV, it don't much matter what NDOW wardens pack around with 'em, does it! 

[bob in the woods]

.40 cal is perfectly legal here. The rifle has a Colerain A weight 42 in barrel.   60 gr of 3F seems a pretty snappy load, although I haven't checked it for velocity yet. A lung shot at under 25 yards should work fine I'm thinking. I was just looking for any recommendations from those with .40 experiance on deer.

[WadePatton]

My younger hunting pal took a fat doe with his 40 last year, no problem at all. Shot was about 45 feet-give or take a foot.  I have no idea his powder charge. It was his first deer.  My next gun is 40 and it's not intended for deer, but I have no doubt of its effectiveness on the whitetails at modest ranges fairly struck. 

[hanshi]

During the 62 years I lived in Ga, the .40 was not legal; the minimum was .45, my favorite, anyway.  Here in Va the minimum is also .45 at least during the ML season.  But for the open rifle season the minimum caliber is something like .223, .224 or something like that.  Nothing is mentioned concerning hunting with MLs in that season.  I guess they figure everybody will use a modern gun and leave those front loaders at home.  But I don't do that.  I hunt flintlock all year round for everything and NEVER feel at a disadvantage.  In fact, down in Ga I was routinely more successful than my scope carrying magnum shooting friends.

So I've yet to deer hunt with my .40; but we shall see.  I currently shoot, for a deer level load, a .390" ball with a mink oil lubed .020" mattress ticking or .025" denim patch.  The powder is 55 grns or 60 grns of 3F and shoots well at 100 yards with the average shot well under half that distance.  Last time I chronographed the 60 grn load I got an ave. of about 2100 fps.  I'm looking to do more testing with the 55 grn load.  Even 40 grns gives around 1700 fps.

[Robby]

I have a forty I made just for that purpose, but alas, not legal in this state. The rebellious child in me will get it done.
Robby

[Bob Roller]

Not my 1st choice of cal for deer, but circumstance may find me with a .40 in my hands this year .  Anyone here have experience in hunting deer with a .40 ?     I'm using a .390 ball and 60 gr of 3F

Local gunmaker Tom Nixon uses a 40 caliber flintlock and has for over 50 years for deer.
One shot,one kill.Shot placement is the thing.A family in he Eastern part of WV kept
venison in the pot with a 25-20,again,one shot,one kill.

Bob Roller

[bob in the woods]

I feel very confident with this rifle, but as said, just wanted to hear from those that used one.  My wife's Grandfather's
deer rifle was a Stevens Favourite single shot in .32 Long RF   I have that rifle now, and it's 90 gr bullet pokes along at around 925 FPS    He shot a deer every year with it. 

[Marcruger]

In my brain, I equate a .40 RB to something like a .22-250 in effectiveness, a .45 RB to a .243, a .50 to a .308, a .54 RB to a 7mm Mag, etc.

[Eric Krewson]

I have several friends who shot .40s for deer, surprisingly they shoot very light loads. One shoots 25gr and has killed deer out to 80 yards, none has ever got away from him as far as I know. He can also shoot small pine cones out of a tree off hand at 20 yards and never miss one.

Another friend shoots 45gr in his .40 and killed a big doe 90 yards away a couple of years ago, complete pass through.

These guys meet every Wednesday at a friends range and do some serious shooting with their .40s so they really know their rifles. 

[oldtravler61]

  Most calibers will do the job. If you do your part. Don't take bad angle shots. Put the ball or bullet where it has to go. Plus don't shoot farther than your effective range.
  Over the year's have seen more than one crack shot at the target range. Fall to pieces when a big buck walks into view. Oldtravler

[hanshi]

Although some hunters consider the .45/.44 very light and minimal, I've killed a good number with a couple of rifles I own.  They were all one shot kills and a good percentage dropped DRT.  Actually the same with various .50s,my .54 and .62.  I'm constantly amazed at the damage a prb does to deer.  I've killed enough deer with .357 revolvers to realize they are quite easy to put down.  The last deer I killed prior to moving to Va was an 8pt buck that I hit an an angle at maybe 25 yards as he turned and walked away from from me.  He ran staggering just a few yards and I heard him crash.  He left a blood trail Ray Charles could've followed.

Yes, an accurate shot in the lethal zone is required regardless of caliber.  In Va int only is .45 the minimum but a powder minimum of 50 grains is also mandated.  Since I hunt on private land, I may yet use my .40 on deer.  I will be hunting in WV, a private farm, with a good friend this fall.  I'll be taking my .50 and the .45 will tag along as a "backup", if needed.

[rfd]

moose have been killed with a .22LR rimfire, which proves only that it's possible.

in a somewhat like manner, a .40 for deer will depend solely on the shooter behind the gun's sights and trigger, hunting experience, gun proficiency, hunting ethics (if any), and what a less than 100 grain ball ballistics are at what distance, in what venue, and under what conditions.  what'd i leave out? 

these things are also true for a .50, or .62, rifle or smoothie, etc. - a far lesser caliber is just somewhat more, er, limiting?

[Frank]

Has anyone, anywhere, actually been bore-checked?  Wondering, I've never had any weaponry checked ever. Do some agencies carry bore gauges? 

Also the TN rule is .36 or bigger, but many jurisdictions don't go that small. The one that counts is where you hunt.
[/quote]

Never been bore checked but a Game Warden in Virginia asked me how may rounds were in the double barrel shotgun I was using, and he was serious. There was a 3 round limit for duck season. 

[hanshi]

In my brain, I equate a .40 RB to something like a .22-250 in effectiveness, a .45 RB to a .243, a .50 to a .308, a .54 RB to a 7mm Mag, etc.

I tend to agree; within their range, of course.

[David R. Pennington]

My .40 with 44 inch Green Mtn. Swamped barrel likes .395 - 65 grains. Min for ML in WV is .39 . I was told years ago that was so the officer could caliber check with one of his .38 revolver rounds.
I have taken deer with the .40, last one dropped in his tracks with a neck shot at 70 yards.
I shot a big doe once with .62. Bullet blew through both lungs and she ran 150 yards.

[Dphariss]

Not my 1st choice of cal for deer, but circumstance may find me with a .40 in my hands this year .  Anyone here have experience in hunting deer with a .40 ?     I'm using a .390 ball and 60 gr of 3F

Shoot for the lungs and there will be no problem. Most deer shot in the lungs go down in 40-50 yards no matter what the firearm. 
Under 50 yards its got to be better than a 38-40  BP load. And this kills deer OK.
My son's first Mule Deer was with a 45 with 45 grs of FFF. Deer ran a ways and then fell over.... 50 yard shot.
Shot placement trumps power.
Dan