All I can tell you about the penetration power of a roundball is at over 80 yards, a .530 ball with 80 or 90 grains of Pyrodex RS passed through one deer killing it, and then into a second one, breaking the spine of that deer. The ball was lodged under the skin on the other side of the spine on that second deer.

Pluckit ... in what part of the deer did you recover that ball? Also how badly deformed was it?

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.

The hit was behind the shoulder and the ball recovered from under the skin directly on the other side. No powder problems, no misfire, nothing. Just my opinion based on 1 experience.

Killed this doe three years ago with 54 cal round ball. Rifle was a TC Renegade. Shot was at about 35yds. Complete pass through. Good blood trail. She ran about 25yds and crashed right on the side of the access road. Drove the truck right up to her. With the load your dad is using, if he puts it in the boiler room the animal is going to go down.

I killed a 7pt with my TC White Mountain Carbine using that load. I estimated the shot at about 70yrds. It dropped him in his tracks....

Pluckit.. that ball really expanded. It must have hit something pretty solid inside the animal. But you never know what is going to happen with these muzzleloader projectiles.

Yakfisher.. that's a nice fat doe you got there. Beautiful animal.

And Buckhunter.. beautiful buck. You know seeing these pictures is getting me excited because season will be here again soon. Well bow season starts in September.

Ideally a .50/round ball is best out to 80yds for deer.Beyond that a .54 would be better.With a scope you might be OK to 100yds but IMO scopes have no place on sidelocks.

That is the beauty of a forum like this. We express our opinions and others can disagree without an argument. I personally have no problem what so ever with a scope on a side lock. I have several with scopes. If you base it on appearance, then your basically saying that you like the traditional look of the rifle, and that is all fine and good. Others like me like the scope because it allows me to be a better shot. Eyes get old and sometimes need help. That is what a scope does for me. It allows me to make those 100 yard shots with confidence. After all I want to put the largest world of hurt on the game I shoot so that it will not suffer anymore then it must. A scope allows me to do that. The only thing I do not like to see with a scope is people trying to over shoot the capabilities of the bullet and powder they are using.

If'n you're shootin Texas deer they're pretty small anyhow. A 50 cal RB will surely do the job.

Most RBs that I have seen look just like yours. This is what they should look like. That is the beauty of this projectile. They work and work well for over a few hundred years!!!