I just wondered how many are going out with the smoke poles in a month, and what will you use? I took my new .54 Lyman Trade rifle out last Saturday and sighted it in ready for the opener next month. With a .535 round ball and 80g of 3f Goex, it shoots as good as I can hold. My 16 year old .50 cal Lyman Deerstalker will have to sit it out for the first time. It has taken at least one deer every year since I got it, but I felt the urge to get something new. Not sure if I should keep it for a loner or sell it to someone starting out.
How many Black Powder hunting in Manitoba
- Thread starter snowshoe
- Start date
I've got my heart set on it. I'm still working out a load and sighting in my dad's 50 cal hawken. I will probably use conicals from Precision Bullets of Anola. 400 grains driven by 100 grains (by volume) of 777. Man that sucker kicks hard with no recoil pad, just a brass plate.
Yes they do kick with a big bullet and no recoil pad. That is one of the reasons that I use a patched round ball, the other reason is that they work great. I have taken many whitetails with a .495 ball at ranges from 12 feet to 110 yards.
I keep swinging back and forth between the patched ball and the conical. Just when I'm convinced I'll use the ball, someone tells me about how it was inadequate for them and then I change my plans. I've been shooting patched balls from the gun and the consistency is really good at 100 yards. Now that I'm back sighting in with the conical, I need to do some more shooting to zero it for elevation and see what kind of pattern I'm getting. The balls would all hit the palm of a hand at 100 yards.
I keep swinging back and forth between the patched ball and the conical. Just when I'm convinced I'll use the ball, someone tells me about how it was inadequate for them and then I change my plans.
Shot placement is the biggest reason for complaints about balls or bullets. People just have to find something to blame, so they don't have to admit they made a mistake. I have put a .495 round ball pushed by 80g of Pyrodex strait through a bucks chest that was standing 110 yards away. The ball hit a rib going in, passed through both lungs and took another rib out on it's way out. A .30-06 could not have made that buck any deader. That said, use whatever gives you confidence.
Shot placement is the biggest reason for complaints about balls or bullets. People just have to find something to blame, so they don't have to admit they made a mistake. I have put a .495 round ball pushed by 80g of Pyrodex strait through a bucks chest that was standing 110 yards away. The ball hit a rib going in, passed through both lungs and took another rib out on it's way out. A .30-06 could not have made that buck any deader. That said, use whatever gives you confidence.
I have vacation booked
for the first week but not to sure how much I may get out.
I shoot a Rem 700 50cal. Great in there day but a bit outdated. Dirty SOB to clean. Get blowbuy on everything. Shoot Barnes X 250gr or Hornaday SST in 250 gr. Used to shoot PR bullets but I feel they need a jkt to be a bit tougher. The Barnes X are new for me this year and look like they will be ok.
for the first week but not to sure how much I may get out.
I shoot a Rem 700 50cal. Great in there day but a bit outdated. Dirty SOB to clean. Get blowbuy on everything. Shoot Barnes X 250gr or Hornaday SST in 250 gr. Used to shoot PR bullets but I feel they need a jkt to be a bit tougher. The Barnes X are new for me this year and look like they will be ok.
Really looking foreward to Muzzleloader Season.
Started with a Thompson Hawken 54 many years ago,then a 50 White Mountain Carbine,then a 50 Remington and a 50 Knight Wolverine and now a Savage Smokeless 50.
No more blow by,smoke or nightly cleaning !
Sure is nice to see the Deer's reaction to the shot (usually straight South drop) instead of waiting for the smoke to settle and trying to locate it.
Looks like a Great Season comming up !!!Can hardly wait !!!
Started with a Thompson Hawken 54 many years ago,then a 50 White Mountain Carbine,then a 50 Remington and a 50 Knight Wolverine and now a Savage Smokeless 50.
No more blow by,smoke or nightly cleaning !
Sure is nice to see the Deer's reaction to the shot (usually straight South drop) instead of waiting for the smoke to settle and trying to locate it.
Looks like a Great Season comming up !!!Can hardly wait !!!
The cloud of smoke and the smell is what I like. I love doing it with real black powder, and a patched ball that I cast myself. To each his own, but I would not give space in my gun cabinet to a inline muzzleloader. Good luck to all.
I went out this morning to do some scouting around and set up a ground blind or two. First off a nice doe stopped by at 50 yards to say hello, and a coyote watched from 200 yards off. The spot my wife and I each took a deer at last year, is just covered with packed trails. I cut shooting lanes for 3 seperate spots to sit with the longest shot to be taken would be 80 yards. I then went to my range and set up a target at 100 yards, the first 2 shots from a rest almost touched, and the third shot off hand from 50 yards hit within 2" of the first 2 shots. That should do the trick. I think I will consentrate on grouse hunting until black powder season opens. It was great to be out in the bush again.
