An Efficient Caliber

[Isiah1103]

I love my 45 too but I have trouble with its effectiveness on deer. I've killed several deer with it and most have been one shot kills but not a single deer dropped before a 75 - 100 yd run and worse yet there were never blood trails until after 40 - 50 yds. My shots were good shots too, pass thru on heart, lungs and vitals. I haven't figured that out.

 

[azmntman]

I have shot some cow elk with a .58, same thing ran 100 yds or so with little blood :idunno:

Most drop or run 20-30 yards but every once in a while a heart shot beast will show you the will to live!

I believe .45 is plenty for deer up to 175 lbs. Shot only .45 deer with a .45 flintlock (use .50 cap for most) and it fell over.

 

[mooman76]

I love my 45 too but I have trouble with its effectiveness on deer. I've killed several deer with it and most have been one shot kills but not a single deer dropped before a 75 - 100 yd run and worse yet there were never blood trails until after 40 - 50 yds. My shots were good shots too, pass thru on heart, lungs and vitals. I haven't figured that out.

That is more common than you think. I heart shot one with a 30.06. The heart was shreaded and it ran up hill at least 50 yards. I wasn't paying attention to it as I was climbing and one jumped up. I almost shot it too thinking mine got back up but I didn't, thinking no way mine got up again and turns out it was a different one.

 

[Dphar]

I am shooting a .433" ball, and would drop down to a .430" if I can find a mold.

You need to shoot this rifle on paper from a bench at 50 yards working up a load 5 gr at a time from about 45 grains to about 80 to see what shoots best. 5 shot groups then 10 is you find a really good load. If its a good barrel like a GM and in the stock like it should be it ought to keep then all touching at 50 for 10 shots if the wind is calm. Chances are it will peak within 5-10 gr of 65 but one never knows till its tried. It is extremely unlikely that a true 45 barrel will shoot as well with a 44 caliber ball as with the .440-.445 that a 45 generally shoots best with.
If it loads hard with a .440-.445 then the crown is likely at fault and needs to be SLIGHTLY reshaped or at least polished. OR you need to change patch lubes.
A .433 is about right for a medium fit in a .440 bore size with a heavy patch.

Dan

 

[hanshi]

This is interesting because I've had several fall DRT from hits with my .45. Most did, of course, run a bit but they did also with centerfire calibers.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

I hunt deer with what is considered a stout elk or run of the mill Alaskan game rifle like 450 marlin and 375 H&H.

One deer I tore up the entering front leg muscle, exploded the heart to bits, and broke the front leg on exit. I did it with a 350gr bullet traveling 2200fps. That deer piled up about 80 yards later. DRT is somewhat luck or get them in a neural area like a head or neck shot.

I had 3 DRT kills, one was a neck shot, another one went very high into the lungs and cracked the spine, the 3rd one as way off. I shot the deer in the rear hip disabling him and having him bleed to death right there.

I cant speak for 45 cal roundball yet. However, I have hunted with 60gr charges in 50 and 54 cal and have no problems. Someone stuffing 70+grs into a 45 bore should produce the same if not better results.

 

[kaintuck]

DRT :
Heart shot. Have to take a life, do it quick and painlessly as possible. :redface:

 

[smoothshooter]

I will admit the .430" ball may be a little too small for best accuracy. I'm actually having pretty good results with the .433" ball and .018" patch. It loads moderately easy without using a starter. The barrel is a Colerain barrel with radius groove rifling. I do have one of the Joe Wood coning tools that I haven't used on this gun yet, but may in the future. A slightly thicker patch which holds more lube has worked well for me in the past, giving 15 to 40 shots or more without swabbing the bore. I am not finished accuracy testing, but no longer feel the pressure to always get the absolute tops in performance all the time. After spending many years shooting on Army/National Guard rifle and pistol teams, civilian rifle, pistol, shotgun, tactical, etc., and the attendant attacks of "Accuracy Anxiety", now it is nice to have the attitude that "It Ain't Just Good, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH!" sometimes and just relax and have fun. And as far as hunting accuracy goes, if a good and conscientious shooter stays within the limits of his equipment and ability, a lot of game can still be brought to bag.

 

[smoothshooter]

No issues with recoil or later supply; the smaller diameter will give me the opportunity to experiment with different patching.

 

[smoothshooter]

You are correct about serious shooting on paper. I have done a little of that off of a concrete shooting bench, and plan to do more. The way it is now, I sometimes get five shot groups at 100 yds. that can be covered with a softball, and that is shooting with my forward hand holding the fore-end and my other elbow laying over the top of my woodpile. So the potential is there.

 

[smoothshooter]

That should read "no issues with recoil or lead supply"

 

[azmntman]

Lyman Plains rifle? Are they good shooters etc. Looking to get another hawkens style in .45

 

[Billnpatti]

I have owned a couple of Lyman GPRs. One was a caplock and one was a flintlock. Both were great shooters and I never had any kind of problem with either of them (as long as you don't count dry balling) :haha: . However, I have heard some pretty strong condemnations of the recently manufactured GPRs. The comments that I have read said that the quality of the rifles had seriously deteriorated. Based solely on those comments, I'd say that if you buy a well cared for GPR that is one of the older ones, you will have a dandy gun.

 

[smoothshooter]

I have no personal experience with the Lymans, but hear good things about them. A .45 might be tough to find, though

 

[BigBoreBLR]

I got a 54 cal flintlock GPR.

Good guns. Also take a peep out for a browning mountain rifle. Not sure if they made a flintlock version, but that's a really good gun.

GPR is available in 45 cal. They even have them in kit form. About the easiest gun to build from what I have gathered too. All the tough stuff people are worried about messing up is already done. Assemble, sand, stain, and brown the metal and your done.