1851 Confedrate Navy Colt Revolver.

[Frank G]

A friend of mine gave me a replica (Pietta) 1851 Confederate Nave Colt .44cal revolver for Christmas last year. He knows I hunt with big bore handguns during ML and Gun seasons. Before anyone gets nervous about using it for deer hunting, I limited my shots to my comfort range during archery. 30 yards max with the 1851. How anyone even survived during the Civil War is amazing. Devastating to say the least. Though let�s take it out this Christmas for a hunt, my back up is a 460, hopping an opportunity would present itself for some venison for him. He happens to be off the coast of Brazil this holiday season. Not only did I get the opportunity, two does walked right under the stand. Either one was a shooter, placed a down angle shot right behind the shoulder, exiting the chest, she piled up in 20 yards. The second turned and �beat feet� back in the direction they came from. OMG wait till I send images to Richard. About 5 minutes, still in stand filling out my check in via cell app, I hear something behind me! The second was stand out at about 50 yards. Lets wait and see what happens, this can�t be happening. She walk right under the stand were the first came thru. Same shot placement SAME RESULTS, but did a 180 and crashed about 30 yards out! Wish I had this on video. The exit wound was absolutely devastating, half the sternum was completely blown out, and you could place an open hand in one and a closed fist in the other. Most ironic was I took a nice 8 point Christmas Eve with my 460 at 84 yards with my 460. Needless to say this has been a wonderful Christmas this year for me. Oh by the way Richard almost fell off the oil rig when he received the images. Will attach images for my friends at TN Deer.

 

[Frank G]

The Christmas doe. Yummmmm fresh venison.

 

[Frank G]

Christmas Eve 8 Point. His antlers were caked with fresh rubbing dust and sap. Some good jerkey. They are still chasing here in Hardin Co. Saw more chasing yesterday.

 

[Wobblyshot1]

Great job with those wheel guns. Congrats!

I've got a Ruger Old Army that I've worked up a load using a modified Lee cast SWC bullet and all the 4fg black powder that I can get in the cylinder. I'm getting better than 1100 fps with the 190 grain bullet....Always wanted to give it a try on deer.

Your post has sorta given me the itch again.

 

[caretaker]

Congrats on the muzzly pistol doe. I have a 1851 colt reb in 36 cal and a 1858 rem navy in 44cal. Now you got me a wonderin. May have to take one of the gals a huntin.

 

[Frank G]

Thanks guys for the follow up. As soon as I can get a few images loaded to photo bucket I will post them. It is amazing the devastation a 44 cal ball will do. Have never crono the muzzle velocity but it is moving enough to get the job done. I wouldn�t carry it as my primary wheel gun but have it handy for those �up close and personal� shots. I load with Pyrodex (pistol) 30 grain pellet, wad and then a 44 cal Hornaday lead ball, number 10 procussion cap. The groups are rather good at 30 yards, well within acceptable limits. Practice a bit and you can get accustom to the sights (or lack there of). As you know these wheel guns are �filthy� and need to clean well. Suggest you ware a clove or your hands will be black with soot. I�m hesitant to reach out past 40 yards, my gut feel, perfect placement you could go out a bit further. Wounding a deer to chancy for me.

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

Good Stuff Frank G.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I won a blued 1851 Old Navy yrs. ago in a drawing and have never fired the thing, I bought a SS one with a 12" barrel from a member on here, but never shot that one either. I have always wanted to take a deer with either one. I have several stands that allow for close shots, may have to start experimenting...............great pics and story line Frank G.

FDXX75

 

[Frank G]

They will get the job done nicely. I'll post the 2nd as well. Amazing they didn't just flop over.

 

[Frank G]

I haven't seen this much exit even with my 460.

 

[Frank G]

FULLDRAW:
Go for it, it will drive the long gun guys nuts (ha). The members in the club said I can't use handguns any longer, need to swap to a long gun. "You can't hit anything with one" Oh ya, lets see! Ha ha ha....... bust chops, think I'll try a 30-30 lever gun with open sights. Naaaaa no challange.

 

[Wobblyshot1]

I'm having a hard time believing a 44 round ball at black powder pistol velocities can do that much damage.

 

[Frank G]

I never would have expected it either. Had I not done it myself or witnessed it being done. The one with the smaller exit would be expected on a close down angle shot. But when I rolled the second over I was shocked. Notice the large exit, the ball had entered just behind the shoulder between spine directly hit the rib cage; you can see a few rib sections.

 

[mountain man 71]

 

[Crow Terminator]

I can sort of believe that. The lead they make roundballs out of is very very soft lead. So when it hits something hard, it flattens out big time. At slow velocities, it tares and rips. Thus when you hear of Civil War casualties or stories of soldiers...you will note the same thing. They were shooting 500 grains of lead at slow velocities with 40-60 grains of powder. Probably under 1,000 fps. When a minie ball hit an arm or leg, some soldiers talked about it nearly ripping it entirely off.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I can sort of believe that. The lead they make roundballs out of is very very soft lead. So when it hits something hard, it flattens out big time. At slow velocities, it tares and rips. Thus when you hear of Civil War casualties or stories of soldiers...you will note the same thing. They were shooting 500 grains of lead at slow velocities with 40-60 grains of powder. Probably under 1,000 fps. When a minie ball hit an arm or leg, some soldiers talked about it nearly ripping it entirely off.

The entry of the maxi ball into the war was pure carnage, it maimed and crippled more soldiers than it probably killed. I recovered a 50 cal. round ball from a doe I shot with my Hawkens about 15 yrs ago, it hit the scapula on the entry side and stopped at the hide on the opposite side it was half flattened out and twice as big around.

FDXX75

 

[Frank G]

FULLDRAW,
I went back to the stand today that I took the twins from. I wanted to double check the exact yardage. I also want to be sure that I didn't mislead you on the yardage. My max shot would be 30 yards but both were taken at a down angle shot from a 16 foot stand the first was 12 yards and the second was at 15. I didn't run he calcuations but I would have questioned a shot and that much damage myself if it was at 30. Just wanted to be clear to everyone. Velosity at 90 feet is quite different then at 45 and 36 feet!

 

[Crow Terminator]

Fulldraw -- I've dug Civil War bullets that had hit stuff hard enough that it flattened them out to silver dollar size. If you think about that...they started out just being .577 diameter. And some of their bullets were .69 cal 3 ringers too. I've not found any of those that were fired...but my gosh I can only imagine shooting the rifle that shot those things. It had to of kicked like a mule.

 

[caretaker]

I shot a melon with my 36 caliber at 20 feet and it tore a good third off the back of the melon.

I also shot a five gallon bucket filled with water it tore the back off the bucket.

I was using 25 grains of powder.

 

[Boone 58]

Awesome!!!! Congrats!