Anyone here taken game with BP pistol?

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Creek Henry

New member
... That includes revolver or muzzle loading short arm.

I am game to try my 44 revolver on jackrabbit but I wonder how a 50 flintlock would work on hogs. It would certainly make for a memorable hunt but only if the gun was up to the task.
 
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Airman Basic

New member
Years ago, deer were tearing up my Grandma's garden out of season. She called the game warden and he told her to get one of her grandsons to take care of it. We loaded up an old 50 caliber cap & ball pistol and laid in wait. Sure enough, a doe walked up, tame as a dog. Shot her between the eyes at about 10 yards. She dropped, Grandma had deer meat, and the garden was saved. Don't remember what happened to that pistol.
 
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Mobuck

Moderator
BP handguns are legal here but I'd say they fall into the same category as atl-atl and large caliber air rifles--more of a "stunt" than an ethical hunting tool. That said, I have killed deer with a standard loaded 44 Sp-240 grain lead @800 fps-what will work is not necessarily a recommendation.
Just my opinion.
 
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bamaranger

New member
scribes

One of the gun scribes, Robert SHIMENCK (?) I think, did an article on hunting deer with a Walker Colt, in one of the gun magazines 15-20 years ago. Seems like he killed a couple too.
 
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hartcreek

Moderator
You have to dig in your states hunting regulations. The reason that they are flat out not legal in so many states is that they do not meet the power requirement so states simply outlaw them instead of specifying the power requirements.

In Washington a BP pistol for deer has to shoot a .45 RB and be loaded with a minimum of 40 grains of BP or substitute. That 40 grain requirement eliminates all revolvers but two those being a Walker or Dragoon but one can also use single shot pistols. This year I have multiseason deer so I will again be hunting with my Walker part of the modern season and my Jukar part of muzzle loader.

I also bear hunt with the Walker. No I haven't harvested a small animal yet as my mom ate to much rabbit as a kid and against a grouse not much would be left.
 
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ligonierbill

New member
There are states that set a minimum 12" barrel length for deer. Don't know which at the moment, but Jim Chambers sells a flintlock pistol kit with that stated purpose. I inherited a Traditions 50 caliber caplock from my brother that also appears to be made to meet a 12" minimum. Haven't tried it yet. I do plan to try my Colt's 1851 Navy (Gen 2) on some small game. That's how Elmer got his start.

PS: Just confirmed that you can hunt deer with a .50 caliber muzzleloading pistol in PA.
 
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WV_gunner

New member
In the past I wanted to get a a Ruger Old Army for deer hunting. In WV I believe cap and ball handguns have a minimum caliber, which I can't remember, and any action can be used during regular deer hunting season. During muzzle loader rifle season the only handguns allowed are single shots. And in WV when hunting with a handgun you have to pay $5 for the handgun stamp. I wanted a reproduction of any older gun but at the end of the day you are paying a good bit of money for an imported clone. So if you don't want a clone and you're not rich that basically leaves the Old Army. They can be modified to hold more powder and if memory is correct they are able to be made into .50 as well. I thought having one scoped would be great but priorities shift and unfortunently for my gun hobby it's not toward it.
 
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Dufus

New member
I shot an 80 lb pig with an old single shot similar to the Lyman Plains Pistol.

Despite the looks, it is a very accurate pistol.

Chronoed the ball at 20 ft and 984 fps.

Not game, but also have shot lots of turtles as well with it.
 
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Bowhunter57

New member
I used to hunt groundhogs with a Ruger New Army 44, using a .457" round ball and 30 grains of 3F. The soft lead round ball would nearly "pancake" upon contact with the g-hogs and slam them to the ground. :D The pups were good eating, but tough as nails to skin.

Bowhunter57
 
M

Model12Win

Moderator
With a properly set up Walker's Colt's pistol, and 60 grains of FFFG Holy Black, a .454 Conical bullet or round ball, and a good shooter operating at close range, I think it's very doable.

But, the more you step down in power from there the less doable it becomes, and the operator must know what he's doing and how the gun will perform to make an ethical shot and put game on the table.
 
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Wyosmith

New member
I did back in the early 70s. I used a Ruger Old Army and Lee Bullets molded from their mold 456-220-1R.
It works. I killed 2 smallish bucks on 2 different occasions.
It is not "dramatic" like a kill with a 270, but in my experience it is about like a 45 auto, or a good broad-head on an arrow shot from a bow.

Deer get hit, run off a short distance and stop, then fall down.

I recovered the bullet from one and the other I had an exit wound.
 
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