hunting bullets

I shoot an inline 50 cal., and was wondering what you guys use for bullets for deer? What works, what doesn't? Thanks
h

 

[musketman]

When I owned a .54 caliber T/C Renagade I ran maxi-balls only.

I tried Buffalo Bullets, Mini-Balls, Lee Bullets, R.E.A.L. Bullets and round balls too.

There was no copper coated slug/sabot bullet combo's then, (I'm showing my age) plastic wads for muzzleloaders were just being developed then, or I just didn't catch on.

Both of my brothers uses the T/C Maxi-ball in there .50 cal's with 90 grains of FFg...

I use a .735 round ball in my brown bess and an "OLD STYLE" mini ball in my .58 zouave.

 

[tg]

while hunting deer with .40 through .62 I have never found the need to use anything other than a round ball.

 

[musketman]

One more note on this:

Deer (and everything else from squirrels to bears) have been taken with a round ball for as long as there has been muzzleloaders, the hunting bullet is a modern concept (by muzzleloader's time frame) even though some "bullets" were being made as the muzzleloader was being phased out.

I run the mini-ball in "MY" zouave only because it hates round balls, but this is the only rifled muzzleloader I own. I only use the brown bess with round ball for deer hunting.

I quickly outgrown the need for the bullets, but I am by no means a pureist, round balls and muzzleloaders just grew up together...

Who am I to alter that...

 

What kind of range and accuracy do you get from round balls?
h

 

[tg]

Most consider Rb of the .50 -.54 cals to be good to 100yds for deer and with open iron primitive sights 2" groups should be possible when the right combo is found, generaly speaking this is the range and type of gear that the ML sport either hunting or target shooting (original style) was built around/based on. when you get into modern bullets, peep sights, scopes and high velocity loads you have pretty much entered the world of the modern centerfire even if you have found a way to loose the cartridge.

 

Mabe I am in the wrong forum. My muzzle guns barrel has never seen anything but plastic and I have never used black powder. The gun has a 3-9 power scope. Never shot it with open sites. Usually use 777 pellets and shotgun primers. First deer I shot was 157 yards. Have taken deer to almost 200 yards. Looking for the most accurate long range bullet out there that will open up properly at extended ranges. Hornady is to have a SST muzzleloader bullet on the market soon. Would like to see what it will do. Works great in my centerfire rifles. If there is a forum more suited to my interests please direct me. Thanks.
h

 

[musketman]

You got the right forum, just the wrong section for your gun...

But the RIGHT section for hunting...

No big deal...

At least you are here to share your muzzleloading wisdom with us, and that's what counts in my book.

Glad to have ya.

By the way, Cabela's has a wide selection of bullets that will fit your needs very well, here is a link to the page.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/index/index-display.jhtml?id=cat200005&navAction=jump&navCount=3&parentId=cat20712&parentType=category&rid=&cmCat=MainCatcat20712

 

just tryed some hornady 300g sst bullets over 2-50g 777 pellets. accuracy is just over 1 inch at 100 yards, 3 inches at 200 yards. will see how they work on deer this hunting season.

 

[Regulis7]

Harv,

www.cva.com has a pretty decent forum and a section for the inline shooters. Go to the CVA site, click on Products and then look in the top bar to the right for the Forum link.

I do have an inline Knight 50, picked it up a couple years ago, really cheap, so I could get back into ML. Since the rifling in the barrel is 1:48 I pretty much stayed with the shorter Maxi's, 300gr Buckslayer mini's or patched round ball's. I dont shoot anything over 100yards, even with my modern rifles, so PRB's suite my hunting needs fine.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Regulis7

 

thanks. i'll check it out

 

[LRB]

I hunt with a .54 flintlock longrifle, RB only, 90gr 2fg Goex. The balls I have recovered from deer are flattened out to the size of a quarter. Good enough for me. This past Saturday I broke my self imposed limit of 100yrds. and shot a small doe at about 130yrds. Normally I do not condone long shots with RB, but I had a good rest, good light, good sight picture, and a stationary target. She ran maybe 40yrds and went down. I cannot accept inlines as being muzzleloaders, especially when scoped and shooting jacketed bullits. It is the same as a NASCAR racer running on regular fuel. It may be legal, but it ain't right, it ain't fair, and it ain't muzzleloading.

 

[musketman]

We are not really a bunch of purest, are we?
I would think "traditionalist" would be a better choise of word.

Remember, a Civil-War cannon loaded with a bucket of modern jacketed hollowpoints is still a muzzleloader.

If anyone wants to use modern muzzleloading bullets, that's their right.

We use round balls and black powder because we choose to, If you or anyone wants to use 777 and sabots/bullets, that's OK with me.

The point is, you are still keeping the muzzleloader tradition alive.

In-lines are just the newest design change in the long history of our chosen weapon, the muzzleloader...

People were once sceptical about flintlocks during the hay-day of the match and wheel-lock systems.

Everything evolves, our "old style" muzzleloaders are made with modern steel, right?

So where is the "PURENESS" now?

 

[LRB]

You can dance around the issue all you want. There is no tradition involved with inlines. Inlines "evolved" for one reason only, and that was to give non-muzzleloaders a week or two of extra hunting season with a near idiot proof gun that meets legal requirements to be used, and you know as well as I, that, that was never the intent of those who fought tooth and nail to get muzzleloader hunting seasons. The only real "evolution" involving muzzleloaders in the course of firearms history, was the transition to cartridge guns which made the front loaders obsolete. Inlines are legal to hunt with in most states, but legal don't make it right.

 

[musketman]

When the Indians only had bow and arrows, and along came the trade gun, did they say "There is no tradition involved with muzzleloaders."

NO! They excepted them with great enthusiasm...

I am NOT dancing around the issue, I am just open to ideas.

Civil War cap and ball revolvers are in-lines, (so to speak) do you hate them too?

200 years from now, in-lines will be a traditional muzzleloader by their standard.
Relivity speaking...

 

[tg]

Good lord Musketman you would have made a great speech writer for Clinton! The fact does remain as stated that the "modern" style guns are just a way to get into a season that was intended for a type of gun from the past, it was bound to happen as it is mans nature to cheat when a loop hole presents the chance to do so with no possibility of unfavorable results. The trend of the modern guns to increase range and efficiency will soon be at the point where they are the same ballisticaly and in every other form as a centerfire so there will be no need to differentiate them from these guns except they have no cartridge and are single shot.These modern guns are fine in their place but they are not what anyone intended when seasons for ML guns(technological type firearms from the past) were started.

 

[LRB]

Not danceing? Your feet are moving faster than a Gandy dancer on greased marble. Your arguments have no relativity to the issue. Open to new ideas? Try an AK47, now theres an advancement! The NA's were not interested in tradition when it pertained to their survival. They wanted whatever they thought would help them get rid of us and make life easier. They were not playing games as we, in reallity, are.Muzzleloading is all about tradition and recreating our past, not tryinjg to reinvent the muzzleloader using todays technology and designs. A percussion revolver is an inline? Please send me some of what you are smoking and maybe I could see that too. Musketman, I do not want to make an enemy, so lets call this a draw and move on to new topics. You have your point of view and I have mine.

 

[LRB]

TG, well said. You have a great way with words. GOOD POST!

 

[bama backwoodsman]

Well, Icould not agree more with (Wick & Tg) about the Inline guns. Why not just open it up to one shot guns then you could break out your Thompson Encore or Contender. I am not a purist in the since I use clean burning powder,and the only reason is for the life of my gun. Other than that put a cap on it. Or prime the pan.

 

[weasel]

hello the camp
I already spoke my piece on how I feel about Inlines no sense beatin a dead hoss. Unfortunatly most states Dnr managers cannot remove something that has landslided into a multi million dollar revenue thru gun and optic sales not to mention the revenue for gas food and lodging resulting from "black powder season. whats anyones thoughts on NMLRA's longhunter society accepting trophy animals taken with Inlines? Personally I have two trophy whitetails taken with sidelock percussion that I refuse to enter. I would really like to see Jim Shockey take a trophy animal using a traditional rifle Instead of Tony Knights "the pioneer of inlines" products then he could claim to be a muzzleloader hunter
weasel