45 PRB load

[boker]

In y'all's opinion what is the maximum ethical effective range of a 45 caliber PRB on Whitetail deer?

since I can’t get a T/C maxi ball to group out of my Cherokee and season being only a couple weeks away. I am thinking of switching over to a PRB load to see how it does.

 

[shdwlkr]

If it were me I would say 50-75 yards something else to consider is you have to be careful loading them hot, as they are known to crack at the wrist with too much stress

 

[boker]

I have read that, I have shot mine with some stout loads with out issue in the past but want to be more conservative now days.

 

[mooman76]

It depends on the abilities of the shooter. A good stout load that shoots accurate, 100y max.

 

[Grenadier1758]

The max range will depend on your accuracy on target. At what range does a hunting load and shooting position fail to meet the minute of deer vital organs.

You need to go to the range to find this capability.

 

[deermanok]

Some years back, a buddy of mine shot a nice buck with a 45 cal. patched ball at 85 yards. Don't recall the powder charge. 70 to 80 grains, I guess.

 

[nchawkeye]

I've killed them out to 75 yards with mine, I use 75grs FFF...

 

[Juniata]

I just shot one Friday at 60 yards with a .440 ball and 65 grains of FFFg.
High shoulder hit, dead centered a rib, just on the bottom side of vertebrae and passed on through. I was surprised how effective it was.
Dropped her on the spot.

 

[gabedard]

Shot a small buck at 80 yds. Through the lungs and took out the far shoulder.
70 grains fff

 

[Loyalist Dave]

In y'all's opinion what is the maximum ethical effective range of a 45 caliber PRB on Whitetail deer?

That's a conscientious question, and there are two parts to your ethical effective range question (imho) ...,

The .440 patched round ball, with 60-80 grains of 3Fg, will deliver lethal impact out to at least 100 yards on a whitetail deer. I'd be looking at a load between 70 -80 grains myself, but that's personal preference..., and would depend on the accuracy I found at the range.

The second part is..., the accuracy of your particular rifle, and load, to 100 yards, or closer if your max shot is closer. For example, I have really good eyesight at distance, and so am very lucky. I can see the iron sights and the target out to 100 yards, but my 91 year old dad..., 50 yards is the limit as he cannot see the deer well enough to align the sights past that distance. What the ball will do is irrelevant as he can't employ his rifle past 50 yards.

(Of course, no harm no foul if one has to use modern optics on a traditional rifle to get the job done.)

IF you're like me and you hunt with a clean barrel, then at the range I'd test with a very clean barrel for each test shot, just to be sure.

I wouldn't be that concerned about the recoil vs. the stock on that rifle if you're using a patched round ball. You're reducing the recoil from a maxi-ball, which are 226 grains of lead, down to a .440 round ball which is about 126 - 127 grains, so you're reducing the projectile by 100 grains.

LD

 

[tenngun]

Size doesn’t matter as much as placement, but you still want a pass through or near.
So accuracy is job one
Balls lose velocity quickly, so a magnum load won’t really increase range
Folks above pointed out longer ranges, that’s ok. But ML is archery on steroids, get close
Deer have been shot too far, but never too close

 

[boker]

Thanks guys.

 

[Eterry]

I used 70grs of fffg, my self imposed max range was 75 yards. But in the brush that was rarely a max range. Fifty was closer to how far you could see. Even now 65 yards is the max at my farm. Too many durned trees.

 

[renegadehunter]

Here's something to try with the maxi-balls.
Sometimes that large upper grease groove doesn't strip all of the lube before it exits the bore, leading to poor concentricity and thus poor accuracy.
Try shooting them with the large upper groove empty and just lube in the lower, narrower groove.
I'd also recommend trying an 1/8" wool wad on top of the powder. Also, if using 3f sometimes changing to 2f can make all the difference.

 

[Stykbow]

Deer have been shot too far, but never too close

I’ll be stealing this little saying.

 

[user 48679]

I feel your pain with Maxi-Balls, and have found I got both better accuracy and terminal effects with T/C's Maxi-Hunter slugs in my .45 Seneca
.
The molds are available in 255gr weight.

 

[boker]

I haven't seen the hunters in awhile.

 

[Eterry]

I haven't seen the hunters in awhile.

My BIL uses them exclusively. I guess he bought a case BITD.

 

[Eterry]

I told him they are antiques... he said he's an antique also.

 

[Rodd Boyer]

I used 50 gr of Swiss fffg and a .440 patched ball to take my buck last year. Ball caught under the hide on the off side.