Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders 58, Dont be Late

One thing about Gunner. He doesn't fart around with Casper Milquetoast loads. Just sayin'.

That’s fer sure!!!! 🤣

Well just got a text from the buck assassin! Another big 8, boom flop!

He's on a roll with that Hawken. If he is not careful, he won't have any tags left for the Sharps when the regular gun season opens. He's finding out that the 58 Hawken is THE deer killer, and swats them right and proper with a patched round ball. You shoot, they go right down , and don't get up. Congratulations again.

LOL, Sharpsguy knows the particulars of my 58 better than me, it was purpose built for a 140 grain charge of black powder, shoots straight to the sights.

And Thanks again for posting the pic KW, I appreciate it, this buck came along side me as I was working my way back down the mountain into a South wind, I had went up to look for that black bear, I whistle stopped this buck at 22 yards and shot him in the lungs instead of the shoulder on purpose, he still dropped ; ] he broke off one tine thrashing about, i'll go back up in better light and find it.

Thanks Sharpsguy, and you're exactly right, on both counts, I need to whoa up a bit.

My poor old gimp right shoulder can’t hardly tolerate them big loads anymore.

Yeah, but the heck of it is, 70 grains of 2f and a patched round ball puts the big hurt on them inside of 100 yards with NO recoil. You just can't reach them as far with the light load, but it kills them just as dead.

Way to go Gunner! That 58 seems like it magical for you this year.

So true Sharpsguy! 70 of FFFG. Is generally my magical load in all my .50’s. Heck I have even been known, on occasions , to shoot it in .54’s and .62’s. In my fusils, all 20 bore, it works well with shot and ball and has accounted for numerous pigs and deer. I can’t see well past 100, wait reality check, past 70 yards to honestly make an ethical shot. So 70, or even 75, works well for me.

The last pig I shot was like 15 yards from me. 😁

A surgically placed 40 or 45 going faster will get it done too Sir.

Thanks Big B, just hitting them a little hard over a weekend, they're always out there for the taking, I just like getting close and letting them walk most times, but, I screwed up and started this thread, I had to put something in it!

I’ve taken several deer and numerous pigs with a single .395 RB and 50 grains of FFFG!

NICE!

BTW, I had no idea my little 36 cal round ball squirrel rifle was such a meanie till Sharpsguy clued me in, he said you damn sure better head shoot that squirrel if you want to eat any of it ; ]

I shoot 70 grains of FF in my .54 with a PRB, works okay.

Still looking for that DRT result on deer that I think I should get at least once in a while.

Do you guys try to break bone with these PRB on deer or just go for a double lung hit?

I have shot maybe a half a dozen deer with my 54 and while it kills them they still seem to go 50-75 yards.

Should I jump my 70 grain load up to 85-90 grains for more velocity which in turn yields more energy?

My 1:66 shoots good at 85-87 grains I just like the non-existent recoil of 70 grains.

Ive always tried for some bone in my shots. Sometimes they bounce around and do weird things tho. I don’t think I’ve ever had a deer run. All been DRT. Last deer I hit with my .50 PBR and 70 was a boomflop at about 35 yards. He was walking straight at me. I put sights somewhere around that white spot on his brisket. I believe right above it. Did about same thing to a dink spike with a 54 PBR. Difference was it went straight down his backbone. Kinda filleted his backstraps out.

10-4.

I think of the deer I have killed with it only 1 had been hit in bone, it was quartering to and ran maybe 20 yards.

Did have 1 that I thought was broadside and ran maybe 75 yards. Once I got to her and was field dressing her I realized I hit her just in front of the left ham and the ball was lodged in front of the opposite shoulder at the neck junction. No idea why I couldn't tell she was broadside.

Others have just been broadside, tight to the shoulder lung shots. May have to start trying to get at least 1 if not both shoulders.

Here's the ball from the doe. Maybe a 30 yard shot.

Weighs 218 as it sits. That is a nickle for comparison.


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My Navy Arms “Hawken Hunter” .58 Cal in this Thread, is now in the Classifieds Fella’s, it would Make Somebody an Awesome BIG Thumper, You won’t find a nicer Rifle, This one is Truly like Brand New 👍