Which of these are your favorite cowboy calibers for deer hunting?

[Tommy Gunn]

Blackpowder cartridge or even smokeless loads, what oldstyle chambering do you use for deer hunting?

 

[Preacherman]

Tommy, the problem is that they're all pretty anaemic in comparison to today's pistol calibers. I'd venture to guess that a .357 Magnum out of a lever-action carbine has more "oomph" to it than all of those rounds (with the possible exception of the .38-55). I wouldn't use any of them - I'll stick to .44 Magnum carbines for the local whitetail, when I'm not using .30-30.

 

[inGobwetrust]

The venerable 45-70 is very conspicuous in it's absence on the list. I use it for whitetails, boar, black bears, and, hopefully, moose. Rarely takes a second shot.

 

[makdaddy03]

30-30, 45LC

 

[Tommy Gunn]

Tommy, the problem is that they're all pretty anaemic in comparison to today's pistol calibers.

You might be surprised. The .38/40 compares favorably to the .40 S&W.

 

[Art Eatman]

None of the cartridges on that list are really worth a hoot except for "up close and personal" in deer hunting. Even the .38-55 has a trajectory like a basketball, compared to the .30-30 and up.

The hunting ethic demands that one must use such equipment that a quick and clean kill is made. The listed cartridges are rather poor performers for quick and clean kill compared to the more commonly used cartridges.

Art

 

[MarineTech]

The venerable 45-70 is very conspicuous in it's absence on the list. I use it for whitetails, boar, black bears, and, hopefully, moose. Rarely takes a second shot.

Ditto.

I have also seen a couple of Maine whitetails taken with .45 Long Colt rifles, although both were under 75 yards and both used heavier Buffalo Bore .45LC loads.

 

[Mr. Black]

Ummm, where is .45-70 and isn't .30-30 kinda a "Cowboy Load"

 

[Tommy Gunn]

OK, I forgot to list the .45-70 chambering. Sorry 'bout that.

The .30-30 is a smokeless powder cartridge that came out in the mid 1890's. Thus too much of a modern cartridge to be "Old West" in my mind.

I am thinking black powder cartridge as "cowboy era".



Art Eatman,

The blackpowder cartridges have taken many, many deer and other game over the years. It has been said by many that the .40/40 cartridge has downed more deer than any other cartridge. As far as clean kills, the old black powder cartridges will do a clean kill if the hunter does his part.