Effective range for the .50 cal

[KentuckyMan]

I'm going to post this again in the pistol section of the forum, I hope nobody minds.

The fairest I have ever shot my 50cal Hawkins was about 50 yards maybe a bit under. With just the plan sights that came with the gun( adjustable real sights), 1# how far can I shoot this gun, and what are the Effective ranges for hunting deer? The answer that I'm looking for on the second question is, what is the maximum range possible, and what range do you feel comfortable at shooting the deer(and not point blank range :rotf: ).

:Remember: Question one has nothing to do with shooting deer. Leave that to question 2.

Oh one last final thought :yakyak:. Don't forget to add in your comments on both types of ammo, Balls and patches, and Maxy balls.

 

[BrownBear]

This looks like you aren't acquainted with the search function on the site. I recommend a stroll down memory lane. :thumbsup:

 

[MikeChapin]

Some years ago I shot a large mulie doe at seventy yards. Circumstances had me shooting at her offhand instead of taking a rest like I normally do so I hit her a little high. She was quartered towards me. I was shooting a CVA Mountain Rifle with a .490 ball and 75 grains of 3F. When I shot she raised her foreleg stood for a moment then collapsed.

When I was cleaning her I found the ball had smashed the shoulder blade, broke a rib, passed though both lungs, clipped the liver, broke a short rib and came to rest just under the skin on the far side. I was impressed with how much damage the ball inflicted at that range. Normally at that range with a good side shot, the ball takes out the heart and lungs and exits the other side.

I keep my hunting range down to under 100 yards. That's where I feel comfortable with open iron sights.

Can't help you with conicals. I only use round ball even on elk. They do fine and don't loosen your fillings.

 

[Little Wattsy]

I'm going to post this again in the pistol section of the forum, I hope nobody minds.

The fairest I have ever shot my 50cal Hawkins was about 50 yards maybe a bit under. With just the plan sights that came with the gun( adjustable real sights), 1# how far can I shoot this gun, and what are the Effective ranges for hunting deer? The answer that I'm looking for on the second question is, what is the maximum range possible, and what range do you feel comfortable at shooting the deer(and not point blank range :rotf: ).

:Remember: Question one has nothing to do with shooting deer. Leave that to question 2.

Oh one last final thought :yakyak:. Don't forget to add in your comments on both types of ammo, Balls and patches, and Maxy balls.

1. A .22 has a "range" of up to 1.5 miles a .50 cal with a solid load of powder ought to lob one about that far at the proper angle. ??

2. The trajectory to 100 yards is fairly flat and a good deer load ought to be enough... The bottom starts to fall out after 100 yrds but still manageable ( for SOME ) out to 125 - 130 yards and then the bottom REALLY falls out...

Me? 100 yards is my imposed limits. I also choose a .54 for a tad more ooomph too.

 

[KentuckyMan]

How far can this gun shoot a round ball? As in could you hit something at 200 yards, and take down a deer?

I understand that 100 yards is a good ranges for most people, but I want to know, at standing level can you go out farther? :idunno:

 

[Little Wattsy]

How far can this gun shoot a round ball? As in could you hit something at 200 yards, and take down a deer?

I understand that 100 yards is a good ranges for most people, but I want to know, at standing level can you go out farther? :idunno:

A .50cal bal over say 90+ grains of powder would be DEADLY at well over 200 yrds... HOWEVER it is loseing energy fast and in my opionion would NOT be an ethical hunting range. The bigger issue though wil be the trajectory ... at 100 yards you lose say 5". between 100 and 125 yards you lose an additional 12". Between 125 and 200 its something like an additional 36".
I wouldnt want to be hit by one even at that.

 

[hanshi]

I'll just humbly opine that the problem with a prb is drop. A prb is deadly and can kill game well beyond the range at which one could reasonably be assured of a hit. I've taken one deer at 75 yards and two others at around 100+or-. All were pass throughs. It really depends on your shooting ability without having to use "Kentucky windage" (point blank, in other words). For me the limiting factor is the primitive open sights on long rifles.

 

[ohio ramrod]

For most purposes 100 yds is considered the maximum. Not because of "killing power" but because of drop in point of impact.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

How would the drop differ between a RB and a conical if the rifle had a 1-48 twist?

 

[brubincam]

-----I can't see 200yrds where I hunt----- :idunno:

 

[Little Wattsy]

How would the drop differ between a RB and a conical if the rifle had a 1-48 twist?

Not much differance to 100 yrds... Beyond that I MIGHT give the edge to the connical but not enough to go much beyoynd 125 yrds under ideal connditions.

 

[catman]

-----I can't see 200yrds where I hunt----- :idunno:

I can't ether, maybe 75 max in my woods..

 

[playfarmers]

Over the years I have taken 3 whitetails between 100 and 125 yards. On 2 of them the ball passed right through the chest cavity and the third one had the round ball next to the spine. All three fell to a .495 round ball fired from a Lyman Deerstalker, and a good rest was used. That rifle took many more whitetails, but most were under 50 yards.

 

[Zonie]

How would the drop differ between a RB and a conical if the rifle had a 1-48 twist?

The rifles twist has nothing to do with it.

Because a bullet is heavier than a round ball it doesn't slow down as fast as it is flying towards the target.

Even if the heavier bullet starts out of the muzzle a little slower than a round ball, the round ball will slow down much faster because it weighs less.

While the round ball is traveling faster than the bullet, its drop is less but because it slows down rapidly it soon will be going much slower than the bullet.

After the round ball slows down to less then the bullets speed, it will take it longer to reach the target.

Because it takes longer to reach the target it will fall away from the line of aim faster than the now, faster bullet.

As an example, the drop of a .490 diameter roundball at 100 yards and a muzzle velocity of 1600 feet per second will be 6.9 inches if the rifle is sighted in to zero at 50 yards.
At 100 yards the ball will have slowed down to 951 feet per second. Its time of flight would be 0.257 seconds.

If the same gun was shooting a .490 spherical nosed bullet that weighed 280 grains fired at the same 1600 feet per second muzzle velocity it would fall 4.7 inches and its velocity would be 1076 feet per second at 100 yards. Its time of flight to 100 yards would be 0.234 seconds.

 

[sidelock]

I have harvested many WTD with my .50 TC from 15 ft to say,90 yd. One was a very nice 4x4 at 85yd ----RUNNING. I also once harvested a turkey at 125 yd with the same rifle, But I also passed up a wide open broad side standing shot at a real trophy WT wall hanger at 125 yd one time. Wasen't worth the chance of wasting a fine animal to a possible screw up. My nephew got him next year with a modern and he is now a wall hanger. Glad I let him go.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Like others have said, that ball is "effective" much further than the person firing it. The real question here is how far away can you be effective with it. As others have said, for most of us, that is around 100 yds. The best way to get an honest answer is to go out and try it and see where your personal limit is. I know it's not the answer you want, but it's the most honest one.

I have personally taken 500 yd shots AT PAPER with my CVA .50. I dont remember how many shots I took, but only a handful hit paper after spending most of the day shooting. Vast majority didnt even kick up dust near the target. The few that hit did punch through the paper and the plywood it was stapled to, which leads me to believe it had enough oomph left to kill a deer. Having the power left over means nothing if you cant hit the target. So I personally learned that a deer at that range is safe because I wont chance that shot. I wont take one much past 100 yds, like most here. On the other hand, we still have to be careful because it will go that far and cause injury to or kill another person.

I did not take a deer with a ML last season. I did get one with a bow at 12 yds, and another with a .357 revolver at 45 yds. Either would have been an easy shot with my MLs. Get closer (regardless of tool used) and it is much more rewarding.

Go make some smoke, have fun, and learn your own limits.

 

[BadHorse]

A .50cal bal over say 90+ grains of powder would be DEADLY at well over 200 yrds... HOWEVER it is loseing energy fast and in my opionion would NOT be an ethical hunting range. The bigger issue though wil be the trajectory ... at 100 yards you lose say 5". between 100 and 125 yards you lose an additional 12". Between 125 and 200 its something like an additional 36".
I wouldnt want to be hit by one even at that.

this is manure, my 50 cal hawken shoots very very flat out to 150 yards!!!!!! and thats with only 60gr of fffg.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Twist has noting to do with it?

What rifle would have more distance. Everything being equal shooting a RB. One with 1-70 twist, or a smooth bore?

 

[MikeChapin]

Twist has noting to do with it?

What rifle would have more distance. Everything being equal shooting a RB. One with 1-70 twist, or a smooth bore?

With the same muzzle velocity both balls should go the same distance. Both balls will fall at the same rate regardless of velocity. Going the same initial speed both will lose energy at the same rate and land at the same distance.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I'm confused at that. I thought when they went to rifled barrels it gave them more distance, and of course accuracy?

How about this example. Everything being equal.(bullet weight too) A 1-70 twist barrel. A RB and a conical at 150 yds.

How about a 1-18 twist?



My point being. Originally I gave a 1-48 twist,as an example, because it's a compromise twist that works ok for RB and conical. However, if you go to the extreme of twists and is ideal for one type of bullet/ball and bad for the other. It would still not matter about the twist?

Doesn't a conical tumble if used in a slow twist barrel? What does a ball do in a very fast twist barrel?