Going to work up a hunting load for my 50 caliber Kentucky pistol.

No, you didn't, I think you taking a hard look at what you're comfortable with is commendable. There's lots that aren't that honest with themselves. I'm just giving encouragement, if he's as honest with himself as you are, he'll be fine. No skin off my nose either, I wish him well.

Pete453 said:

No, you didn't, I think you taking a hard look at what you're comfortable with is commendable. There's lots that aren't that honest with themselves. I'm just giving encouragement, if he's as honest with himself as you are, he'll be fine. No skin off my nose either, I wish him well.

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It’s all good. Just hope the deer he hits with a pistol ball is as understanding.

Old Sparky said:

Well I don't already know what the velocity will be. I don't want to be inhumane. I'm talking about 15 yd standing broadside shot type of thing. I have a great hunting spot where I get very close to them but I have to hike up an absolutely monstrous Hill to get there and then I got to drag the thing back while encumbered with a heavy rifle. I thought I would try to lighten the load. There's actually quite a lack of data on the internet as far as the velocity you can get from that type of pistol. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I'm not sure what would be any more inhumane about taking out both lungs or the heart with a 50 caliber ball anymore than it would be inhumane with an arrow at 300 ft per second. If the consensus is it just doesn't have the penetration for that then I'll use it for target practice.

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Arrows kill by hemorrhage (bleeding), firearms......by hydrostatic shock. There is a difference.

no need to go with more than 35g of 777 in a .50 cal pistol. thats pleanty nasty. its all about accuracy.

Brownwl said:

Arrows kill by hemorrhage (bleeding), firearms......by hydrostatic shock. There is a difference.

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Modern rifles kill by hydrostatic shock. I don't think sidelocks of any sort with a patch round ball would have that kind of velocity. But I will do some research and find out.

Hmm....

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/how-deadly-is-a-patched-round-ball.34415/

I do have a 50 caliber conical mold for the REAL Lee bullet. They would be 250 grains. I wonder if they would be more deadly? I will have to cast a few and check the accuracy.

Sparky, I have a Traditions 50 cal pistol. I love it! But I find that if I burn more than 30 grains my groups start to spread. I put it up to the twist. 1 on 24 is too tight with a patch and ball and a lot of powder. A conical may be the way to go

Shadowalker164 said:

Sparky, I have a Traditions 50 cal pistol. I love it! But I find that if I burn more than 30 grains my groups start to spread. I put it up to the twist. 1 on 24 is too tight with a patch and ball and a lot of powder. A conical may be the way to go

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I just spent about 4 hours shooting. Started off with round ball and I kept getting Flyers here and there. I casted up a few 250 grain r e a l conical bullets. My groups went down from 3 in to about an inch and 3/4 at 30 paces. The magic number seems to be 40 grains of triple x. The amount of recoil convinces me that I am getting good velocity. My chronograph won't be in until near the end of April. At that point I will test my load and make a decision as to whether it is suitable for Whitetail. Keeping in mind of course my hunting Style. Pretty much every deer I take is within bow range. I wait for the double long shot every time I am a patient man. I am feeling confident this is going to work.

Mmmm so shiny

Russ T Frizzen said:

I believe that some states have a barrel length requirement. Don't know about Pennsylvania.

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It is 12 inches of useable barrel making the total length 13 inches.

Sounds like you're doing fine, and those conicals look like meat in the freezer!

rkg1 said:

It is 12 inches of useable barrel making the total length 13 inches.

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I don't see any barrel length requirement for Pennsylvania.

Well I got my chronograph and did some shooting and with a 250 grain conical bullet I'm averaging around $750 ft per second at about 5 yards. I really was hoping for over 800. I would love to hear some honest opinions about whether or not I should use this hunting load. I figure if I stick to Bow Hunting shots it will definitely be quite lethal. I don't have any fantasies about it blowing through the deer's shoulder or anything but I'm quite certain it'll take out both lungs.

Sparky,
That's going to be fine if you stick to your current self restrictions. Think about it, 50 fps difference isn't much. Probably less than you'd get between a 30yd hit and a 50 yd hit. It's not that big of a deal if you know deer anatomy and can shoot, and it sounds to me like you're better than average. Would you have reservations about shooting a deer at, say, 125yds with your bullets out of a rifle? Not much different. The last deer I shot was 75-80 paces, with a 220 grn flat point conical over 35 guns of 3f out of my Old Army. Bullet went through about 15 inches of deer, grinding up the spine along the way. It had another 60+yds over fresh snow before hitting the woods and it didn't hit the ground. That tells me it didn't slow down much at all.
Practice up between now and deer season, I think you'll be fine. Those bullets will plow through deer. Luck to you.

Old Sparky said:

I do have a 50 caliber conical mold for the REAL Lee bullet. They would be 250 grains. I wonder if they would be more deadly? I will have to cast a few and check the accuracy.

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Yes, they’ll penetrate better than the ball. Any deer within 30 yards is in trouble…