Which BLACK POWDER cartridge for deer???

[Skychief]

Indiana has legalized basically any cartridge generally deemed suitable for deer hunting.

I'm interested in using rifles chambered for rounds originally loaded with black powder, 32/40, 38/55, 45/70, etc, etc....

I will use either a lever gun or a single shot (maybe both! ).

Most shots will be taken 0-100 yards. Would appreciate enough horsepower to take whitetail cleanly out to 150 yards should the need arise though.

That said, which round would you suggest would be best?

Thanks kindly for your time and thoughts, Skychief

[Bullard4075]

Being a large bore guy I would start consideration at the 38-55 with the 40-65 closer to ideal. But that's just me. Having used the 38-55 just once some 35-40 years ago with success I can tell you from experience the 40-65 (with a good LBT WFN cast bullet) is an impressive hammer without the recoil of the 45-70. I am also a huge 45-70 fan.

[Baja_Traveler]

I shoot all three mentioned calibers, and have loaded and shot all three using black powder. Of the three mentioned, I'd use my 38-55 for whitetail - with the awesome 255 grain Big Lube bullet specifically designed to carry the lube required to keep black powder fouling under control. http://www.biglube.com/BulletMolds.aspx ... 7e0ec19a65
I used this combination with 48 grains Swiss 1 1/2 and a Walters fiber wad to shoot cowboy silhouette for over a year when I was on my "Shoot everything using Holy Black" kick. Never failed to drop a 200 yard ram. Build a decent drop tube from brass tubing, or use a large diameter arrow shaft like I did, and get a compression die.

My 45-70 is fun to shoot, but it would be a bit much for whitetail - 40-65 would be a good compromise (had one in a Sharps) but finding a rifle to hunt with may be a challenge...

[Pete44ru]

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.38-55 - ( +3)



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[hfcable]

38/55 sure drops big caribou easily! would be a great choice.

[buckeyeshooter]

It would be pretty hard to argue against the 30-30 if legal. The morons running the lawoffice in Ohio allow me to use my 50 alaskan and 50-110 winchester deer hunting but the 30-30 and 35 remington are illegal.

[JB]

The 30-30 wouldn't be an original black powder load. I'd probably go with the 38-55 like the folks above.

[Carlsen Highway]

I use the .44/40 and black powder on red deer, (which are about caribou or elk sized.)

[M. M. Wright]

I mostly use 45-70 or 45-90 (caliber of original 86 I own) to take deer with black powder but I am a huge fan of the 44-40 too which I load almost exclusively with ffg. Pay attention to advice and use a drop tube. It makes a difference as does lube. At least try some SPG to be sure what your combo will do with proper lube. It is not really expensive and a little bit lubes a lot of bullets.

[marlinman93]

I've taken mule deer with all 3 calibers you're looking at. All did great on deer sized game, but I think the .45-70 is not necessary. It kills them, but really don't need that much knock down power.
The .32-40 and .38-55 are impressive, even with my mild cast bullet loads at 1250-1350 fps. I took my best mule deer ever with a Ballard rifle in .38-55 at around 140 yds., and he dropped with one shot through the shoulder.

[piller]

Whichever one you choose, we do expect pictures. Targets and the gun. Dead deer hopefully.

[cas]

The 303 British started out as a BP cartridges. Though you'd probably still get a ticket and have to fight that one later.


I had a .40-65 in a heavy barreled rolling block and really liked the round. I'd like to have something more handy in that cartridge.

[RIHMFIRE]

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.38-55 - ( +3)



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+ 4, 5 & 6

[AJMD429]

I'd go with the 38-55 (or 375).

This, from someone who's determined to use his levergun in 500 S&W this coming season...


(Manufacturer photo from http://www.bighornarmory.com/catalog/1/ ... -products/)

The only reason I'm using it is that it is a beautiful gun based on the 1886-action, awesome big-bore cartridge, and something different than the usual "240-250 grain bullet at 1200-1800 fps" I've used from my Marlin 1894, 50 Cal saboted muzzleloader, Super Blackhawk revolver, and saboted pump 12 gauge.

I figure a 500 grain 50 cal bullet at a modest 1,000-1,200 fps will be somewhat like the ballistics of yesteryear's 50 cal muzzleloaders, in a levergun, without all the fuss and muss of that icky hygroscopic corrosive stuff you guys like so much...

Indiana has legalized basically any cartridge generally deemed suitable for deer hunting.

Even though I'm a very 'pro-gun' 'libertarian' (so don't like 'gun laws'), I really think what cartridges that are permitted (at least on 'public land') should be limited to something like the 'pistol-cartridge rifles' we had a few years ago. I've seen fools using 15" Encores in 7mm Rem Mag, who will likely miss their target, shooting a bullet with a ballistic coefficient over 0.5, that was "legal" even before the new law, whereas the stubby 45-70 with its safe 'rainbow-trajectory' was deemed "too powerful". Guess which bullet is going to travel 2 miles with lethal energy to humans if it misses its target...?

I think Indiana made a mistake allowing so many high-ballistic-coefficient cartridges to be 'deer-legal', but the general electorate only knows enough about 'guns' to understand the latest Hollywood movie, so I guess it figures...

[jeepnik]

Personally I prefer to go big or stay home. So I'd say 45-70. It's really the most versatile of the bunch. Loaded down it's good for deer sized critters, loaded up elephants, hippos, rhinos and such.

[KWK]

I think Indiana made a mistake allowing so many high-ballistic-coefficient cartridges...

I share your concerns, but time will tell. However, I'd say muzzle fps, not BC, would be the figure of merit.

Here in Illinois, we can't use any cartridge rifle.