Deer/ Squirrel Rifle

[Chickencoop96]

So I have seen a few Traditional Muzzleloaders in 40 caliber, but not many. I have a Pedersoli in 40 cal. I'm curious if it's a good caliber for deer and squirrel? what do y 'all think? Also Looking into building a Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle for this purpose.

 

[Rancocas]

I'm talking "traditional" here. That means round balls - no conicals or sabots. If you are talking conicals then read no further.

Well, the way I read the muzzleloader regulations, .36 caliber is the minimum for deer and bear here in Tenasi. I find that incredible. The .36 is great for squirrel, but I sure wouldn't try it for big game. A .36 round ball only weighs about 71 grains.
I have read that David Crockett shot a lot of bears out of trees with a .40 caliber flintlock, but keep in mind that a .40 round ball only weighs about 96 grains and the patched .395 round ball that you would be shoving down the bore of your .40 caliber rifle weighs in at approximately 92 grains. The .40 is also a good squirrel round. It is legal and it will work for deer if your shot placement is precise, and I do mean precise, but personally I prefer something larger.
A .44 round ball to fit a .45 rifle weighs about 128 grains. The .45 round ball is popular for deer and can also be used very well for squirrels.
You can "bark" squirrels with a .50 or concentrate on head shots. However, for big game I like a .50, shooting .490 round balls that weigh about 177 grains. Deer, black bear, pigs; the .50 can do it all.
I use a .62 caliber (20 gauge) smoothbore flintlock for squirrels and other small game, and also sometimes use this same fowler with a patched .60 round ball of about 320 grains for big game. That big round ball is like hitting them with a 20 gauge slug.

 

[Smo]

Like Rancocas said, a .40 cal ball is small in size & weight..

I've known Guys that have killed deer with a .40 rifle. But if I were going too use a .40 on deer, I would concentrate on head shots vs body …

 

[Wobblyshot1]

Like everyone has said a 40, although legal, is just a tad light for deer even though I too have known folks to kill them with one....Heck, I even knew a guy who killed a good Kentucky buck with a .32. On another note, I had a friend who used a 54 for squirrels because that's what he had....head shots were the order of the day and he was a good shot too.
Back to the kibler, I believe I'd go with the 45. I've assembled three in 40 and there's absolutely none better.

 

[Flintlocksforme]

I got burned on a nice buck this fall with the new .40, I totally didn't follow the advice I would have given any one. The plan was wait for a double lung side shot. Fatigue after being in a tree 12 hours, seeing a nice buck walk in that close, who knows? I took a facing quartering shot and dead centered shoulder. Deer dropped. 60 g fff. 395 ball, 30 yards. I took a picture of him lying on ground and called my wife. After about 3-5 minutes he raised up and I reloaded. By then he was scooting around away from me. I shot into his back, he laid head back down. I started gathering stuff to climb down. He scooted more and raised head again. I reloaded and fired into the back. He jumped up on 3 legs and made a few leaps. I felt he only went a short ways and would die. Long story short, very little blood, tracking ends in about 100 yards. Continued search the next morning. Grid search trails for a 400-500 yard area. Nothing, ball must have lodged in rib cage. Burnt on that shot without my .58, May try a double lung sometime with the .40, but I will take squirrels and small game for now.

 

[Chickencoop96]

Like everyone has said a 40, although legal, is just a tad light for deer even though I too have known folks to kill them with one....Heck, I even knew a guy who killed a good Kentucky buck with a .32. On another note, I had a friend who used a 54 for squirrels because that's what he had....head shots were the order of the day and he was a good shot too.
Back to the kibler, I believe I'd go with the 45. I've assembled three in 40 and there's absolutely none better.

well I Believe that with the right load and patch you can shoot the pecker off a gnat with any good MZ, Shot Placement is really the end all be all. My TC 50 cal. Hawken is dead on the money at about 50-60 yards with 80 grains, a homemade lubed patch, and round ball. I just thought 50. might be a bit much for squirrels LOL but i guess if im close enough i can swing a headshot on one and not have to worry about being able to put down a deer.

 

[Chickencoop96]

View attachment 120042View attachment 120043I got burned on a nice buck this fall with the new .40, I totally didn't follow the advice I would have given any one. The plan was wait for a double lung side shot. Fatigue after being in a tree 12 hours, seeing a nice buck walk in that close, who knows? I took a facing quartering shot and dead centered shoulder. Deer dropped. 60 g fff. 395 ball, 30 yards. I took a picture of him lying on ground and called my wife. After about 3-5 minutes he raised up and I reloaded. By then he was scooting around away from me. I shot into his back, he laid head back down. I started gathering stuff to climb down. He scooted more and raised head again. I reloaded and fired into the back. He jumped up on 3 legs and made a few leaps. I felt he only went a short ways and would die. Long story short, very little blood, tracking ends in about 100 yards. Continued search the next morning. Grid search trails for a 400-500 yard area. Nothing, ball must have lodged in rib cage. Burnt on that shot without my .58, May try a double lung sometime with the .40, but I will take squirrels and small game for now.

nice buck! and awesome story! i will take your advice and stick with a larger caliber! LOL

 

[Smo]

I've had it happen even with a .50 ….

I shot a good buck several years back, 75-85 yards up a slight grade…. I was hunting from a chair type blind shooting a TC .50 percussion gun.

I aimed high (above the shoulder but below the spine) shooting off a mono pod , seated. The deer dropped like a rock!
I watched as he tried too stand , twice. The second time when his head hit the ground I smiled too myself .. thinking about what had just happened…

As I laid my rifle down and started too make my way out of the blind, I looked back at the deer and he was starting too stand up!

Which he did and disappeared into the deep hollow…
Two drops of blood and a little hair… I followed the trail(tracks) down into the deep hollow where there was so much disturbance to the leaves from other activities I could no longer determine what was what..
Grid searched the area, nothing..

I did have a buck show up on camera the next Fall with a spot on his right side ( which I shot into) with no hair….
I always thought the ball must have hit exactly where I aimed….. imagine that.

That quarter head on shot sometimes pays off..
This one I killed sitting in Flintlocksforme's folding stool! lol

Thanks for the help Brother!

 

[Flintlocksforme]

nice buck! and awesome story! i will take your advice and stick with a larger caliber! LOL

It really requires discipline to wait for the right shot, if I had been in the tree with a first time hunter, I would have told them to wait on double lung or pass. I knew better, I been doing this for 40 plus years and still get excited when I see antlers. If it wasn't such a thrill I would have to quit after messing up such a nice deer / opportunity.

 

[rong]

Limit your range for deer and wait for the right shot and angle and you will have no problem with a .40. Same for squirrels, it getsI follow the above a little messy if you take a body shot with a hot load. Lighter loads tend to just punch a .40 hole straight through. Been using a .40 flintlock for years with no issues as long as I follow the above.