Deerhunter flintlock load

[Maximahunter04]

New to BP, and to the forum so take it easy on me. Picked up a traditions deerhunter .50 cal 1:48 twist, need some advice for loads for hunting. Shot it a few times already using 80 and 90g of 2f (4f in the pan) and tc maxi hunter (350g) slugs. Wasn't too impressed with them (still have a lot of my own bugs to work out also), the kit I picked up came with 240g .44 mag saboted bullets and I'm going to throw some of them down range as well. Any suggestions on types of projectiles. Sabots, conicals, powerbelts? Wasn't really looking to shoot PRB but if it's what's best I would definitely consider it. Thank you for any input in advance. Mike.

 

[cayuga]

Get some .490 round ball and some .015 patch. Cotton Pillow Tick from a fabric store works great. The shoot 85 grains of 2f black powder and that patched ball. That should give you very good accuracy.

If you want to shoot sabots, try a 240 grain Hornady XTP in a black Harvester sabot with 80 grains of 2f powder. I am giving this advise based on what my two Traditions Woodsman Hawken Rifles like and my Pioneer rifle.

 

[Maximahunter04]

Get some .490 round ball and some .015 patch. Cotton Pillow Tick from a fabric store works great. The shoot 85 grains of 2f black powder and that patched ball. That should give you very good accuracy.

If you want to shoot sabots, try a 240 grain Hornady XTP in a black Harvester sabot with 80 grains of 2f powder. I am giving this advise based on what my two Traditions Woodsman Hawken Rifles like and my Pioneer rifle.

Thank you for your reply, which of the two shoot more accurate? I know a lot of guys like the round ball because of the traditional style, I just want to make sure that when I let the hammer fly on a deer I'm doing the best job I can to make a clean ethical kill.

 

[catfishtony]

Maximahunter04, welcome aboard. i have never used a sabot load in my older guns
with barrels 1:48". but i can say that a patched round ball can and will kill 200# deer.
in my guns out to 75 yards i can hold a 6" group with my old eyes.
every deer with a PR Ball expired in sight.
BUT make sure you get good round balls made of lead.
real ones are dark gray and softer like ones made by Hornady, Speer and Buffalo.
one time i got some home made ones that had some thing else added they were more like steel
ball bearings, plus shot very poor! they had a silver color like tin or a tire weight kinda shinny hue.
Hornady, Speer and Buffalo are soft pure lead. and i must add Maximahunter04 in my guns a slow
load kills deer quicker. this i do NOT understand but deer i have shot with 70-80 grains of powder drop dead on the spot. yet a heavy load of powder like 90 grains of powder, the deer shot with PRB ran off 50 yards or so then fell over go figure. good luck and have fun.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/muzzleloading_bullets.htm

 

[Maximahunter04]

Maximahunter04, welcome aboard. i have never used a sabot load in my older guns
with barrels 1:48". but i can say that a patched round ball can and will kill 200# deer.
in my guns out to 75 yards i can hold a 6" group with my old eyes.
every deer with a PR Ball expired in sight.
BUT make sure you get good round balls made of lead.
real ones are dark gray and softer like ones made by Hornady, Speer and Buffalo.
one time i got some home made ones that had some thing else added they were more like steel
ball bearings, plus shot very poor! they had a silver color like tin or a tire weight kinda shinny hue.
Hornady, Speer and Buffalo are soft pure lead. and i must add Maximahunter04 in my guns a slow
load kills deer quicker. this i do NOT understand but deer i have shot with 70-80 grains of powder drop dead on the spot. yet a heavy load of powder like 90 grains of powder, the deer shot with PRB ran off 50 yards or so then fell over go figure. good luck and have fun.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/muzzleloading_bullets.htm

Thanks for the response, I just might have to pick up some round balls and give them a go, as far as the amount of powder I've also heard less is more, 90g is the max I was testing the maxi hunters, will give them a shot, thanks again! Mike

 

[cayuga]

The roundball shot the best.

That was shooting my Traditions .50 caliber flintlock Woodsman Hawkens 1-48 twist barrel, with roundball. I did not mark the distance on the target for some reason. But if I had to guess, I would say that was when I first got the rifle and was sighting it in at 50 yards.

I have one Woodsman Hawkens that is flintlock and one that is percussion. After all why not have one of each. My percussion is made to shoot roundball with a roundball barrel. It has a 1-66 twist.

It likes 90 grains of powder and a roundball, as you can see.

 

[Maximahunter04]

The roundball shot the best.

That was shooting my Traditions .50 caliber flintlock Woodsman Hawkens 1-48 twist barrel, with roundball. I did not mark the distance on the target for some reason. But if I had to guess, I would say that was when I first got the rifle and was sighting it in at 50 yards.

Thanks for the reply, how much powder are you using in the 1:48 barrel? Should I go less charge to slow it down a bit? Thanks in advance. Mike

 

[cayuga]

with the 1-48 twist I always shoot 85 grains of 2f powder. It shoots really good with that load. And its all the power you'd need for hunting as well.

 

[Maximahunter04]

Ok thanks, I've had it to the range a few times, haven't really been grouping with anything I've put through it, it has to be me, need some more practice. Thank you for your help. Mike.

 

[Maximahunter04]

Well I've had it down again and shot powerbelts, 30 yds I'm about a 4" group which isn't great but I'll take it for my first yr shooting black powder. Season comes in a few days from now, I will take it to the range one more time and get a little more comfortable with it. Next year I will be replacing the junk ALL plastic sights that are on the gun, was thinking maybe a rmc v peep? Any suggestions would be great, thanks and good luck to everyone. Mike.