brewer12345
Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2015
- Messages
- 2,751
I spent much of the past week hunting a river bottom trying to fill an antlerless deer tag that was muzzleloader only. I had an easy shot at a broadside doe at 40 yards (tops) a week ago, but she ran off about a second before I could line up the shot. Spent a whole bunch of hours trying to get close enough to seal the deal with the many deer I saw all week and finally connected this morning. This was not what I would consider an ideal shot. The deer was 60 yards away partially obscured by the grass and looking over its shoulder at me, but I took the shot because I wasn't sure I would get another one.
The .530 round ball hit the 100 or so pound button buck in the right rear quarter. Even though I was using an accurate load for this rifle, it chronoed at a modest 1350 or so FPS this summer. That said, the ball broke the heavy leg bone, clipped a kidney, a bunch of blood vessels and the lungs. The ball broke a rib and came to rest just under the front left shoulder blade. So by my count, the 230 grain round ball went through almost 3 feet of deer and despite a very poor shot placement the deer was done and down within 75 yards of where it was hit. The pic of the ball is attached (flattened), but it still weighs 223.3 grains.
Hunt with confidence within reasonable ranges with your muzzleloader. If my short barrel sidelock with what many would consider an anemic load will go through 3 feet of deer, whatever you have will make meat.
The .530 round ball hit the 100 or so pound button buck in the right rear quarter. Even though I was using an accurate load for this rifle, it chronoed at a modest 1350 or so FPS this summer. That said, the ball broke the heavy leg bone, clipped a kidney, a bunch of blood vessels and the lungs. The ball broke a rib and came to rest just under the front left shoulder blade. So by my count, the 230 grain round ball went through almost 3 feet of deer and despite a very poor shot placement the deer was done and down within 75 yards of where it was hit. The pic of the ball is attached (flattened), but it still weighs 223.3 grains.
Hunt with confidence within reasonable ranges with your muzzleloader. If my short barrel sidelock with what many would consider an anemic load will go through 3 feet of deer, whatever you have will make meat.