Black Powder Execution

[Pistol Ranch]

I have noticed that animals hit with big, heavy, slow, black powder bullets
drop to the ground with authority.
This will probably start the debate on velocity (Weatherby) vs mass/energy (Keith).
Some (not all) deer run off for a distance when hit with the high velocity bullets...my observation is that the heavy /slow bullets drop an animal in its tracks..

P.R.

 

[Robert]

I carry a Marlin 1895G loaded with 405gr hard cast, gas checked bullets that are moving near 1900 fps. I have yet connect with one on an Elk but would imagine that the amount of energy being delivered would be devastating. The trick would be to find a round that is balance of high velocity and high mass.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Generally speaking, black powder rounds fire a heavy, large caliber bullet. And those bullets penetrate a long way -- usually completely through the animal.

As I have said before, it's the hole that kills. A big, deep hole in the right place will do the job every time.

 

[Robert]

I would love to be set up to reload paper patched bullets using black powder. Though I need a longer barrel to get a good full burn.

 

[jerkface11]

Some (not all) deer run off for a distance when hit with the high velocity bullets...my observation is that the heavy /slow bullets drop an animal in its tracks..

I once shot a 75lb doe with a .50 cal muzzle loader. Hit both lungs and the heart. She still ran 100 yards.

 

[Slamfire]

Some (not all) deer run off for a distance when hit with the high velocity bullets...my observation is that the heavy /slow bullets drop an animal in its tracks..

I once shot a 75lb doe with a .50 cal muzzle loader. Hit both lungs and the heart. She still ran 100 yards.

I have a 54 Caliber roundball Renegade. The ball is 235 grains and goes at 44 magnum velocities. The only thing it really has is caliber, otherwise these round ball guns are about in the same class as a pistol. I suspect a 50 cal is even less powerful than a 54.

I am impressed with 510 grain 58 caliber Minie balls. These give a whack on target all out of proportion to their kinetic energy.

Talking to hunters who have used them, big Minie balls hit hard. One gentlemen told me if he hit bone, it would tumble a coyote.

You can find on the web a Fackler graph of a 40 caliber Italian 1870's vintage lead bullet track in ballistic gelatin. The crush space of that bullet was outstanding and it just plowed all the way through. The front end mushroomed and created a big hole.

The limitation on these things is bullet drop. I backed up from 100 yards to 150 yards with my Musket and the bullet drop was probably close to a foot.

 

[stubbicatt]

Gus. The Blackpowder cartridge is not a burn in a classical sense, but an explosion. The powder is a low grade detonation, so before the bullet is in the throat of the leade, the powder has been consumed.

FWIW.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

No. Blackpowder, like smokeless powder, deflagrates (burns). It does not detonate.

 

[jerkface11]

But it burns faster than smokeless.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

But it burns faster than smokeless.

Not necessarily. Some smokeless powers are faster than any black powder.