Originally Posted by
cayugad
The point is, if you have no confidence with what your shooting... don't shoot it. And I agree a .45 caliber XTP would be a much better projectile then a .50 caliber roundball. But if you don't place either one, the deer will be a long track.
I agree- a saboted pistol round or a conical is almost always going to have better performance than a round ball of less weight (i.e. .45 or .50 cal PRB). However, so much depends on shot placement. I have a friend who only hunts deer with a traditional long bow that he is not accurate with past 20 yards. However.... his average shot is about 7 yards (according to him) - he uses a ground blind and is deadly accurate at close range, pretty much always putting his arrow straight thru the heart. Minimal tracking required.
Therefore I would have to say, even though there are better projectiles out there, a .50 PRB (or even a .45 for that matter) will be very deadly, very quickly given good shot placement.