i have taken deer with a 40 caliber, a 45 caliber ,a 50 caliber,a 54 caliber ,a 58 caliber and a 62 caliber. It did not take me long to figure out that a 40 and a 45 are better squirrel than deer guns and while a 50 is better I still had to track some to far to suit me when it was all said and done the 54 was the one that impressed me it dropped most deer in their tracks I also so took bear, boar and elk with a 54 in any thing under 150 yds it is as dependable as a high power rifle. I will say it does not pay to use child starter loads on big game. I loaded a 535 ball and 120 gr of RS in the 54 and 110 gr of rs in the 50 those were the most accurate loads at all distances to 150 yds. The 58 and 62 did massive damage but I could not get the drop on the spot consistently like I did with the 54.