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chickenmcnasty

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Hey all,

I have been lurking for quite some time and learning all I can. This forum is a wealth of information and I'm grateful for all that you do. Without it I would be lost.
I currently have a Pedersoli Bess carbine that I use for turkey hunting in the spring, a Uberti Walker and a Cabelas Investarms Hawken in .50 caliber. I am currently using the Investarms as my short range hunting rifle, but I want to look at getting something that is capable of deer hunting at extended ranges.
Currently a member is helping with a solution to the dilemma trying to replace the sights on the Cabelas rifle, but if you have any other solution I am all ears.
I am also considering another rifle for purchase. Does anyone own and hunt with .58 caliber rifles? My Cabelas has a Pedersoli Enfield 2 band that is 1:48 and it fits me like a glove. I am also considering looking at their Pedersoli Mississippi Rifle, I believe it is a 1:72 twist. I would love to hear some general opinions on the capabilities of these or similar rifles for hunting out to 175/200 yards. I shot a few deer this year and the ranges are usually around 150-250, but I would like to get away from my centerfire and go traditional all the way. I understand the drastic bullet drop and compensating for that may be very difficult, but I am the type that obsesses until I am proficient, or imposes limitation on what I can ethically do in hunting situations.
Thank you for your opinions. Without this forum I would be spending piles of money on Ballistol instead of using a member's moose milk recipe. I would also likely have given up on shooting these guns if I didn't have access to all of the load data I have seen contributed. You guys are awesome and appreciated. :bow:
 
Jack Wilson said:
chickenmcnasty said:
Without this forum I would be spending piles of money on Ballistol instead of using a member's moose milk recipe. I would also likely have given up on shooting these guns if I didn't have access to all of the load data I have seen contributed. You guys are awesome and appreciated. :bow:
I couldn't agree more: http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/mpp/mpp_subscribe.php[/quote]
I can certainly contribute. It's the least I can do to help keep this community and traditional black powder shooting alive and well.
 
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A little out of my area of interest but have done some reading on the subject.

You can do a Google search for a Whitworth Rifle - .451 cal - was reportedly capable of 1400 yard shots.

Also may want to check out "White Muzzleloading".

Doc White has done extensive work developing long range rifles, particularly 45 cal, which tend to shoot the flattest of the common calibers.

(although I don't know if I want the butt end of a rifle shooting almost 500 grains of lead with a 200 yard retained energy of 1000 pounds snugged up against my shoulder when the trigger is pulled)

You can do some reading here Link about how he gets 500 yard shots from some of his rifles - which he also builds/sells..
 
Most of the rifles out there from .50 and up are capable of solid hits out to 200 yards. In the bore sizes from .54 and up, even a ball has enough retained energy to take deer sized game efficiently. Over longer distance you may need some more shooting experience to mentally calculate the drop of a ball compared to an elongated projectile. Military guns don't always have the best sights for hunting but if you find something that fits and you like, buy it and we'll help you fiddle with sights, loads and anything you may need to get going...mostly it'll involve more excuses to go to the range. "Yes, dear, it's necessary research for hunting season"...you may get "the look" but at least it's a logical excuse! :wink: :haha:
 
Any good copy of an English game rifle will do that. Pick your caliber. Around .50 up. to maybe .62. Rigby, Nock, Manton among others. Look around, those "game guns" are just that. Like this one 8 lb. .50 cal....Tom

click on pic to see her come togrther. 1 Mulie buck so far...
 
to stay traditional and the least expensive look at the pedersoli gibbs with peep sights in .45 cal.

With a 540 grain bullet, 45 cal you will be able to shoot quite a way and still have plenty of killing power.

At 500 yards with a rifle like this you should be able to hit a 13 inch square almost every shot.

200 yard shot, not a problem. You should be able to get real close to MOA at this range.

I have shot quite a few deer over the years with a rifle like this.

fleener
 
Don't overlook the simple Lyman Great Plains rifle with it's 1:32 hunter barrel. I neck shot (I was aiming at the neck) a meat deer this year at 180 yards - ranged. I have made a couple of other shots over 100 yards on trophy animals where no other shot would have presented.

I do try to keep my shots under 80 yards though. I didn't take up muzzleloading to shoot like a centrefire. Hunting is about stalking close not picking them off at long range.
 
2_Tall said:
Why not move closer to the game u seek
I also hunt with a recurve. I definitely enjoy close range hunting more than anything else. With that being said, we go up every year and rifle hunt where the terrain makes it impossible to get close to deer on a regular basis. I consistently kill deer at 225 yards with my .30-06. And using a scoped gun has lost it's joy. I want to take my love of black powder guns and get away from hunting with modern rifles, but need to be realistic about the challenges this area presents.
 
Kapow said:
Don't overlook the simple Lyman Great Plains rifle with it's 1:32 hunter barrel. I neck shot (I was aiming at the neck) a meat deer this year at 180 yards - ranged. I have made a couple of other shots over 100 yards on trophy animals where no other shot would have presented.

Was that with a sabot? I would prefer more traditional ammo, but I'm sure that with roundball and minie ball come rainbow trajectories.
 
fleener said:
to stay traditional and the least expensive look at the pedersoli gibbs with peep sights in .45 cal.

With a 540 grain bullet, 45 cal you will be able to shoot quite a way and still have plenty of killing power.

At 500 yards with a rifle like this you should be able to hit a 13 inch square almost every shot.

200 yard shot, not a problem. You should be able to get real close to MOA at this range.

I have shot quite a few deer over the years with a rifle like this.

fleener
That is a fine rifle, but if my wife caught me looking at that she may decide a divorce is cheaper!
 
Wes/Tex said:
Most of the rifles out there from .50 and up are capable of solid hits out to 200 yards. In the bore sizes from .54 and up, even a ball has enough retained energy to take deer sized game efficiently. Over longer distance you may need some more shooting experience to mentally calculate the drop of a ball compared to an elongated projectile. Military guns don't always have the best sights for hunting but if you find something that fits and you like, buy it and we'll help you fiddle with sights, loads and anything you may need to get going...mostly it'll involve more excuses to go to the range. "Yes, dear, it's necessary research for hunting season"...you may get "the look" but at least it's a logical excuse! :wink: :haha:
I love the fit and sight picture of the enfield, but perhaps that's because the sights are so awful on the investarms hawken. I love the buckhorn sights on my lever gun and can routinely hit out to 200 with those.
 
chickenmcnasty said:
I love the fit and sight picture of the enfield, but perhaps that's because the sights are so awful on the investarms hawken. I love the buckhorn sights on my lever gun and can routinely hit out to 200 with those.
Don't forget sights can be changed...if you don't like it, fix it.
 
For what it's worth, it is the Lyman Great Plains Hunter that has the fast twist.

The Great Plains Rifle has a slow twist deep rifled barrel made for patched roundballs.

Might I suggest if your going to be shooting at 150-250 yards that you mount a telescopic sight on your gun?

Unless your a really good shot with iron sights, keeping a shot in the kill zone at 250 yards is rather difficult to do.
I think the game animal deserves to be taken cleanly.
 
Zonie said:
For what it's worth, it is the Lyman Great Plains Hunter that has the fast twist.

The Great Plains Rifle has a slow twist deep rifled barrel made for patched roundballs.

Might I suggest if your going to be shooting at 150-250 yards that you mount a telescopic sight on your gun?

Unless your a really good shot with iron sights, keeping a shot in the kill zone at 250 yards is rather difficult to do.
I think the game animal deserves to be taken cleanly.

X2 :thumbsup:
 
I have a Cabelas .58 enfield with a Bayonet. It shoots about 3" group at 100 yds with round balls and 70 grains 777. Never shot any further but the sights that come on it look like they should go 400-500 yds (while aiming at the sky!). The sights are not windage adjustable and mine shoots right about 3". Been trying to trade it off for some time, seems not too popular? I did try to alter the sights by having a buddy drill a slot to be able to slide it over and that would have worked if he didn't drill just a bigger hole VS a slot! I would pay a bit more for one of the other above mentioned rifles for a good 250 yd+ gun. I have shot a deer and an elk both at 180 yds with traditionals in my day and both were good clean shots (I knew the rifle well though, held 2 feet high on the elk!)
 
Zonie said:
For what it's worth, it is the Lyman Great Plains Hunter that has the fast twist.

The Great Plains Rifle has a slow twist deep rifled barrel made for patched roundballs.

Might I suggest if your going to be shooting at 150-250 yards that you mount a telescopic sight on your gun?

Unless your a really good shot with iron sights, keeping a shot in the kill zone at 250 yards is rather difficult to do.
I think the game animal deserves to be taken cleanly.
I agree completely. I can assure you that no one imposes stricter limitations than myself. I bow hunted for 2 years and had plenty of shot opportunities before ever taking a shot. Too dark, too windy, too far etc.
What I may find when I spend the time at the range is that I won't be comfortable at those ranges after all and will limit myself accordingly. I may end up with a really great gun that is only capable of 150 yard shots in my hands, but I want to take a look at rifles that may be capable.
 
I would never shoot a sabot. No the load was 100gn FFg and a home cast 450gn Lyman Great Plains bullet. You could shoot lighter projectiles such as the Lee REAL but may pay for it in down range momentum. With an over powder lubed wad it shoots several projectiles such as the Hornady great plains bullet and T/C Maxi ball to the same point. 60gn FFg and a patched roundball is dead on at 50m.
I honestly wouldn't call it a 250m rifle though. Consistently a 150m rifle.
 
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