patched round balls

oldoregon · Jan 11, 2009

Anyone ever kill anything with them? Can we see pictures? Im thinking about trying to kill a bear with one this spring, out of my 1in66" flintlock.

FrontierGander · Jan 11, 2009

i used a .54cal with 80gr pyrodex rs, 224gr round ball and cleanly dropped my elk from 140 yards. She went 60yards after the hit.

SHOT PLACEMENT!

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Moondog · Jan 12, 2009

A round ball is probably the worst projectile in theory that you could select.
However, given the right mass and velocity, they will get the job done quite nicely. Just stay within limits of relatively short ranges as they lose their effectiveness quickly.

FrontierGander · Jan 12, 2009

>A round ball is probably the
>worst projectile in theory that
>you could select.
>However, given the right mass and
>velocity, they will get the
>job done quite nicely.
>Just stay within limits of
>relatively short ranges as they
>lose their effectiveness quickly.

You listen to the "pro's" i take it?

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star · Jan 13, 2009

What did they use when conicals werent invented yet? I thinking about round balls on deer out of a 50 cal. Hawkin using 777 100 grains

Moondog · Jan 13, 2009

>>A round ball is probably the
>>worst projectile in theory that
>>you could select.
>>However, given the right mass and
>>velocity, they will get the
>>job done quite nicely.
>>Just stay within limits of
>>relatively short ranges as they
>>lose their effectiveness quickly.
>
>You listen to the "pro's" i
>take it?
>
>
>http://thepowerbeltforum.powerguild.net/

Not at all. I have used them with success. I said in theory they are the worst. For some reason, they work quite well, but for longer range I'll take a conical or sabot any day.

oldoregon · Jan 13, 2009

I'm fairly certain that conicals fly endo out of a 1 in 66 barrel.

Moondog · Jan 13, 2009

I'm definitely talking about different weapons for conicals vs patched ball. Didn't mean to imply otherwise.

Frontier · Jan 16, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-09 AT 11:46AM (MST)[p] The round ball got replaced for a reason, think about it. The taking of game with a heavier conical was alot more effective and less loss. To promote the taking of elk size game past 70 yards with a round ball only displays ignorance.

FrontierGander · Jan 16, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-09 AT 02:56PM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-09
>AT 11:46?AM (MST)
>
> The
>round ball got replaced for
>a reason, think about it.
>The taking of game with
>a heavier conical was alot
>more effective and less loss.
>To promote the taking of
>elk size game past 70
>yards with a round ball
>only displays ignorance.

Round ball got replaced because the army wanted a faster loading projectile.

Ignorance would be butting into something when that person has NO experience with shot distances with a round ball.

There are people out there who even think they need 3 pellet loads to kill 60lb whitetail @ 30 yards.
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oldoregon · Jan 16, 2009

ever read the lewis and clark journals. They took everything from rabbits and coyotesm to buffalo and grizzlies, all withthe same loads. And I would be willing to bet that a good chunk of those shots were further than 70 yards.

FrontierGander · Jan 17, 2009

Mountain men used to pick them off at 200+ yards. The real way they hunted them was to do as the indians and run up along the side of them and take them down. They felt that there was no sport in picking them off at long distances. They also used to run elk down on horseback and the weaker ones would drop from being exhausted and then they could finish them off either with their rifle, pistol or even a knife.

Modern day high priced writers wont tell you to use a ball as that would take money out of their pocket.

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Frontier · Jan 20, 2009

I've hunted with round balls, and so have my friends until we got smarter, yes game was lost due to our ignorance using them and not because of shot placement. I believed they were lehtal because one of my buddies shot a cow elk running at 180 yards, with a round ball and she fell dead in her tracks. That is without a doubt the expception rather than the rule. You can believe in what you want, but I'll stand by my statement that to promote shooting elk size game past 70 yards with a round ball not only displays ignorance but is also irresponsible.

nruehmeier · Jan 20, 2009

I've used them to kill a couple of whitetails with my .45 caliber and .50 caliber. The last was with a my TC Blackmountain, 100 grains of black powder and .50 caliber round ball. Deer went 50 yards. Found the ball inside, still got it.
nrueh

FrontierGander · Jan 20, 2009

shooting elk or any game on the run is what i'd call poor sport.
70 yards, HA! im just getting warmed up at that range.

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rancher05 · Jan 23, 2009

I've harvested 4 deer with my Lyman Great Plains 54.cal with a 1 and 66 twist using round ball and patch. true it's not as accurate but it will do the job on a bear. two out of those four deer I shot was over 125 yards. even if you can hit it in the shoulder and that round ball isn't stopping. it's fun and a challenge using the round ball and patch, and sometimes frusterating when sighting it in.

FrontierGander · Jan 24, 2009

what kind of load do you shoot in that GPR? I had one some time back in .54cal flinter and it was a PIG! 110gr 2f goex with a .018 patch did the job on paper. Never did get the chance to take it hunting.

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hossblur · Mar 5, 2009

Decided a few years ago to go with "the old patch and ball". Used the ball, real black powder, percussion caps #11. We had a lot of fun, kinda connected us with our forefathers, didn't wear camo just flannels and jeans. It was pretty cool. Wouldn't hunt seriously with them, we were just filling freezers, but gave a new respect for the old timers.

CAelknuts · Mar 8, 2009

I've only shot a few animals with round balls out of a .54 that I have. But, I've had fantastic penetration in each case. One mule deer I shot from above, off a cliff. The ball entered the top of his back and traveled clear down into his foreleg. Buck never took a step. A pronghorn I shot was facing me at about 6-70 yards. Ball entered the front of his chest and traveled the length of his body, breaking his left hind leg. Only went about 15-20 yards before dropping.

I've never shot an elk with a round ball, but wouldn't hesitate to do so, though I'd personally keep the range under 100 yards for elk, and would only take a broadside, or near broadside, shot. Kinda like archery hunting for elk, but with double the range.

BeanMan · Mar 9, 2009

My Wife took a rag bull at 75 yards with her Thompson .54 hawkin carbine using a ball and patch. It went about 60 yads before piling up. I prefere conicals in my Rifle. Use whatever turns your crank and shoots well for you.

Bean

deerbedead · Apr 20, 2009

I have had pretty good luck with the round balls. I started hunting deer here in So. Utah in the late 80's and I bought me a Thompson Renegade 50. cal and used the round balls. I killed several deer including my very best buck, a 210" gross 33" wide brute. I never had any of the deer I shot go more than 50 yards before they died, and some of them flopped over way sooner than that.

I know that roundballs may not be the projectile that everyone should use, but I think they have killed millions of animals over the years, and they will still do the job. I'd kind of like to put the new muzzleloader up for a year and break out the Renegade and go hunting again with a round ball and a patch. Just for old times sake. I'd be completely confident that it will do the job as long as I didn't try to shoot too far. By that I think my range would be less than 150 yards.

Good luck. I think it will be fun to chase a bear the old fashioned way.

gahunter · Jun 10, 2009

I have taken 11 whitetails using a patch & round ball with 90 grains of FFF blackpowder, with my TC Hawken 50 cal. It does an absolute number on them. I have been extremely pleased with this rifle & load combo. I am confident out to 100 yards with it. I would like to try and hunt Elk with it. It would be awful special slipping through the mountains with that rifle.

"Easy now, keep the croshairs right behind his shoulder & squeeze the trigger"