Does anyone here hunt with a blackpowder pistol? I know that here in MN it's not legal to use a blackpowder revolver for hunting, but I've already got one. I've hunted with blackpowder rifles in the past but I want to switch to something a wee bit more difficult (I've already bagged plenty o' deer with the ol' longbow and recurve). Can y'all recommend a good black powder pistol? One that will be easy to get ahold of? Do any of the "big" companies make one (Hawken, CVA, etc.)? On top of all that, I have some more questions for you black powder gurus: 1) What is the effective range on a blackpowder pistol? 2) What calibers are standard on a blackpowder pistol? and 3) Why isn't it legal to hunt with a blackpowder revolver... even during a pistol season?

I have a CVA 45 cal pistol that I use for a backup.at times I have stalked hogs with it alone.it makes close and personal have a different meaning.
CVA makes some nice ones,as well as kits you can build yourslef.that is what I did. it seem different to hunt with a gun you built yourslef.

#1 40 to 45 yards is as far as I will atempt to take an animal with a B/P pistol. I prefer closer if possible.depends on your skill.

#2 44 and 45 cal. is the norm.there are some 36 cal. but not for big game.that is not for me.I prefer something a bit larger,to respect the animal and make a good kill.

#3 in my state it "IS" legal to hunt with a B/P revolver.

good luck in finding you a good pistol to hunt with.It is fun to know you only have one shot to do what you need to do.[8D]

Thanks a bunch for the info Tree Climber! I wonder why it's illegal in MN to hunt with a b/p revolver. Oh well, maybe that will change some year. I've done some thinking and I believe I will end up buying a kit gun, so I can build it myself. Much easier, I'm sure, than making your own longbow or recurve (something I don't think I'll end up trying until I retire 30 years from now. I like what you said about being up close and personal with an animal. It was one of the reasons I chose to hunt with a traditional bow as opposed to a state of the art compound. I don't believe there is ANY thrill greater than taking an animal when it is between 5-10 yards away. I myself have shot deer and hogs under 5 yards away and I can honestly say that it doesn't get any more tense than that, no matter what kind of animal you're after. Well, I'm gonna check out CVA online, if they have a site, and start shopping!!!! Thanks again!

T/C Encore produces a 50 caliber front stuffer with a 15 inck barrel that I really want. I think the challenge of the pistol should be a lot of fun. Not to mention it would be a whole lot easier to pack in to remote areas with a bandolier type holster.
http://www.tcarms.com/mlrifles/enc209x50/209pistbig.jpg

Many States, Wisconsin included base more then caliber when they decide if a handgun cartridge combined with a certain requirement of a revolver or pistol will be allowed to hunt with. For instance, I can hunt during the modern gun season with my .357 magnum and my .44 magnum, and have. Yet I too have a .44 caliber black powder revolver but it does not meet the minimum projectile requirements to be allowed to be used.

There are some out there that would make it under the limit I believe or come close to it. If the idea of a single shot does not bother you, Traditions makes a .50 caliber pistol called the Buckhunter Pro I believe it is called. It is a .50 caliber and able to take up to 70 grains of powder. I think that would get the job done if the range was close, say within 50-70 yards. I should not make that judgement because I am basing it on what distance I will shoot my handguns at. They are able to dispatch a deer at a further distance it is just that I will not shoot further.

Some other revolvers that you might want to look at are Reproductions of the Walker Colt. and the Colt Dragoon. These are a large heavy revolver and are able to take a much stronger load then say the Remington 1858 Army model. My Army revolver even with the top strap is still only rated to 30 grains of FFFg. 25 FFFg is its most accurate load.

There are of course the T/C Contender which I "think" offers a black powder barrel, I am not sure. Actually if you really want to try it, I would look into that Traditions Buckhunter pistol. It can be had with different length barrels, etc. I have looked at it a lot, but because it is not legal to hunt with, all I could do is small game hunt or target shoot it....

Good luck

The Contender is available in a .45 cal ml'er but it is in a "carbine" configuration, not a pistiol. If you were interested in a pistol you would have to get the Encore frame.

Specifications:
Caliber: .50
Ignition: 209 Shotgun Primer (Closed Breech).
Barrel Length: 15".
Rifling Twist: 1 in 28" twist for use with Sabots and Conicals.
O/A Length: 20 1/2".
Approx. Wt: 4 lb.
Sights: Click adjustable steel rear sight and ramp style front sight.
Grip: Solid American Walnut Grip and Forend.
Extra Features: Interchangeable barrels offered as accessories. The centerfire pistol barrels listed at the Encore Pistol section of this site interchange easily with the muzzleloading barrel. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts.
Loading: Accepts Magnum charges of up to 110 grains of FFG Black Powder or Pyrodex® equivalent (or 2 Pyrodex® 50 caliber, 50 grain Pellets).

That's a mean lookin' pistol!!!!! I'll have to do some more checking to see what the requirements are for B/P pistols in my state. The only thing I've found so far is that they can't be loaded at the breech. They have to be a muzzleloading pistol. How much does that pistol run, anyway?

Want six shots? Look at the Ruger "Old Army" They're avaliable in either blued or stainless. Fixed or adjustable sights.Colt discontinued their BP guns some years back. Their guns were top of the line.T/C years ago made single shot traditional muzzleloading handgun.If I remember correctly it was called the "Patriot". I had one and never cared for it.It was 45 cal.In Ga we can't use BP handguns during BP season unless that's changed and I don't know about it..
Ruger Redhawk

I hunt with a T/C Encore 209x50 muzzleloading pistol and it's GREAT! Shooting a 300gr Hornady XTP/HP sabot with 100 gr of Pyrodex, you get 1550 fps and 1600 ft/lbs of energy - plenty for whitetail deer at 'close' range.

Looking at a ballistics table (which shows energy, speed, and bullet drop at various distances) will tell you what your effective range will be. This Encore, when sighted dead-on at 100 yards with that 300gr bullet, will have nearly 6 inches of drop at 150 yards, and nearly 16 inches of drop at 200 yards.

You can compensate for some of this by sighting in 3 inches high at 100 yards. Then, at 150 you'd only be 3 inches low and still in the kill zone. But you'd have to compensate for 13 inches of drop at 200 yards, so you'd have to hold the sights somewhere in the air over the deer's shoulder.

You can compensate further by using a lighter bullet like a 240gr. This bullet, when sighted dead-on at 100 yards will have 5 inches of drop at 150 yards and 14 inches of drop at 200 yards.

Again, by sighting in your 240gr bullet 3 inches high at 100 yards, you'd be 2 inches low at 150 and 11 inches low at 200. So for the long shot, you'd hold higher on the deer and could still have a shot in the kill zone.

As you can see, anything much beyond 150 yards relies too much on luck, due to having to hold high or over the deer. Also, the energy of the bullet beyond 200 yards is dropping below the point needed for a humane kill. And these cases are under perfect conditions.

You could of course sight-in better for longer ranges, it just depends on where and how you hunt. Living in Minnesota, you probably won't be taking too many 345 yard shots with a muzzleloading pistol. Whatever you buy, consult the ballistics table to find out the gun's effective range. Then you need to shoot and practice to determine YOUR effective range.

I am going to the Traditions warehouse today to look at the 50 cal Buckhunter and will probably buy it for practice tomorrow so Email me for the full scoop.

Buckhunter Pro .50 cal. Pistol with Muzzlebrake
In-Line muzzleloader pistol with an All Weather walnut grip and 14 3/4" nickel, fluted barrel with a muzzlebrake.