Good deer hunting load

[Tankerchief]

So, I haven't taken my .50 Hawkin out hunting yet because I'm still getting comfortable shooting it. I have had good results with 85 grains of FF Schuetzen keeping a group under 2 inches. I working on patches, etc. Question is how low can I go on a powder charge for whitetails? I don't see myself shooting much past 50 maybe 75 yards.

Thanks in advance.

-Mike

 

[64Springer]

50 grains is dead deer all day long at 50 yards.

In my opinion 85 grains is too much powder. But if 85 grains give you the best accuracy, then 85 grains is the correct charge.

Try 50 to 85 in five grain increments and see what happens.


Finally, too many people have become infected with Magnumitis. This is not directed at the OP. But the muzzle loading community in general. With the inline guys, if two pellets are perfect, then three pellets must be perfecter.

 

[chorizo]

I am usually 180 degrees out on 64Springer on this issue.

Accuracy is the most important criteria. Figure your minimum energy level for a humane kill and find an accurate load above that level. You have an accurate load. It doesn't hurt to have the energy that 85 grains gives you in case you smack some solid bone. You want through and through bullet passage for an enhanced blood trail.

I know you want to go lower...save that for punching paper. Punching deer, keep the most accurate hotter load.

 

[Togo]

A good hunting load needs to group well in my opinion. You have to have confidence in your shooting and rifle.

 

[Stykbow]

I’m with @chorizo on this. I want a good, strong load that groups well. I’m shooting 80 grains and don’t feel like it’s a big charge. Kinda middle of the road in fact. It groups well and has enough power to hit with some authority. Recoil from 80 grains is very light in a 9 lbs. plains rifle.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

So, I haven't taken my .50 Hawkin out hunting yet because I'm still getting comfortable shooting it. I have had good results with 85 grains of FF Schuetzen keeping a group under 2 inches. I working on patches, etc. Question is how low can I go on a powder charge for whitetails? I don't see myself shooting much past 50 maybe 75 yards.

Thanks in advance.

-Mike

Not really sure why you'd want to go "low" unless the recoil was causing your body problems.

My pet load for a .50 is 70 grains of 3Fg launching a patched, .490 round ball. See, In my state 60 grains is the minimum load for deer from a rifle or smoothbore, and I found out 70 did just fine, and it's been working for a couple decades now. When I went to a semi-custom rifle in .54, the load was 70 grains of 3Fg and a patched .530 roundball. I kept the same bag and measure when I got the new rifle so defaulted into 70 grains, and it worked very well at the range so I kept it even though I tested 60, 65, 75, and 80 grain loads.

(YET when using a pistol, the minimum black powder load is 40 grains of powder in my state. Not sure the State knows why 40 grains will kill deer from a pistol but needs to be 50% more powder if from a rifle. The state never mentions common distances where the deer are shot, nor does it collect that data.... )

My farthest shot ever was with the .54 at 110 yards and it passed through the deer broadside.

FYI..., Mark Baker, famous historian of the Long Hunter Era..., years ago commented that he used 50 grains of 3Fg, and a bunch of fellows freaked out on that load, claiming it was too weak.... and never bothering to notice that Mr. Baker never shoots past 50 yards. Often he is closer.

So in summation shoot what's accurate with enough impact velocity to get the ball to do the max damage.

A man has got to know his limitations - Clint Eastwood, as Inspector Harry Callahan, in Magnum Force 1973.
I think this is true of your BP load too, and if you do know the limitations, then you will be fine.


LD

 

[chorizo]

@Loyalist Dave said "So in summation shoot what's accurate with enough impact velocity to get the ball to do the max damage."

And I would add: "at the max distance you intend to shoot"

 

[64Springer]

This is the old Speed v. Weight debate that will never end.

The 1861 U.S. Springfield sent a 532 grain bullets down range using 60 grains of powder. It was like hitting a human being with a wrecking ball. Oodles of mass and potential energy. But not a lot of speed.

The trusty and mildly chunky Traditions Kentuckyish sends a 178 grain ball down range using 50 grains of powder. Not much mass. Not much potential energy. But lots of speed.

The Kentuckyish uses just 16.5% less powder than the Springfield. But the .50 caliber ball weighs 66.5% less than the 532 grain bullet.

That 178 grain ball is cruising on greased lighting. I'm a speed person.

 

[smokepolehall]

I am on the best accuracy with-in reason loads. You should be able to find a load between 50 n 85 gr with your bullet of choice. I spect out at 50-60 yds that a 50 gr load from my .45 will do in any tick toter that walks

 

[19112tap]

I’ve used 75 gr. 2F with a R.E.A.L. In a .50 TC Hawkins for years as my deer load.

 

[longcruise]

Question is how low can I go on a powder charge for whitetails? I don't see myself shooting much past 50 maybe 75 yards.

Most of the deer I've killed were with a 50. Charges ranged from 50 to 90. Some 2f, some 3f.

Two that were with 50 grains were 50 and 80 yards. The 80 yard shot was out of a 24" barrel.

 

[Okie Hog]

The powder charge used in taking my deer is 80-90 grains depending on the rifle. Those loads give the best accuracy in my conventional muzzleloaders and i fire the same loads at the range.

 

[Absoroka]

A 50 grain charge in a 50 caliber rifle generates around 1300 +/- feet per second velocity which produces around 680 foot pounds of energy. With the slower muzzle velocity the drop at 50 yards is around 3 inches, 8 inches at 75 yards, and around 15 inches at 100 yards. Dealing with a spread of 12 inches in point of impact over the distance between 50 and 100 yards is a challenge for the best hunter. Estimating that range difference when staring at a lot of points on a furry head can be even more of a challenge. I prefer to hunt with heavy charges to minimize the potential for an aiming error. It keeps your point of impact in a smaller circle at greater distances.

 

[64Springer]

A 50 grain charge in a 50 caliber rifle generates around 1300 +/- feet per second velocity which produces around 680 foot pounds of energy. With the slower muzzle velocity the drop at 50 yards is around 3 inches, 8 inches at 75 yards, and around 15 inches at 100 yards. Dealing with a spread of 12 inches in point of impact over the distance between 50 and 100 yards is a challenge for the best hunter. Estimating that range difference when staring at a lot of points on a furry head can be even more of a challenge. I prefer to hunt with heavy charges to minimize the potential for an aiming error. It keeps your point of impact in a smaller circle at greater distances.

You've given no starting point for your zero.

Where is your yardage zero that you're getting 3 inches of drop at 50 yards.

If you're starting at zero yardage, no one zeros a rifle at zero yardage.

 

[Bushfire]

Tale out all the replies and read your own initial post, you already have the answer.

 

[chorizo]

Tale out all the replies and read your own initial post, you already have the answer.

A master of the obvious! You are correct. Sir

 

[Loja man]

I am using 60 & 65 grains in my 50 cals. No issues on white tails out to 75 yards witch has been my max shot to date.

 

[Frontier's]

Who's the maker of your "hawken "???

 

[Tankerchief]

You've given no starting point for your zero.

Where is your yardage zero that you're getting 3 inches of drop at 50 yards.

If you're starting at zero yardage, no one zeros a rifle at zero yardage.

I'm hitting bullseye at 50 yards in the load mentioned

 

[64Springer]

I'm hitting bullseye at 50 yards in the load mentioned

My comment was meant for post #13.

The post was missing some very important information.

Which has yet to be clarified.