General discussion > Black Powder Shooting

.54 cal vs grizzly bears

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bob in the woods:
.54 cal. Hawken rifle, flintlock, in the hands of a relatively new to flintlock shooting hunter.
My advice to date is 100% focused on pouring water on his burning enthusiasm, with a wait until you are more familiar /comfortable with the rifle and it's operation directive. 
I have read about the experiences of the L& C expedition re grizzlies and .54 cal rifles.
Is there anyone here who can contribute a perspective based on experience ? 

577SXS:
Bears are very easy to kill if you shoot them through the lungs or in the ear. NEVER EVER shoot a bear in the shoulders!!

bob in the woods:
Dan, I have taken many many black bears with a flintlock. Some with the .54 , but most of them with the 10 bore.  Bears are totally unpredictable, and my own findings have lead me in the " bigger is better " direction.  I can, through practice, reload quickly and without thinking too much about it.
I've never shot or even encountered a grizzly bear, but I know I'd want at minimum a .60+ rifle or preferably, my trusty 10 bore.  I'm going to do my best to dissuade this fellow.

Don Steele:
I’m going to offer some perspective based upon my experiences hunting dangerous game in Africa.
There’s a famous piece of wisdom regarding the choice of firearms when hunting. Goes something like:
“You shouldn’t rely on a rifle that is adequate when everything goes right, you should choose one that will be adequate when everything goes wrong.”
If a tourist Hunter wants to try to take dangerous game with a marginal firearm he needs to be prepared to come home empty handed if he never gets that “ perfect set-up” for a well aimed shot.

smylee grouch:
Back to the original question Bob, Its been several years ago but there was a story printed in one of the hunting/shooting magazines about a resident Alaskan hunter who took a Grizzly ( inland or coastal I don't recall ) with his 54 Hawken style gun. IIRC he shot it and it ran off and he did follow it up for a second shot. I'm sure there are other examples but for me I would want a bigger ball with some percentage of wheel weight or other hardener. I'm building a 66 now but with my age getting close to the Interstates speed limit I will probably have to stik with Black Bears.  ;D  :)

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