Big Pig

Exit wound. I was super surprised that little round ball exit this pig.

Wow...that's amazing penetration and a gigantic exit wound for a low-load, small diameter and lightweight ball. And some say the patched roundball isn't an efficient killer!

That's great! Please don't take me wrong. I've never been afflicted with "Magnumitis".

I've heard and read a lot about the lowly 45 caliber roundball not being up to the task of taking larger Whitetails cleanly. My results have shown just the opposite.

Enjoy that little rifle and keep on hunting!!!

Good luck, Skychief.

Skychief said:

That's great! Please don't take me wrong. I've never been afflicted with "Magnumitis".

I've heard and read a lot about the lowly 45 caliber roundball not being up to the task of taking larger Whitetails cleanly. My results have shown just the opposite.

Enjoy that little rifle and keep on hunting!!!

Good luck, Skychief.

Click to expand...

Will do brother I plan on going as soon as possible

Magnumitis is a condition that causes some to jump to a conclusion before any experience has occurred.
It happened to me once all be it not with a magnum. I was about to go on a trip up Scotland culling red hinds on the hill and roe. I was going to take my little 30wcf but my friends talked me into taking a larger rifle. Everything taken that week my 30wcf would of handled perfectly!

Back to muzzleloaders although it does carry over to other devices too, the faster you drive a bullet or ball the more stress is put on the bullet or ball.
We have all seen flattened out balls recovered from game and it's impressive but there is a risk! Once a ball is flat it can act as a rudder only in as much as be deflected or turned from is original path. A ball that becomes a gnarled lump may hold its course reliably.
There are no rules as to what one can expect and if experience takes someone down a particular path then so be it

Nice job. I killed one with a .40 and 60 gr. fff. Shot right behind the eye and dropped right where he stood. Small cal. can do the job.

I shot one through the shoulders with a .54 and 90gr. of 2F, and the ball stopped under the war shield on the far shoulder. The ball was flat on one side, but round on the other like half an orange. The first gristle shield probably slowed the ball from a pass-through shot. You never know. I shot down from a shooting house on another one and the ball went straight through the spine and out the sternum into the ground. Neither one needed tracking. I want as big a ball as I can get. They don't have to be loaded hot. Just have to be moving along.
But if a shot presents itself use whatever is at hand. A .22 rimfire will kill one.