Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Flintlock for black bear

Pennsylvania is about to have there very first muzzleloader black bear season I don’t own a in-line but am quite the flintlock shooter have seen a couple of bear on drives in the late season and wish that was when season was but not going to pass up chance to try and get one with smoke pole I’ve always shot round balls for deer just picked up a box of maxi-balls for bear was wondering if anyone has experience with these on black bears they are the 370 grain ones thanks for any input

Depends on the rifle. If you have a TC Renegade/hawken then you should be in good shape. Some TC came with 1/60 twist though, and their rifling deeper for patched round ball.

TC manual, loads on page 50. I would try 80 grains first. Probably shoot higher than your ball load.

https://www.tcarms.com/pdfs/uploads/manuals/Hawken_Manual.pdf

Thanks for the input I checked the twist first I was wondering if anyone has shot a bear with maxi-balls and the effects they had on the animal or anyone that has shot one with round ball. I shot them today with 90 grains of FFF was happy with accuracy and ease of loading