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Old Longrifle finally gets a deer

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I built a 45 cal. Longrifle 45 years ago. I only hunted once with it in all that time and never killed a deer with it. I built a nice .54 flintlock soon after this rifle, and have used it for most of 44 years.

I got the old rifle out a few weeks ago and worked out a load of 70 grains Old Eynsford and a .440 roundball with .017” denim patch, lube with bear oil.

I hunted with the rifle for the Illinois muzzleloader season without getting a shot. However, the county my hunting property is at, has a bonus late winter season this year. Any unused permit is good. I had loaded the gun in early December and left it loaded until I shot on the 26th. Went off perfectly.

The deer was about 50 yards. At the shot, it ran hard for another 50 and fell on a gravel drive. No dragging required! The ball destroyed both lungs and stopped against the hide on the offside shoulder. It flattened to over .650”.
 

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Hi, Okawbow! Great hunt! That's the same load I used in my first ML rifle, a .45 CVA kit I built. But I used a pillow ticking patch with Crisco. Didn't kill a deer with it but shot a wagonload of squirrels and other small game. Also I won a 4th place ribbon in a 75 yd. bench rest shoot up against some good competition. I believe a .45 is a beautiful all around caliber, but here in Rackensack you can't use it on small game, go figure.
 
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