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Hunting with a patched round ball

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AveryPC

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This year I have the chance to use an older muzzleloader that I have sighted in with round balls at 50 yards and was getting 2 inch grouping. I was quite surprised by this as I had always thought that round balls were the furthest thing from accurate. However, while I was in the stand yesterday I started to wonder how lethal a 50 cal round ball was. I know they have been used for hundreds of years, but are they not similar to full metal jackets which do not expand and are illegal to hunt with? How far will a deer hit with a round ball make it if it is put in the boiler room? Should I expect a blood trail that is hard to follow? I am confident with the muzzleloader and look forward to harvesting a deer with it, but I just wondered if anyone with experience could let me know what to expect.
 
Rather the opposite to your FMJ example. They are soft lead (no "Jacket") and will expand very violently unless they're hard cast—in which case a .50+ cal hole isn't half bad.

If anything I'd just try to avoid bone on entry. No quartering-to shots, but quartering away and broadside shots to get that ball exploding in the boiler room.

I'll defer to someone who has actually used them on game, though.
 
I killed a lot of deer with a patch and ball always left a good blood trail, You shouldn't have any problems if you do your part.
Good luck
 
Back when all we had was round balls and maxi balls I heard more stories about lost deer with a round ball than I can count. If you hit them in the heart anything will kill em, but I ain't hunting with a round ball.
 
I have shot a lot of deer with a patched round ball. Experiences vary depending totally on shot placement. 50 cal over 60 g fff is perfect if you go through both lungs. Should see them fall or at least hear them. 50 seems to hit them harder than the 58. I have recovered more 50 caliber balls than 58 balls. The 58s always pass through. If you do your part and shoot enough so you are accurate and comfortable with gun. The 50 round ball will do it. 54 is a great choice too, but it really comes down to shot placement. My worst experiences have totally come from poor shots that I should have waited on or passed. I would imagine that's the case with any gun.
 
Killed couple handfuls back on the day. Worked fine except for 1 that splatted on the scapula and didn't even penetrate the chest. Recovered him with a follow up shot.
 
That was my first set up, 100 grains of powder, and a patched ball. My longest shot ever was 78 yards, buck ran maybe 20 yards. I killed many a deer with that up until a few years ago when I upgraded to an in line.
 
Good to know that they work well, the rifle is an older Investarms Hawkins style that I really enjoy. Hopefully I will be able to knock one down with it and get some experience of my own.
 
They kill just fine. Keep your range within reason. Even if it doesn't expand much a .50 cal hole ain't bad or whatever cal you are using, I shot a handful with .490cal over 80gr fff without issue. Have fun!!
 
I'm hunting with a TC Seneca .45 with .440 round balls over 60gr of fffg. I'm kinda pretending I'm hunting with a bow. I might stretch it to 50 yards but, that's gonna be a long shot where I hunt. I passed on a big doe at 30 yards on Saturday morning. She kept looking behind her which I thought was an excellent strategy for a doe to stay alive during this time of year. Btw never did see what was pushing her.
 
AveryPC said:
Good to know that they work well, the rifle is an older Investarms Hawkins style that I really enjoy. Hopefully I will be able to knock one down with it and get some experience of my own.
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Ive killed truckloads in the 80's and 90's with 80gr of pyrodex and a roundball. Put it through the ribcage and fire up the grill.
 
AveryPC said:
This is exactly the load I am using, this has given me a lot of extra confidence.
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Know your range and your limits. If a weapon is new to you, I recommend you kill everything legal that gives you a true broadside shot. Wait for your shot. Know your shot, if new study that anatomy.

I had a friend in GA decades ago who dialed in his .45 Hawken with patch ball and brain shot/neck shot a lot of deer. He was the ultimate 1 shot one kill guy.. His setup was a consistent hole touching hole on 50 yd paper though.

I was not a coach nor as good a shooter as him so did the .50 patch/ball and never had a problem, again waiting for the shot.

Enjoy
 
AveryPC said:
Not finding much blood and losing the deer worries me most
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Soft lead pushed with I think you said elsewhere 80 gn pyrodex, place it right and you should be good. I 💘 deer is something you see on my post. With bow or open sight muzzleloader or pistol I shoot lower then most folks but I also pass a lot of shots that others would have taken.

I like the lower pass through partially because of the better blood trail again particularly with a relatively fat & slow projectile.
 

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