85 grains of powder and any projectile is more then enough for hunting with. The question is what kind of accuracy you get. I have a friend that deer hunts with 70 grains of Pyrodex RS and a maxiball. He shot a large Wisconsin buck at 70 yards one year. That maxiball with just 70 grains of powder blew through that deer and left a hole and blood trail anyone could have followed for the 20 yards it ran.