ORIGINAL: Sharp Shooter
For those of you who shoot big bores like 58cal and up what do you hunt with them? How well will they put something down? Also how heavy is recoil and how far are you good to? I think I might get a 58cal rifled barrel.
I have a .58 flintlock. With PRB, I use 120 grains of FFg. This isa pretty mild load in a .58, less than the old Plains Rifle/Hawken "standard load" of 1/2 the weight of the ball. In my rifle, this load produces 1700 FPS velocity @ 10' from the muzzle, and I have my fixed sights filed in to put this ball 2" high at 100 yards. I would feel comfortable using it for hunting out to 120 yards or so, IF I could see the whole critter. Deer or elk would be in serious trouble within that distance.
i also have a "bear load" which uses the Lyman 57730, a 570-grain, .575" Minie ball. With it, I use 120 grains also, and it hits dead-on at 100 yards. recoil is "noticeable", not something to be shot all day. I am convinced this load will take anything in North America, andmost critters in Africa as well.
Here's that bullet between two .45/70 rounds.....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v444/eldeguello/57730.jpg