Anything from a .40 to a .69 roundball will kill a deer- it's all about shot placement no matter the diameter of the ball anyway. If bigger critters were on the menu, well, I might leave the .40 and .45 out.
As for shiny brass furniture on the gun (the wood isn't the "furniture" - it's the wood), don't sweat it. After it's together, either swab the shiny stuff with the first patch that comes out of the dirty barrel when cleaning it (to artificially age/darken it), or just use it for a while and it'll dull on its own and soon take on a soft patina.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 09/28/16.
