Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

I am wondering what is the biggest game you can cleanly harvest with a .54 ball and 2F 777.Also what is the maximum range for quick kills.Is moose out of the question? My conical barrel is severly corroded[previous owner]and I have a new GM 1-70 ball barrel.All feedback /loads welcome.......Harold

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

The 54cal roundball will harvest a Moose with no problem at all. Stay within 80yds-100yds MAX and you will have moose meat. I would try to stay within 80yds and you will be in business.

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

Depending on the range, a .54 can and has harvested about anything in North America. The 224 grains roundball is a lot of lead. With the right powder charge I would not worry about moose. In fact, on a different forum they told of a person shooting a moose with 90 grains of Pyrodex RS and a .54 caliber roundball. The interesting part is the moose was 160 yards away. The ball still was able to penetrate into the heart causing the death of the animal. Now I am not saying shoot that far at animals. I would never suggest even such a thing, but 100 yards, and a well placed shot, and you can penetrate about any critter you want to tackle.

I had the experience of shooting a .54 roundball with 80 or 90 grains of Pyrodex RS at a deer standing 80 yards away. The ball passed through him dropping the deer where it stood, and struck and killed a second deer I did not see some 15-20 feet behind the first one, breaking the spine of it, and knocking that one flat as well.



Roundball are a good hunting projectile. The big thing with them is make sure you place your shot. The ball will do the rest.

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

Geez Dave, you trying to save some lead there what?:D

All kidding aside, that's an amazing story and performance out of a round ball.

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

The funny part was, it was during or modern season and I was hunting with a fellow (that had too many deer on his property and wanted some taken)that chewed on me the entire walk back into this field he owned,because I brought my .54 caliber Renegade instead of a center fire. He knew I had two "either or tags" to fill, and seemed ticked that I brought a "single shot."

He set me on stand and had not hardly got over the hill when the deer came in (in fact I thought it was him sneaking back). He heard me shoot and walked back. He was yelling "did you get one?" To which I answered, "Yes I did." He then yelled "Buck or Doe?" And I answered, "Yes." He kept yelling "Buck or Doe?" to which I would answer "Yes." When he saw the two deer on the ground, he was shocked. He even said, "Youonly shot once... right? I told him that was correct, but waited for them to line up, so I could fill my tags.

He went back to the little area tavern near my house and told people that I had waited for deer to line up so I would not waste lead and would only have to shoot one shot.

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

The trick here is to act casual like it happens all the time.I headshot a running wounded mulie doe one time at about 300 yards offhand with a scoped 6.5x55 model38 Mauser using 160gr Hornadys.These will always exit a deer even lengthways.Intended target was between the hams but she went on the down bounce when the trigger broke and proceded to do several spectacular cartwheels in the snow.I wish I would have remembered to whistle the theme song from The Good, The Bad,+ The Ugly! My buddies lower jaw dropped open like a cash register.He still mentions that shot everytime I see him andI can't bring myself to fess up it was a fluke....Harold

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

Quote:

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"He was yelling "did you get one?" To which I answered, "Yes I did." He then yelled "Buck or Doe?" And I answered, "Yes."

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Stop! cayugad, Stop! You're killing me here. I'm laughing so hard coffee is coming out of my nose. :D:D:D

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

The Boers had a tradition of sending a young boy out with two rounds of ammo to hunt alone.He either came back with meat or both unfired rounds or he could expect a licking with the cleaning rod.They would lay up watching a waterhole and line up two Thompson gazelles to save on ammo.usually iron sighted 95 mausers in 7x57 with 175gr FMJ's.Ask the British if they could shoot?..............Harold

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

In my defence, this shooting of two deer was not planned. It was an accident. I had checked the buck with binoculars to see if it was one I wanted. When I took my eyes off it, that's when the second deer came out of the thicket and stood behind the first. I never counted legs after that and could not see the second deer. Using iron sights, I put the ball right behind the front shoulder of the first, blew though him and spined the doe standing behind him The ball went through her spine and lodged under the skin, which is why I was able to recover it. I never intentionally tried to do what I did. Granted I had the tags to cover the error, but would have been just as happy dragging one deer out of the woods instead of two.

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

A lot of people just don't understand that a lot of the time a round ball is going to do the best job of puting game on the ground; with the Hawken I built for the Hawken and mountain man matchs at freindship I have taken many deer some elk and 2 bear,I shot over 150yds hit the bigest bear on the back edge of the front shoulder and recovered the ball all flatened out from the hide on the far side after it went through the off shoulder missing the bone by about 5 inches the bear field dressed over 600lbs. I was using 130gr RS[ I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS LOAD FOR ANYONE ELSE] and a 535 PRB with a heavy ticking patch and a 35.5inch barrel. Lee

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

I guess the moral of the story is to be mindfull of what's behind your intended target as well cause the bullet isn't quiting till it runs out of juice..........................Harold

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

I could not agree more Harold. That statement is very true.

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

I shoot a .56 TC smooth bore and think my bow has just as much killing power. Those round ball just don't carry well. Are you limited to roundballs? If not shoot a conical which my smoothbore won't do.
>>>>>>>>>>>>Wh ack!!!!Shooting 90 grains out of mine and have never had a pass thru. I have been having trouble finding balls (let it go).

RE: Biggest Game for .54 Ball ?
 

No, we are not limited to roundball. In Wisconsin we can shoot about anything we want for projectiles. I choose to shoot a roundball because I have had such good luck shooting them. As for pass through, last year I shot a doe at 52 yards according to my range finder. It hit her neck, passed through there, entered the chest cavity, traveled all the way through her, exited and broke her rear leg. From there I have no idea where it went. It was a .54 caliber with 90 grains of Goex out of a flintlock.

Now in my smoothbore, I have not had the opportunity yet to shoot a deer with it.