Hunting with cap & ball revolver

[Ola]

Interesting discussion. Keep it going!

(One question: can't you use dogs to find the wounded animals? I mean 100 or 300 yards is not a problem if you have a good dog..)

[John Allen]

Thirty three grains of Pyroxex "P", Wonder Wad, Lee 220 Conical, Wonder Seal (lube cookie), #11 CCI cap, in ROA.

Attachment 146920

Winelover

Nice, congrats

[dtknowles]

Wine lover: Though still a larger caliber with a heavier projectile; the energy figures are about on par with a .38 Spl (even +P) if other powders are used (Pyrodex P seems more stout, though not on par with the ones I previously mentioned).

I thought it was well understood at Pistol Velocities that energy comparisons are not a good indicator for relative killing/stopping power. I know it does not translate well into numbers but practical experience and similarity are the best guide.

Tim

[Uncle R.]

A fully-loaded Ruger Old Army with the Lee conicals delivers ballistics on a par with the .45ACP. That 220 grain .454 dia bullet will get into the 800-something velocity range with ease. I've actually shot table bowling pins with mine and it did very well with results similar to the .45 auto. A solid hit would sweep the pins off nicely and that's more than you can expect from normal .38 special loads. I don't think anyone would deny that terminal results on game of a 220 gr. 45 cal soft lead bullet at that speed would be better than most .38 special loads too.

I wouldn't have any reservations about using mine on deer at short range, but state law here won't allow it.

Uncle R.

[rodwha]

dtknowles: The point in the energy figures is to show how it compares to modern calibers better known. If the bullet and energy figures are quite similar it can be assumed that it should behave fairly similarly (I don't like a RN for hunting, but a wide flat meplat). So if it's known that a .45 Colt load can indeed take medium game there's no reason why these, loaded with the proper powders, couldn't do likewise being quite similar.

[Vann]

I wonder what Elmer Keith would say about this topic. Anyone care to guess?

[Mytmousemalibu]

I wonder what Elmer Keith would say about this topic. Anyone care to guess?

"Take your ROA, load that sucker up with a stout charge of 4F and the heaviest conical that fits!"

[Vann]

"Take your ROA, load that sucker up with a stout charge of 4F and the heaviest conical that fits!"
Perhaps he would skip the holy black and use Unique or something instead!

Lol, I think he would only try the Unique if he couldn't blow it up after several tries with the 4fg. That being said he spent a lot of his youth shooting a 36.cal cap n ball revolver. I'd venture to say he tried to kill a deer with it at least once, before moving on to using a 38 special and creating the 357 mag.

[Maven]

"Perhaps he would skip the holy black and use Unique or something instead!"

Chris, I know the above was said in jest, but someone not wise to the ways of BP revolvers and pressure generated by smokeless powder, is liable to do that. Maybe you should edit the post to remove that reference, lest we turn a potential Darwin Award candidate into an actual one? Just trying to avoid a misunderstanding that leads to a tragedy!

[Thumbcocker]

IIRC Elmer thought that a .36 cal cap and ball was much superior to a .38 special with factory rn loads as a stopper.

[Mytmousemalibu]

[COLOR=#333333]"Perhaps he would skip the holy black and use Unique or something instead!"

Chris, I know the above was said in jest, but someone not wise to the ways of BP revolvers and pressure generated by smokeless powder, is liable to do that. Maybe you should edit the post to remove that reference, lest we turn a potential Darwin Award candidate into an actual one? Just trying to avoid a misunderstanding that leads to a tragedy!

You have a valid point, and I heeded your advise! Even as a wisecrack, better to be safe than sorry! Sometimes my typing muscle memory tries to go before the brain gears are fully meshed!

[Hellgate]

I bet that Elmer Keith wouldn't admit in writing to the deer he hit with a revolver that ran off to never be found. It's romantic to imagine getting a deer with the percussion guns but there's a reason they are often no allowed by law for deer hunting. I use my C&Bs for finishing shots only.

[rbuck351]

I'm planning on using my 44 pietta on arctic hare. I'm betting it will work well.

[Maven]

Chris, Thanks for doing that! Even though Ruger tested the OA with smokeless powder, it was an extreme test, and certainly not recommended as the only thing containing the higher pressure are the threads on the nipple.

[Good Cheer]

What a shame Ruger didn't mass produce an extended cylinder version with faster twist.
I love my forty bore 1858 Remington with SWC's, wadcutters and round noses. In 1989 a fellow I got to know in Alabama had a stainless .410 smoothbore with long cylinder and 12" barrel based upon a 1858 that I much admired and thought would be even more awesome with fast twist rifling and SWC's. He wouldn't sell it.

[rodwha]

That's what I've considered with a Walker. With the swap of a barrel that's been reamed smooth one could use shot. I'm guessing it would be about on par with a .410. Not sure what kind of twist Uberti gives them, but my 195 grn WFN is merely .460" long so it ought to do well were it a slower twist.

[Hanshi]

Long ago I was serving time - my weekend came round - in a fire tower; a friend was there keeping me company and was a witness. I had my Remmy 1858 loaded with powder and ball. A buzzard flew by and with my arm sticking out the window, I literally blew him out of the sky. My friend's eyeballs still bulge a little to this day. My only live shot with a c&b.

[Good Cheer]

Long ago I was serving time - my weekend came round - in a fire tower; a friend was there keeping me company and was a witness. I had my Remmy 1858 loaded with powder and ball. A buzzard flew by and with my arm sticking out the window, I literally blew him out of the sky. My friend's eyeballs still bulge a little to this day. My only live shot with a c&b.

Oh man! What video that would have made!

[Good Cheer]

That's what I've considered with a Walker. With the swap of a barrel that's been reamed smooth one could use shot. I'm guessing it would be about on par with a .410. Not sure what kind of twist Uberti gives them, but my 195 grn WFN is merely .460" long so it ought to do well were it a slower twist.

For a snake charmer it might do great. You know what though... I'm kinda nervous about Walkers just because people used to blow up originals. Yeh, I know, they didn't have as good a metal back then. But just like form follows function, function follows form and it would make me nervous squeezin' off on a wad of snake shot.

[winelover]

Long ago I was serving time - my weekend came round - in a fire tower; a friend was there keeping me company and was a witness. I had my Remmy 1858 loaded with powder and ball. A buzzard flew by and with my arm sticking out the window, I literally blew him out of the sky. My friend's eyeballs still bulge a little to this day. My only live shot with a c&b.

Don't let the Federale's know........Vultures are protected under Federal Law......that translates to all states.

Winelover