I usually shoot my ML with 100gr of Hodgon's Pyrodex 50/50 pellets with 295gr. powerbelt. My wife wants to hunt this year and my parents property is in a shotgun/ML zone. She doesn't like the recoil of my shotgun so I figured the ML would be a good subsitute. I wanted to use 50 grains of powder behind a 222gr powerbelt aerotip. Would the 50 grains be enough for that bullet to kill a deer no more than 50 yards? The stand she hunts out of during bow has max of a 50 yard shot.

Thanks,
Chas

Yes you should be fine. I would encourage her to only take shots that you would with a bow. Not only because of the load but also you want to give her the best possible chance of success.

Ya good idea. She rifle hunts where we live but when we head back home for thanksgiving she looses a week worth of hunting because its either my 870 20ga. or 1100 12ga. and both of them leave a good bruise in the pocket of her arm so she opted for the ML this year. It doesn't kick bad with 100gr of powder she is just a little intimidated by the recoil. The last thing I want to do is make her develop a flinch or worse not want to hunt from shooting something she isn't comfortable with.

50 yard shooting with that load might work real good. As long as she does the high percentage shots. You might want to shoot a few off to make sure that the rifle is still accurate with that reduced load. Powerbelts can be a strange bullet.

Otherwise I would suggest she try a 200 grain Shockwave .40 caliber or even a 300 grain XTP with that reduced charge. But I am sure you know what your doing and what your wife can tolerate. Good luck to her.

think about how many people handgun hunt at that range. most of them consider a 200gr bullet at 1200fps a "hot" load!

I would shoot a few times to make sure the accuracy is still there for close shots. I would not take a shot past 50 yards with that. If you would have the time and are able, it would be much better to use loose powder and use a saboted pistol round if legal where you hunt. A .40 cal XTP or Shockwave (200 grain) with 60 - 70 grains of loose powder has very little recoil and is very capable of taking a deer out to 100 yards or so...

Ya I never thought of it that way. My father-in-law uses his flintlock pistol and uses 50gr of powder.

I'd use 80gr pellets with the 295gr Powerbelt.

The load is kind of light. Buy her a shoulder recoil pad.

Lets give the deer a humane shot. Recoil is part of hunting.

I would shoot it and make sure its accurate of course and if that doesn't kill a deer humanely I'm throwing my bow and arrows in the trash lol.