50 Caliber

[Metalshaper03]

I wonder, over the years??? just how many deer were taken with sub-.50 cal guns??
and for that matter of fact how many were taken with those new fangled cartridge things,
that will NEVER catch on :lol:

in the farm communities my dad served, while in the pulpit, lots of farmers used 25-20 through 30-30's
( whatever they are ) and that was about it?

My first deer hunt ever, the buck fell to a .50 cal/PRB, and never took a second step!

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[Smokin' Joe]

I remember back in the late 70's I bought a Herford steer.  When I took him to the butcher after the summer was over he weighed in at "1100" pounds.  The butcher used a ".22 long", shot him between the eyes and the steer dropped like a ton of bricks. 

I think a .50 cal will do the job on a deer quite well.

 

[oneshot1]

Remember back in the late 70's I bought a Herford steer.  When I took him to the butcher after the summer was over he weighed in at "1100" pounds.  The butcher used a ".22 long", shot him between the eyes and the steer dropped like a ton of bricks. 

I think a .50 cal will do the job on a deer quite well.

Ok I know not funny but most Poachers around here use .22 on Deer.

oneshot

 

[Hanshi]

Yes, a .50 is way too small for Spinosaurus or T-Rex but is fine for black bear, deer and elk.  And one doesn't have to load up red hot just for targets.

 

[JLBSparks]

I've taken dozens of deer with a .50, and I can comfortably say that every deer that I killed has died.

     -Joe

 

[Hanshi]

The majority of the deer I've killed were taken with various .50s or a couple of .45s.  I really like the .45 but my last deer gun was a .50.

 

[OSR]

I've taken dozens of deer with a .50, and I can comfortably say that every deer that I killed has died.

     -Joe

You sure? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

I've taken dozens of deer with a .50, and I can comfortably say that every deer that I killed has died.

     -Joe

You sure? :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[JLBSparks]

Very sure. It's hard to keep 'em on the grill if they ain't fully dead.

    -Joe

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Very sure. It's hard to keep 'em on the grill if they ain't fully dead.

    -Joe

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


I laughed before. I laughed this time.

 

[Hanshi]

I've never had a deer that  required a second shot.  There was one I shot with a .50 that was thrashing and trying to regain his feet - but he was hit too hard to do it - so I reloaded quickly and fired again without leaving the stand.  Instant finale.  Never happened with either my .45s, .54 or .62.  I'm not saying a .45 is better than a .50; it's not.  But I've enjoyed so much success with my two .45s and really like the rifles that fires them that the caliber is my favorite.

Of the four .50s I've used on deer, none disappointed me at all.  Currently I've been using the .62 smoothbore and will also attempt to christen my "new" .50.  The smoothbore, which I like so much, may end up being my favorite.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Hanshi, is 50 yards about max effective range for the .62 smooth bore?

 

[Hanshi]

Hanshi, is 50 yards about max effective range for the .62 smooth bore?

50 yards is not even close to the limit of it's killing power, of course, but is often the limit of the load's accuracy or the skill of the shooter.  Everything considered I'd have no qualms about shooting at a deer at 60 yards at least.  A few shooters have worked up loads that are quite accurate at 100 yards; I'm not one of them.  Most shots at deer are rather close so paper plate groups at 50 yards will normally do quite well.  And while the norm for rifles is the 5 shot group; a 3 shot group works for a smoothbore.  Success in the deer woods is usually accomplished with one (the first) shot and rarely a second.  So a 3 shot group is a good indicator of actual hunting accuracy with a smoothbore.  Mine came with a rear sight installed which makes aiming much easier and about like shooting a rifle.  The sights (on mine) are also use for aiming a shot pattern.  So far I've only killed one deer with my smoothbore and it was a 20 yard shot; but it was a running shot.  I was just as surprised as the deer with the hit.  A .62 ball hits like the hammer of Thor.  Through the smoke I just made out the deer jumping straight up and crashing down in her foot prints.  The smoothbore is flint so I did give her plenty of lead so as not to hit too far back.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Thanks, good to know. I'm going to be building a Jim Chambers Pennsyvania Fowler in September.

 

[Sharpsman]

Smoothbores!

?????

Ain't never figured out WHY a man would want one myself! Smoothbore to me means.....shotgun which I kill ducks with and when we were deer hunting and running dogs in Alabama....I killed many a running buck shooting buckshot!!

As for having rifle capability....IMO that's a lost cause!! :affraid: :Beating Muley:

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Well Sharpsman...back in the 1750's if a man could only afford one gun it would be quite beneficial to get a smooth bore.  You could hunt ducks, turkey etc. or put a round ball down the barrel and hunt deer, bear or moose.  Also, I've heard tell, that if you were in a battle they also loaded faster because of the smooth bore.  Jim Chambers states they can achieve 3" groups at 50 yards.  I've only shot one deer farther than 50 yards in my 54 years of hunting and that was because I went to The Big Horn mountains in Wyoming.

Besides, I think it might be fun!

 

[Hanshi]

I've fired several sub 3" groups at 50 yards.  One was an 8 shot group, too.  You can patch lead balls same as with a rifle and probably get your best accuracy.  I have a .590" mold and those ball get patched.  However I am becoming more and more fond of a "bare ball" load with WW cast ball.  I cast a .606" WW ball and seat in on a lubed fiber wad with a card wad on top.  I seat these as one unit and accuracy is good.  I like challenge and a flintlock rifle will let you take deer at 100 yards or more.  But with a smoothbore you have to get closer to be sure of a good hit.

 

[RonRC]

That is valuable information, Hanshi!
Thank you,
Ron

 

[patocazador]

I get fair accuracy  at 50 yds. in my 12 gauge (.729) with an OP wad and dead (dried) lightly lubed Spanish moss both below and above a bare .715 ball.
However a patched .690 ball does a bit better.

 

[Hanshi]

This thread may be about .50 caliber rifles but it is great fun and very informative to include smoothbores.  After all, some .50s are bored smooth.  Patched ball is also more accurate for me in my .62 but I either have to use a .600" pure lead ball with a very thin patch - the bore in my smoothbore is tight - or a .590" WW ball with a thick (rifle) patch.  The .606" WW ball is large enough to shoot well without a patch and just held in place with a felt or fiber wad and card wad and seated as a single unit.