Will be looking for Confederate deer tomorrow

[brewer12345]

Can't seem to draw a modern rifle deer tag for love nor money, so ML again for the third year in a row. Not exactly a hardship, heh. Two years ago with this tag I took a yearling doe with a 54 Grey Hawk using PRB. Last year I was hunting with a 54 Great Plains rifle and the insert to the peep sight fell out. i broke out the Grey Hawk and took a button buck with a 54 PRB. This year I decided to switch it up a bit. I bought a vintage Zoli Zouave at the end of last year and discovered it shoots very well with a 570 ball over a wad with 75 grains of OE 1.5F. So that is what I will use tomorrow in a nod to my Union Army enlisted ancestors. If the river I have to cross is low enough for hip waders and I don't bag one tomorrow, I will also start carrying an 1858 as a sidearm. If I didn't have to wear a blaze hat I would be sporting a repro Union kepi, heh.

Now I just need a reb deer to get within 75 yards or so...

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

LOL! I haven't drawn a ML tag in two years and I'm PO'ed about it.
Stuck with general season again.

JT

 

[brewer12345]

I'd love to draw the rifle tag I keep trying for simply because I would like to bag a deer with Dad's old lever gun. ML tags seem to be a lot easier to get here, and the one for this property is especially easy because you have to navigate a river bottom and opening day for the tag is also opening day for duck season. Lots of deer there, though, and before rifle season they are fairly dumb.

 

[brewer12345]

Well, the battle is concluded. 40 minutes into legal shooting hours I dispatched the rebel. Quartering away shot 65 or 70 yards with 75 grains and a 58 round ball. In the ribs, golf ball sized hole in the heart, collateral damage to lungs, out the shoulder and on to parts unknown. The yearling doe made it maybe 20 yards with an ample blood trail.

75 grains of powder is plenty. Would have loved to recover the ball because the exit hole was about an inch wide.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

God bless the confederate doe, you should count yourself privileged to eat a deer from dixieland.

 

[brewer12345]

God bless the confederate doe, you should count yourself privileged to eat a deer from dixieland.

Heh, all in good fun.

 

[Gordon]

Tender eating size deer !

 

[brewer12345]

Tender eating size deer !

Very. That is a lot of what I see in that spot. The herd has some chronic wasting disease, so I prefer taking a yearling because they have almost no chance of having it.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Congratulations.
I call the yearlings "vealison" ...

 

[Captain*kirk]

Well, the battle is concluded. 40 minutes into legal shooting hours I dispatched the rebel. Quartering away shot 65 or 70 yards with 75 grains and a 58 round ball. In the ribs, golf ball sized hole in the heart, collateral damage to lungs, out the shoulder and on to parts unknown. The yearling doe made it maybe 20 yards with an ample blood trail.

75 grains of powder is plenty. Would have loved to recover the ball because the exit hole was about an inch wide.

Nice shootin' pilgrim!

 

[Bfh_auto]

Well, the battle is concluded. 40 minutes into legal shooting hours I dispatched the rebel. Quartering away shot 65 or 70 yards with 75 grains and a 58 round ball. In the ribs, golf ball sized hole in the heart, collateral damage to lungs, out the shoulder and on to parts unknown. The yearling doe made it maybe 20 yards with an ample blood trail.

75 grains of powder is plenty. Would have loved to recover the ball because the exit hole was about an inch wide.

With muzzleloader, the faster you push a round ball, the less often it exits.
We shot deer with 120 grains and a prb. The ball stopped inside the hide more often then not. My sister in law started using 90 grains and always gets an exit.
An old muzzle loader guy told me I was using to much powder. I didn't really believe him until I saw that.

 

[brewer12345]

With muzzleloader, the faster you push a round ball, the less often it exits.
We shot deer with 120 grains and a prb. The ball stopped inside the hide more often then not. My sister in law started using 90 grains and always gets an exit.
An old muzzle loader guy told me I was using to much powder. I didn't really believe him until I saw that.

The three ML deer I have shot were a pass through, ball lodged in deer, and a pass through. The first two were the same ball, rifle, charge (530 ball over 110 grains of Black MZ), the third was the 570 ball over 75 grains of 1.5F OE. Distances ranged from 50 to 70 yards, all three were yearlings. I think the only reason I recovered a ball is that it was a Texas heart shot that broke a thigh bone and went almost all the way through the deer, lodging in the opposite shoulder. Were is a broadside shot I have no doubt the ball would have kept going.

My interpretation of the results is that round ball is extremely effective, it doesn't take a lot of powder to do the job, bigger balls make big holes and give you a lot of room for error (only the most recent shot was a "perfect" shot, the other two were the TX heart shot and a too-far back liver hit), and deer are not that hard to kill. I'll happily put in for a rifle tag next year simply to get to use Dad's vintage Marlin, but in areas with some cover I think MLs are very well suited to deer hunting.

 

[Bfh_auto]

The three ML deer I have shot were a pass through, ball lodged in deer, and a pass through. The first two were the same ball, rifle, charge (530 ball over 110 grains of Black MZ), the third was the 570 ball over 75 grains of 1.5F OE. Distances ranged from 50 to 70 yards, all three were yearlings. I think the only reason I recovered a ball is that it was a Texas heart shot that broke a thigh bone and went almost all the way through the deer, lodging in the opposite shoulder. Were is a broadside shot I have no doubt the ball would have kept going.

My interpretation of the results is that round ball is extremely effective, it doesn't take a lot of powder to do the job, bigger balls make big holes and give you a lot of room for error (only the most recent shot was a "perfect" shot, the other two were the TX heart shot and a too-far back liver hit), and deer are not that hard to kill. I'll happily put in for a rifle tag next year simply to get to use Dad's vintage Marlin, but in areas with some cover I think MLs are very well suited to deer hunting.

They are excellent deer killers. I run a sabot with my 45 because I sometimes push the distance a little. But 90% of the deer I shot would have died just as well from a prb in 50 or larger.

 

[brewer12345]

They are excellent deer killers. I run a sabot with my 45 because I sometimes push the distance a little. But 90% of the deer I shot would have died just as well from a prb in 50 or larger.

Sabots aren't legal in ml season in my state. I guess if I wanted longer reach I would use a conical, but my eyesight (no scopes allowed) limits me to 75 or 100 yards, it really isn't an issue. I need to try a 50 ball on deer. I was surprised at the amount of bloodshot meat on the doe I nailed with the 58.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Sabots aren't legal in ml season in my state. I guess if I wanted longer reach I would use a conical, but my eyesight (no scopes allowed) limits me to 75 or 100 yards, it really isn't an issue. I need to try a 50 ball on deer. I was surprised at the amount of bloodshot meat on the doe I nailed with the 58.

A receiver sight helps a tremendous amount.
I agree. You should try 90 grains and a 50 with a round ball.
My sister in law shot one last fall at 135 yards. It made it about another 50 yards before crumpling. The blood trail was good. The round ball passed through.

 

[brewer12345]

A receiver sight helps a tremendous amount.
I agree. You should try 90 grains and a 50 with a round ball.
My sister in law shot one last fall at 135 yards. It made it about another 50 yards before crumpling. The blood trail was good. The round ball passed through.

Yes, agree on peep sights. My 50 with a round ball barrel showed good accuracy with 70 grains and this is as far as I went. Will have to see if there is another accuracy node with higher charges.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Yes, agree on peep sights. My 50 with a round ball barrel showed good accuracy with 70 grains and this is as far as I went. Will have to see if there is another accuracy node with higher charges.

From a round ball twist rate, 60-120 grains I noticed no difference in accuracy.
I target shoot with a prb and 60 grains then hunt with 110 grains and a sabot or conical.
My current barrel is 1-320 so a prb flys into orbit after 70 grains. POI is 1" different at 100 yards.

 

[Lnf Crzr]

Well, the battle is concluded. 40 minutes into legal shooting hours I dispatched the rebel. Quartering away shot 65 or 70 yards with 75 grains and a 58 round ball. In the ribs, golf ball sized hole in the heart, collateral damage to lungs, out the shoulder and on to parts unknown. The yearling doe made it maybe 20 yards with an ample blood trail.

75 grains of powder is plenty. Would have loved to recover the ball because the exit hole was about an inch wide.

I shoot a 58 prb with 80gr ffg (I think it’s plenty for elk!)
Yet to drop a little deer with it…. Definitely. I now know it’s gunna work. Thanks for detail in your post.

I get a few shots from my pals when I lug the 58 double towards the woods. The common comments are “Need both barrels for a deer hu?” Or “Terrible shots often need a 2nd” … also “If ya miss, the wind should knock em over and then you have another shot”

I have others yet it’s my favorite - plus it’s just cool

 

[brewer12345]

That s a beautiful rifle. Is it heavy to carry? Do you have to worry about barrel regulation or does each side have its own sights?

My 58 ball was frankly overkill for the doe, but the musket is surprisingly accurate and I wanted to hunt with it. I have no doubt my load would whack an elk. Over the course of the next year I plan to experiment with Lee REAL bullets ad minies.

 

[Lnf Crzr]

It has a 3 leaf rear express sight- rite down the middle. With the Charge I use and patch ball- It’s regulated at 50yards. Out past that … both barrels will print within 4” as far as I should be shooting. Up here in the N.E we don’t get many far shots… or Giraffe,Wildabeast,Lion- Yet it’s a fun rifle. Weight is about 9ish pounds. Gets heavier at end of the day.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I have a CVA double .50 myself. Took it out hunting Jackrabbits in the misery days of living in Nevada, it does get heavy. It also will flat take a Jackrabbit apart.

 

[Lnf Crzr]

Express Over/under or side x side? Neat rifles

 

[JCooperfan1911]

I shoot a 58 prb with 80gr ffg (I think it’s plenty for elk!)
Yet to drop a little deer with it…. Definitely. I now know it’s gunna work. Thanks for detail in your post.

I get a few shots from my pals when I lug the 58 double towards the woods. The common comments are “Need both barrels for a deer hu?” Or “Terrible shots often need a 2nd” … also “If ya miss, the wind should knock em over and then you have another shot”

I have others yet it’s my favorite - plus it’s just coolView attachment 1033577

Neat rifle, how well is it regulated?

 

[Lnf Crzr]

At 50yards it’s spot on with 80gr FF and a Lee Mold .562 w/ Ox patch .18
After that within 4” groups as far as I should be shooting deer open sights with my eyes. I’ll get a peep eventually.
In the Northeast woods- 75 yards is about max distance of a shot….maybe further on occasion.

 

[Lnf Crzr]

Not sure if this is a joke or optimism. Yet the Three leaf express sights are marked - 100/200/300….Maybe with a 140gr charge of FFF