[FSCJedi]

Well, that's what I want to know. I've already been told small game, such as rabbit, squirrel, and heck, I'd even try a bird or two. But what I want to know is what is the biggest thing I could kill with it if I do my part. I'm not talking eye-shots here, but maybe head shots, or good solid heart/chest/lung shots. Bobcat? Coyote?

Just curious.

[smokemaker]

coyote inside 100 yards, sure. Javelina out to maybe 75 yards. Bobcat, absolutely.

Sorry the message is short and choppy, I broke my hand and can't type very well.

[Harve Curry]

Is this a rifle or a sixshooter?

[smokemaker]

Oooh good question. My statements were made regarding rifles. I haven't any experience with BP handguns.

[FSCJedi]

Well, sorry about the confusion. I'd be usin' a 1851 Colt Navy Model six-shooter.

[Harve Curry]

Then I would say 20 yards or less if your a really good shot. Practice on eggs at 20 yards, then shoot em behind the ear and keep shootin.

[Dr.Rob]

I think any small game is do-able with a .36.

Never really thought about hunting with a cap 'n ball revolver... hmmmmm.

[mustanger98]

Elmer Keith covered this subject in "Sixguns" which was quite an informative read. According to Keith, the .36cal round ball is much more the stopper than many .38spl loadings, especially those of his first 50 years. And the round ball is a much better stopper than conicals in the same cap&ball revolver. He said he'd shot small animals like woodchucks and grouse with a .44BP conical and had them keep going, but hit them with a round ball and they're down.

I would say a deer close up- 20-25yds- with a .36cal and round ball properly loaded may not be unreasonable, but go for the upper lung shot- the lungs quickly fill with blood and the deer won't run far if at all. The backbone also takes a shock with this shot. I'm also saying this based on GA having lifted the ballistic restrictions on hunting sidearms and keeping the distance down and making the shot count.

It's historically documented that Hickock killed a man at 75yds with a Colt's Navy .36cal, but...

[Harve Curry]

FSC Jedi,
On thinking about it I think it would be do able and challenging. The soft lead round ball hits hard. Let me know how it goes. I have a '62 Remington copy in 36.

[Johnny Guest]

mustanger98 wrote:I would say a deer close up- 20-25yds- with a .36cal and round ball properly loaded may not be unreasonable, but go for the upper lung shot- the lungs quickly fill with blood and the deer won't run far if at all. The backbone also takes a shock with this shot. Above comments about the magical properties of the lead round ball notwithstanding, you are dealing with a handgun with just about the power of a decent .380 ACP pistol with good ammo. A little lighter bullet, with a touch more velocity.

Each handgun is a law unto itself, but the typical Navy Colt reproduction has rather crude sights and only fair-to-good accuracy. I've owned one (out ot three) with which I was confident of hitting a hen's egg at 30 feet. If I was hungry enough, of course, I'd shoot a deer with a .22 LR pistol, but that's a different matter.

As to - -It's historically documented that Hickock killed a man at 75yds with a Colt's Navy .36cal, but... I've read the same thing, but the BUT is important. If I were concerned about defending my life, sure, I'd take give it a try, especially with my above-referenced Colt's .36. BUT a man trying to do me harm is rather less deserving of a humane shot than a deer.

Best,
Johnny

[mustanger98]

I'd say it also depends on the size of the deer in a given area, and like I said, up close. The deer's kill zone- even the upper lung area- is bigger than a hen's egg. The sights- I've heard from guys that said they could hit minute of coffee can or smaller, but they didn't tell which sized can. I know the deal about those sights and the humane shot, which means the Colt's Navy may not be as well suited to this application as a target model Remington in the same caliber and even then, I'd say keep the distance up close. I think this is like hunting with other guns in that the hunter/shooter MUST know his gun and it's capabilities and limitations as well as his own.

BUT a man trying to do me harm is rather less deserving of a humane shot than a deer.

Yeah.

[Harve Curry]

I was going by the first question, coyotes and bobcats.

[mustanger98]

I've been thinking some more on this and I've been noticing for a long time that while people hunt with a handgun, it's nearly always .357mag or bigger. But when people hunt with Blackpowder firearms, it's usually either a Hawken or one of these newfangled in-lines. I don't hear of anybody really hunting with a BP revolver, but I don't think it to be illegal reading the GA regs. While I think humane kills are possible if the shooter does his part, I'd be curious to hear legal opinions.

[Joe Demko]

everybody I ever knew who hunted with a blackpowder revolver, to include myself, stuck with small game. A .36 or .44 bp revo would certainly kill a deer, but my experience is that they aren't the ideal tool for the job.

[scotjute]

Rabbits, armadillos are about as big as I'd go with a .36 revolver. Coyotes and bobcats need something bigger and more powerful, like a rifle. .36 cal. rifle should do just fine.