Can you hunt deer with cap&ball?

[Lane]

Is there a cap and ball pistol powerful enough to legally do the Job?

How hot can you load up a 44cal pistol?

[Hairtrigger]

Not legal in Ohio.
We can only have one bullet or ball per barrel

[Charcoal]

Yes its possible.The Colt Walker is the one you want.It was the worlds most powerful revolver until the .357 magnum came out in 1935.The late Robert T. Shimek did an article for Guns&Ammo back in the 80s about a whitetail he took with a Walker.I think most handun hunters would say its possible but marginal.

[Lane]

Thanks for the info!


Lane

[S.S.]

Due to regulations in most states, I doubt it would be legal to do.
However, many still do it. I agree about the Walker, It would probobly
be the best one with enough powder capacity. The Ruger Old Army
is a pretty stout handgun too. I have seen a Boar taken with
an 1860 army, but it took all six shots to do it. I do have one thing to add.
I will not say how I know this, but be VERY, VERY mindful of dry grass in front
of your hunting blind if you use a front stuffing revolver
I can not emphasize this enough 

[AndyHass]

I've used mine as a follow-up on a few deer, using the ball-ets.  Most shots were pass-thrus, but there is little of the trauma you see with higher velocity rounds.  I wouldn't use it as a primary weapon but as a finisher or on already wounded deer at closer range my 1858 Remington does fine.

[longcaribiner]

First legallity.  In the People's Keystone Republik, the game commission prmits only muzzleloaders and centerfire for big game, such as deer.  A cap and ball revolver may be black powder, but it does not load from the muzzle.  ie is not a muzzleloader.  None of the civil war percussion breech loaders are legal in PA.  No Sharps perc, no burnside, no smith, no hall, etc.    Your state may be different.   Not here in Pa, they decided any manual loader centerfire is legal for deer.    Right down to the puny little 32 S&W with its amazing 133 ft lbs of muzzle energy.  But heaven forbid you use a cap and ball revolver with 3 or 4 times that oomph.  On the other hand, If you slip an R&D cylinder into the gun, it become centerfire and legal for deer.   

Rational thought processes are not a prerequisite for civil service here.    I guarantee that my Ruger with 35 grains and a 310 grain bullet packs more wallop than many of the deer legal centerfire cartridges, yet remains legal only for wood chucks and coyotes.

There is no reason why some cap and ball revolvers are'nt legal for deer, although most are marginal.  Yeah right a 31 cal remington repro for deer???   

I have heard that any handgun capable and loaded for at least 300 ft lbs of muzzle energy is legal for deer in Maryland, but can't verify that.      A friend has a very old .58 cal cap and ball revolver he "liberated" in Poland during WW2.  It is a monster and weighs about 6 pounds.  It looks like those chambers could hold 60-70 grains. 

Might be worth getting the Italians to run off a couple hundred copies.

[willysjeep134]

I have a .44 Pietta "Bison" remington with a 12 inch barrel. I chrony'd some 200 grain conicals going about 850-900 fps. that makes 321 foot pounds of muzzle energy. I load 26 grains of Pyrodex P and a greased conical.

People have posted before that they didn't believe a cap and ball would push bullets that fast. I think the confusion came from people not realising what an extra 6" of barrel could do. I have chrony'd dozens of shots through cardboard to keep the powder smoke from throwing off the accuracy of the reading. They are consistantly in that range.

Michigan law considers cap and ball revolvers as muzzle loaders, and they dropped the minimum bore diameter for muzzle loaders from the books. As far as I know, in the U.P. of michigan you can use any centerfire or black powder firearm you want to legally take deer. Of course it must be a muzzle loader for black powder season. Farther south they have two other zones where they are more restrictive and specific on hunting weapons, but I still think they don't ban cap and ball revolvers.

People say conicals are inaccurate, but I haven't seen a difference between them and round balls. I think conicals would be the way to go if your gun can shoot them accurately.

[Gatofeo]

I would not get the Walker for a deer hunting gun. The sights are very rudimentary and not capable of the fine accuracy required of hunting.
Yes, I know it's a close-range proposition but you still need to be able to place the ball accurately. The Walker, like almost all Colt cap and balls, shoots high. Sometimes, as much as a foot high at 25 yards.
If you must hunt deer with a cap and ball revolver, get the Ruger Old Army with adjust able sights. Or a quality Remington reproduction with adjustable sights.
A sportsman has a tremendous responsibility to ensure that the game is killed cleanly and quickly, with one shot. If you can't meet that responsibility, you have no business hunting.

[radio2]

A sportsman has a tremendous responsibility to ensure that the game is killed cleanly and quickly, with one shot. If you can't meet that responsibility, you have no business hunting.
[/quote]

Well said!

[Fiveshooter]

Hunting deer with a C&B Revolver is legal here in Texas but not in the ML season. You can only use a C&B revolver in regular gun season.  You should find what you are looking for in the power department from the thread below.

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/topic,105131.0.html

Plenty of deer have been taken with C&B revolvers but I would suggest you use a heavy conical bullet. If you have the money and enough interest the .50 caliber Ruger Old Army revolver conversion by David Clements is more than enough for deer at modest ranges. David also has a service where he deepens the chambers on the stock Old army to hold more powder. This service is very inexpensive. Combine the extra powder capacity of the modified cylinder with one of the more energetic propellants like H 777 and a well designed conical and you should be fine even in the standard .45 caliber Old Army. If you go with the Walker be sure to have a rubber band wrapped a few times around the barrel and loading lever to keep it from dropping down under the recoil of heavy loads. Also as already mentioned the sights on a Walker leaves a lot to be desired for accurate shot placement. The Walker is a "powerhouse" of a C&B revolver though :^)

[osceola]

LEE makes a Hollow Point single cavity mould in 200 gr that works great:LEE-90493.  37gr of Hogdon 777 3f w/ a wonder wad will Crony at 980 fps with a standard deviation of 20 fps and make a 2 inch group at 25 yds---I hold shots to under 40 yds, the energy is there and they pass cleanly through.  Be Safe.

[Tad Houston]

Oseola, i sure wish i could find one of those molds! Do you happen to know where i could get one?

[osceola]

Hello Tad Houston,
This site had them   http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/PDF3/C%20Pages61-90.pdf    It is listed in the middle of the page under "Hollow Point Conical Moulds" on pg. 3.  If Mid-South is out, it looks like Lee doesn't make the HP cavity any more http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1171314549.38=/html/catalog/blackpow.html only makes the solid projectile, but don't see why they shouldn't work.  These are made for the ROA, their bottom ring is .453 so they easily press into the bullet seating position and load straight.

[ctriley1]

It's legal to use a cap and ball revolver for deer in Maryland during BP season. Rules:  .40 cal minimum with a minimum of 40 grains BP or BP equivalent. In the regs it says that the loading must be from the muzzle or from front of cylinder in case of revolvers. I haven't done it (yet) with my ROA or 12-inch barreled Pietta 1858, but at tree stand ranges (less than 30 yds), I have no doubt that a ball in the head at that range would kill the animal humanely.

[Echo4Lima]

CA reg is only .50 or above. Doesn't denote pistol or rifle, just .50 and up.

[Buckskin]

CA reg is only .50 or above. Doesn't denote pistol or rifle, just .50 and up.

I thought they outlawed all hunting in California along with combustion engines and cheeseburgers.

If I remember correctly (may be wrong) but I think in Wisconsin the firearm must have velocities over 1200ft/sec.

[mykeal]

If I remember correctly (may be wrong) but I think in Wisconsin the firearm must have velocities over 1200ft/sec.

How do you get the gun to go that fast?

[mykeal]

1. Muzzleloading Deer Season - During the December muzzleloading seasons, muzzleloading deer hunters can carry afield and use only a muzzleloading rifle, a muzzleloading shotgun, or a black power handgun loaded with black powder or a commercially manufactured black powder substitute. (ed: note the lack of any caliber restriction)

2. All Firearm Deer Seasons - Rifle Zone - In the rifle zone, deer may be taken with handguns, rifles, bows and arrows, shotguns and muzzleloading firearms including black powder handguns. It is legal to hunt deer in the rifle zone with any caliber of firearm except a .22 caliber or smaller rimfire (rifle or handgun). Crossbows are legal to use by a person 12 years of age or older during the Nov. 15-30 firearm deer season. Exception: See Muzzleloading Deer Seasons above for restrictions during this season.

3. All Firearm Deer Seasons - Shotgun Zone - In the shotgun zone, all hunters afield from November 15-30, and all deer hunters in this zone during other deer seasons, must abide by the following firearm restrictions or use a bow and arrow. Crossbows are legal to use by a person 12 years of age or older during the Nov. 15-30 firearm deer season. Legal firearms are as follows:
    * A shotgun may have a smooth or rifled barrel and may be of any gauge.
    * A muzzleloading rifle or black powder handgun must be loaded with black powder or a commercially manufactured black powder substitute.
    * A conventional (smokeless powder) handgun must be .35 caliber or larger and loaded with straight-walled cartridges and may be single- or multiple-shot but cannot exceed a maximum capacity of nine rounds in the barrel and magazine combined.
    Exception: See Muzzleloading Deer Seasons above for restrictions during this season. From Nov. 15-30, .22 caliber or smaller rimfire rifles and handguns may be used to kill raccoon while hunting raccoons with dogs between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

4. Archery Deer Seasons - During the archery deer seasons, it is illegal to carry afield a pistol, revolver or other firearm while bow hunting for deer, unless the individual is properly licensed to hunt deer with a firearm and is hunting in an area open to firearm deer hunting. Exceptions: This prohibition does not apply to pistols carried under authority of a concealed pistol license or properly carried under authority of a specific exception from the requirement of a concealed pistol license. This does not authorize the individual to use the pistol to take game except as provided by law. During special antlerless firearm deer seasons, a firearm hunter may carry afield a bow and arrow or firearm.

[Buckskin]

If I remember correctly (may be wrong) but I think in Wisconsin the firearm must have velocities over 1200ft/sec.

How do you get the gun to go that fast?

you don't.