The first deer I ever shot with a muzzle loader was with a .50 cal. Hawkins loaded with 83 grains fff Goex and a patched round ball. It seems I am the only one who doesn't believe round balls to be the an efficient way to harvest deer. The shot I took was no more than 20 yards and did not pass through. Had the deer run a long distance and gotten out of sight, there would have been no way to track it due to the lack of a blood trail. I have not used a round ball to hunt deer with since. Use a Maxi Ball and there will be no problem tracking the deer if the need arises. I just got a .54 cal. side lock and if I can get round balls to group out of it I will try to harvest a deer with a round ball out of it.