45 caliber rifles/pistols does anyone prefer to use this caliber over other calibers??

[midland man]

I used to use only 50 caliber rifles for years but last year as some of you might remember I built a traditions 45 caliber flintlock Kentucky rifle and after much shooting it and stuff I have feel in love with this caliber so now I am going to change in time all my other calibers to 45 caliber rifles and pistols as I just love shooting this caliber now! so I was wondering if others are or still using this caliber and would love to hear your thoughts and stories and hunting stories about using 45 caliber blackpowder guns??

 

[Panzerschwein]

I am interested in shooting .45 round ball from a rifle. Seems like a good target round and for hunting up to deer size game at close range.

 

[rodwha]

A .440" ball from a rifle seems to do just fine at 100 yds. No need to be close. Even a .45" ball from a cap n ball pistol is known to work on deer at 25 yds giving complete passthroughs on broadside shots. No reason a rifle couldn't do that at longer range.

 

[Armored farmer]

I chose to have my flinter built in .45 because it is the smallest caliber legal to hunt deer in my state, yet it is still acceptable small game caliber.
I have also had success in target competition with my .45.

A very versatile caliber.


And for big-bore handgun shooting fun, you can't beat a .45 cap and ball . My rifle shoots best with .445 round ball, my revolver uses .454 ball. Too bad they won't interchange.

 

[rodwha]

A .440" ball from a rifle seems to do just fine at 100 yds. No need to be close. Even a .45" ball from a cap n ball pistol is known to work on deer at 25 yds giving complete passthroughs on broadside shots. No reason a rifle couldn't do that at longer range.

Look at this old military test using the 1860 Army and how slow it is going and still penetrates bone and a good bit of gel (maybe 12"?).



Mike Beliveau's test of an 1860 Army and 30 grns of Goex with a ball produced 883 fps. Using a .454" ball would produce just 244 ft/lbs. At 900' elevation where I am this still has 714 fps at 100 yds and 587 fps at 200 yds, which puts the performance at about what we saw with the gov't test.

Mr. Beliveau's test with a ROA and 33 grns of T7 and a ball produced 1062 fps and with a 144 grn ball gives 361 ft/lbs. At 100 yds it's still going 810 fps and at 200 yds has 662 fps.

Now a .45 cal rifle using a .440" ball of 128 grns and using 60 grns of Pyrodex RS shows a velocity of 1772 fps (Hodgdon's site) and with a 24" barrel produces 893 ft/lbs. At 100 yds it is going 1007 fps and at 200 yds is still going 780 fps.

In no way would I ever advocate shooting as far as I provided details for, but it does show it will certainly penetrate bone and about 12" of flesh, which would certainly get you through the vitals and maybe even to the other side since we don't know just how far that ball can travel through gel. But in two other videos I see these standard Goex loads and a ball penetrate around 22-26" of gel and that's not using an energetic powder such as Swiss, Olde E, or T7.

 

[Hanshi]

My favorite deer rifle is a .45 flintlock longrifle. The damage it does with a .440" round ball would shock many modern shooters.

 

[rodwha]

I chose to have my flinter built in .45 because it is the smallest caliber legal to hunt deer in my state, yet it is still acceptable small game caliber.
I have also had success in target competition with my .45.

A very versatile caliber.
View attachment 271487

And for big-bore handgun shooting fun, you can't beat a .45 cap and ball .View attachment 271677My rifle shoots best with .445 round ball, my revolver uses .454 ball. Too bad they won't interchange.

I'm with you. I'd like to see rifles that use .457" and .380" balls. As is that just leaves the Remington carbine.

 

[JeffG]

I had a Dixie flinter in 45 that I gave to my daughter. Stone deer killer. My dad's Hatfield in 45 is the same. Good hunting caliber. Hits on targets are easy at 100yds, I always keep my game shots at 50yds if I can.

 

[Mike OTDP]

I can remember when .45 was the standard for round ball rifles. It's the fad for .54s that I find odd.

 

[Cowhide Cliff]

I like my 45 flinters

 

[Gordon]

I have a bull barreled Hopkins and Allen .45 target rifle that I bought from an old field grade Army officer that swore he won many matches in Germany with it. Using .433" balls wonder wad patches it does deliver 50 yard holes touching groups rested and about 3/4" groups at 100 yards. I never shot it at the 200 yards it is sighted in for. I am interested in selling it for $350, it is a beast but speaks sweetly with negligable recoil.

 

[Armored farmer]

I can remember when .45 was the standard for round ball rifles. It's the fad for .54s that I find odd.

With all due respect, Mike OTDP,

I believe that the corps of discovery had.54 rifles in 1804

My favorite deer rifle too.

 

[rodwha]

I can remember when .45 was the standard for round ball rifles. It's the fad for .54s that I find odd.

When I was looking at my first muzzleloader I eventually went with .50 cal as there is just much more stuff available for that caliber and anything questionable to use it on could easily be doable with a conical. Knowing what I know now I would have picked a .54 instead as casting gives me plenty of options and a .530" ball has a whole lotta whack.

It would be cool if there was a revolver that used 530" balls!

 

[dh1633pm]

Have four rifles in 45 Colt. Need I say more.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I have one 45 cal smoke pole and the Ruger Old Army. They are sorta, mobbed compatible in caliber (but darn if I don't use a smaller ball for the smoke pole).

 

[loose noose]

I've got two hand guns, one percussion and the other a flinter, both I made from kits, and I've got a Thompson .45 rifle that is probably the most accurate percussion I own, come to find out it is the most expensive to boot. I've got shotguns, and other calibers from .32-.54, but in all honesty I do like that .45 the best.

 

[AJumbo]

What this world needs is a rifle, or accessory barrel for existing rifles, that would enable us to fire .454/.457 round balls from a long gun as well as our revolvers. There used to be a production rifle called "The Plainsman" that was bored to accept a patched .375 ball, so it's not like this is a revolutionary concept.

I started into muzzleloading with a .54 Renegade, then got in to the TC Hawkens in a big way, eventually owning all three calibers. I sold my .45 a long time ago, but its replacement is high on my "want" list. With a good slug and careful shot placement, it should be capable of killing elk. How much does a .45 Maxi-Ball really give up to a .45-70, especially when you can fit a good deal more powder behind that Maxi?

 

[rodwha]

What this world needs is a rifle, or accessory barrel for existing rifles, that would enable us to fire .454/.457 round balls from a long gun as well as our revolvers. There used to be a production rifle called "The Plainsman" that was bored to accept a patched .375 ball, so it's not like this is a revolutionary concept.

I started into muzzleloading with a .54 Renegade, then got in to the TC Hawkens in a big way, eventually owning all three calibers. I sold my .45 a long time ago, but its replacement is high on my "want" list. With a good slug and careful shot placement, it should be capable of killing elk. How much does a .45 Maxi-Ball really give up to a .45-70, especially when you can fit a good deal more powder behind that Maxi?

I looked at Lyman's site to see what the .45 cal Maxi is but they've changed everything and can no longer view it. So how does it differ from the 405 grn .45-70 Gov't bullet?

This is a bit how I view my .50 cal with the 320 grn Lee REAL and 70 grns of 3F Olde E.

 

[AJumbo]

With all due respect, Mike OTDP,

I believe that the corps of discovery had.54 rifles in 1804
View attachment 378810
My favorite deer rifle too.

It's beginning to look more and more like the Corps of Discovery rifles were Army contract rifles of .49 caliber, made by gunsmiths in Lancaster Co, PA. The first M1803 wasn't produced until six months after the Corps embarked on their journey. That said, a .54 round ball is big a thumper, and that's always attractive to hunters, hence the "fad." My . 54 TC Hawken is my go-to elk rifle, even during AZ's "general" elk season when I could grab my .30-06 instead.

 

[AJumbo]

I looked at Lyman's site to see what the .45 cal Maxi is but they've changed everything and can no longer view it. So how does it differ from the 405 grn .45-70 Gov't bullet?

This is a bit how I view my .50 cal with the 320 grn Lee REAL and 70 grns of 3F Olde E.

Check TC's website. The Maxi-Ball and Maxi-Hunter are Thompson-Center products.

 

[Armored farmer]

M1803 wasn't produced until six months after the Corps embarked on their journey

I thought they had Harper Ferry prototypes. My friend wrote a book on the Corps of discovery, I will review his findings.

 

[AJumbo]

I thought they had Harper Ferry prototypes. My friend wrote a book on the Corps of discovery, I will review his findings.

My info is from the Army's CoD website. The 1792/94 pattern rifles somewhat resemble the M1803, and Lewis acquired them at Harper's Ferry. They acquitted themselves well, killing plenty of big, dangerous game on the trek.

Getting back to .45s, Lewis' personal rifle seems to have been in that caliber, according to some sources.

 

[rodwha]

Check TC's website. The Maxi-Ball and Maxi-Hunter are Thompson-Center products.

A quick search and all I see are .50 cal versions. Regardless these don't get quite as heavy so I'd assume the .45 cal versions are/were that much less. But it seemed as I recall from viewing the Lyman site that offered them they were slightly heavier than the heavier Lee REAL in the same caliber.

 

[AJumbo]

A few years ago I found a guy on Gunbroker who was selling cast bullets for muzzleoaders. I bought 100 .45 Maxis from him for ridiculously little money, but I can't remember the vendor now. A quick search should turn something up.

I bought them for the purpose of using them in a Ruger Old Army. They gave great groups, but hit about 20" high at 25 yards. There wasn't room for more than about 25 grains of powder, so they were pretty slow. Maybe I'll try some 777 and repeat the test.