TC 50 cal Maxi Hunter bullets

Hey,
More new guy questions. I am shooting a TC Firestorm 50 cal flinter and getting very good accuracy from TC maxi-hunters in both 275 grainers and 350 grainers. I will be shooting these in Pa. in the winter Pa. flintlock season. I know many will suggest round ball loads, but I am getting half way skilled in my loading technique and I don't want to change to roundball yet(will try roundballs after January). So, does anyone have any experience with the killing power of the maxi-hunter bullets on eastern whitetails? The bullets I have bought are very soft lead.

Thanks!.......John M. from Pa.

Well John M form PA,
I am one of the very few Firestorm shooters on this forum. I try to tell the facts about whatever gun I am using no matter what. And as far as the Firestorm is concerned, I never use anything but Hornady RBs in mine. I have no doubt that a 275 gr or 350 gr lead conical will kill a white tail deer, very dead. Particularly since a 148 gr RB does just fine. You can buy a truck load of RBs for the coat of a package of those Maxi's. Think how good you can get with all the extra shooting you could do at the same cost?
BTW, my Firestorm is very fast and accurate with an 80 gr load of GOEX 3F and 4F prime. Yes and a Hornady RB!

I hunt with cast, muzzleloader or otherwise. The .50 maxihunter is just a great big ol' cast bullet that can kill amazingly well.
And I sure do wish my fast twist .54 rebore would come on home 'cause I'm looking forward to trying out the .54 maxihunter mold in it as well as the Lyman minie and the REAL's. And maybe some indecently hot loaded paper patched ones if I get around to it.

Years back I had very good results with the Maxi Hunters in .50 cal. They were as effective as the 12 gauge rifled slugs I would other wise have used - and that's a devistating projectile within 100 yards.

I shot a bedded buck at 120 yards that I watched arrive and settle in. It took me 10 minues to oooze around and get a good rest from the blowdown I was sitting in. He never stood up. Still my furthest shot with anything.

But since before this century I have used nothing but round balls.

Thanks guys!!

I use the TC maxiball (325 grain) over 90 gr. 3f in my TC Hawken .50 cal flintlock. They are very accurate out to 120+ yards (for me) and will drop anything that is hit where it should be hit. I have taken two deer at 120 yards with this load.

John M 4688 said:

Hey,
More new guy questions. I am shooting a TC Firestorm 50 cal flinter and getting very good accuracy from TC maxi-hunters in both 275 grainers and 350 grainers. I will be shooting these in Pa. in the winter Pa. flintlock season. I know many will suggest round ball loads, but I am getting half way skilled in my loading technique and I don't want to change to roundball yet(will try roundballs after January). So, does anyone have any experience with the killing power of the maxi-hunter bullets on eastern whitetails? The bullets I have bought are very soft lead.

Thanks!.......John M. from Pa.

Click to expand...

Killing power....
Let see. The 50 caliber RB will kill a whitetail as far as a person can hit it with one.
So whats the killing power of a Maxi-Hunter? Never used one.
But based on experience with RBs, BPCRs in 4 different bullet diameters and various moderns used by myself, hunting companions and people was guiding...
The primary difference will be in shot placement.
A 50 caliber RB (to 140 yards or so) works the same as a 300 gr 40 caliber bullet from a 40-70 (gotta have a good sized flat point), a 320-420 gr from a 45 (70 or 100 or 450 BPE), a 400 from 44-90, a 6.5 x55, 270, 7mm Mag, 30-40, 308, 30-06 with similar shot placement.
Sometimes the deer will drop to the shot (rarely unless the spine or brain is shocked or struck). Sometimes they die on their bed. Sometimes they run from 20 to 200 yards.
Place the shot right the deer is going to die WITH PROPER BULLET SELECTION. Screw this up with ANYTHING and results may "vary".
Poor shots with ANYTHING will likely require a follow up shot.

The RB always works the same. Placed properly it will produce 1 shot kills on deer consistently.

As I have said before the various conicals were developed because people were used to bullets and gunwriters (generally shills for advertisers) told everyone that the "energy" of the RB was too low to kill anything. But of course they had no idea, but it looked that way on paper.
So shoot the light bullet if you must. Its plently heavy enough to kill anything you will find in the woods. If it don't work like you want and shot was placed well?
Well folks sometimes the critter is just too dumb to lay down and die and will insist on running off....

If this is a problem use head shots. But you better be a good shot.

Dan

They are a good slug and I have killed many whitetails with them in 50 cal.I would urge you to try the roundball.I personally believe that I get quicker kills with it.I have shot deer with them and watched them fall while turning to flee.I have also watched them drop in there tracks so fast that I wasn't sure I hit them.A few years ago I sighted in a .50 renegade with the maxi at a hundred yards.The tree that I used was about six inches around with a high dirt bank behind it.A couple of days later I looked toward the are that I had been shooting in and noticed the tree laying over.Upon inspection I discovered that I had damaged the trunk so badly that the tree had fallen over.

Thanks again guys!
Great info from everyone!!

John M.