Deer hunting with C&B revolver?

[farmplinker]

I am interested in starting to shoot with a BP revolver. I plan to do so regardless of the hunting aspect.

But I am wondering if a BP revolver has enough velocity and power for deer hunting. How do most BP revolvers compare to, say, a .357 magnum or .44 magnum? I would normally consider a .44 magnum to be plenty for deer and a .357 magnum to be OK but minimum.

Any help?

[John Traveler]

Sorry,

But if you will look at the muzzle velocities and ballistics for cap 'n ball revolvers, they are pretty modest.  Round lead balls for both:

The .36 caliber muzzle energy/velocity is in the low "plinking" category of .38 Specials with RN lead bullets.

The .44 caliber muzzle engergy/velocity is in the middle of standard velocity .38 Spl RN lead bullets.

These guns would not assure certain kills unless a head or spine shots were made.

So, enough said.  Would YOU go deer hunting with a .38 Spl revolver loaded with 158 grain RNL ammo?  Most state hunting regulations would outright prohibit such an inhumane caliber.  Most sportsmen would not shoot unless it was a lost-in-the-woods survival situation.

 :cry:

[Mike C]

In the Ruger old army you can load a conical 200gr lee cast bullet to right at 1000fps so it wll shoot through a small deer at close range.  I much prefer a single shot 54 caliber TC Scout though.  In a 54 pistol you can use a round ball for deer or use a conical 435gr. maxiball for bigger game.
Anyone who has not fired a 54 black powder pistol should try one, it is the most fun of anything.  For about 200 dollars you get a pistol that will accurately deliver a 435 gr lead bullet at over 1200fps!!!

Mike C

[Jeff Vicars]

With 45 grains of Pyrodex P I get 1108 fps from my Ruger Old Army shooting 215 grain conicals. This is not too far from factory 44 Mag loads. When the weather gets better I'm going to try fff Triple 7. I haven't shot a deer with this load, but I did kill a Javelina with one shot.

[The Shrink]

Farmplinker

You've got two different schools of thought here.  One looks at what is necessary to kill, the other looks at what is necessary to put down quickly.  Deer and people run about the same size, and about the same toughness, but few would suggest using for deer what we use for self defense.  Very different situations.  

In short, I recommend using what will relaibly put down a deer, rather than what will eventually kill them. The Colt Walker was the most powerful pistol made until the .357 Mag - so it is less powerful than the .357 Mag.  This places even the Walker in the highly questionable category.  The Ruger may be stronger, but I don't think the chamber holds more powder than the Walker - I'm not sure on that, I don't have one.  

My conclusion is that none of the C&B pistols are adequate for more than plinking and small game use unless you are close enough to guarantee a fatal head shot - i.e. to finish off something already down.  

My $.02 worth, anyway.

[farmplinker]

You guys have pretty much answered my question when it comes to power. A BP revolver would be marginal at best, it appears, in terms of quickly dispatching a deer. Like I said, I might think about it if a BP revolver would be at least as powerful as a .357 magnum. I definitely woulnd't use a .38 special for deer.

I checked the PA game regulations, and it appears that using a C&B revolver is not permitted for deer anyway. Although the regulations, as they are written, are not completely clear.

The regulations prohibit all muzzleloading handguns. Some people apparently read that very precisely and say that a BP revolver is NOT loaded from the muzzle, but rather from the front of each cylinder. I'm not sure I would want to express that argument to a game warden.

[KING]

  NO cap & ball revolvers have enough power to be used on deer.  I would not use em on aything biger than a coyote,and that would have to be inside of 15 yards.  Even my Walker with a top load is not good enough.   King

[Gatofeo]

Another factor to consider, to dissuade you and others from hunting deer with a cap and ball revolver:
Most of the original revolvers have atrocious sights, a groove in the nose of the hammer or along the topstrap, and a brass bead or steel post up front.
Exceptions are, of course, the Ruger Old Army and the reproduction Remingtons with modern, adjustable sights.
Every Colt-type C&B revolver I've fired shoots high, often very high, at 25 yards. I have a repro Colt 1862 Pocket Model in .36 caliber that shoots dead-on at nearly 100 yards! But to do so, it hits about 10-12 inches high at 25 yards, from a benchrest.
My repro Remington .44 required filing down the front sight, a lick at a time, to bring the group UP. Yep, my repro Remingtons in .36 and .44 caliber both shot LOW but they had unusually high front sights. I believe the manufacturers (Pietta and Uberti) did this purposely, so shooters could adjust their sights to point of aim.
Original Remington C&B revolvers I've seen have front sights much shorter than modern repros, so I'd guess they probably shoot high too.
The Colt Walker may have the power for very close shots with conical bullets in expert hands, but the primitive sights bar its use.
To compensate for its relative lack of power, the cap and ball shooter has to place his shot very accurately at close range.
Cap and ball revolvers are marginal for deer, at best. If you want a blackpowder pistol hunting experience, use cartridge guns loaded with black powder or the single-shot pistol of .50 caliber or larger. Whichever, they must have good, accurate sights to place that crucial bullet EXACTLY where it's needed.

[kirkwhitaker]

not really interested in deer, but i can consistancly hit a pepsi can at 25 yds with it, so i am very tempted to go a rambling in the woods with it, especially during spring turkey season. A good upper body hit at 25 yds to 35 yds with a round ball ought to anchor a turkey quite solidly...
if not, rabbits ought to be fun...armadillos...well they are just asking for it here in GA...(my fav armadillo/coyote gun is a 6.5 tcu with a 85 gr sierra hp at 2300fps...).
kw

[pistolero]

I had the same question  asked before on another forum... I was told  that it shouldn't be too  hard  only that  you need to get a  good vital area to aim at..

Some say that bp is only good enough to  kill coyotes and little bunny rabbits.. I'm not too sure that it is the whole truth.. Here is why.....
I have been getting to know my colt walker  pretty well... in order to  make a killing shot, you need to pratice and burn up a couple of flasks and a few boxes of balls.... Get to know  your revolver and  at what distances  you  might be using  between you and the deer vs. your revolver....It is a matter  of knowing the limitations of your gun and workwithin those parameters.... and tons of pratice

Didn't the indians get deer with  a small bow and arrow?? Why can't you do it with  your  revovler??

Then go up in the hiulls (during  deer season) measure  of a good area for deer,  hide and wait for them to dom to oyou ..... Bang?

did it Work?

[pistolero]

I had the same question  asked before on another forum... I was told  that it shouldn't be too  hard  only that  you need to get a  good vital area to aim at..

Some say that bp is only good enough to  kill coyotes and little bunny rabbits.. I'm not too sure that it is the whole truth.. Here is why.....
I have been getting to know my colt walker  pretty well... in order to  make a killing shot, you need to pratice and burn up a couple of flasks and a few boxes of balls.... Get to know  your revolver and  at what distances  you  might be using  between you and the deer vs. your revolver....It is a matter  of knowing the limitations of your gun and workwithin those parameters.... and tons of pratice

Didn't the indians get deer with  a small bow and arrow?? Why can't you do it with  your  revovler??

Then go up in the hiulls (during  deer season) measure  of a good area for deer,  hide and wait for them to dom to oyou ..... Bang?

did it Work?

[The Shrink]

Pistolero

As was mentioned before, it may be illegal to uce a C&B revolver to hunt deer.  Many states define minimum caliber/power requirements that even the Walker will not meet.  Remember, it is less powerful than a 357 Mag.  Check your local laws before you venture into the woods to hunt deer with yours.

[Frog123]

What about carrying one as a companion to a long gun. Every so often a deer may require a finishing shot. I can remember two or three in the last few years. One was a small buck with a broken back. A point blank shot with a .50 cal and 100gr's of powder seemed a little "excessive." Would the .44 C&B be adequate for the coup de grace?  I've already checked and they're legal to carry and use here in Tenn. during muzzleloader season.


Frog

[simonkenton]

The .44 cap and ball would have enough power for the coup de grace. Shoot him in the neck or the head.
I had been hunting deer for quite a while and I decided I would try one with my Beretta 9mm. I knew how to kill deer, at that point I had killed 35 or 40. I figured, the 9mm had the power to make a pass through lung shot. I decided to only take a shot at 30 yards or less, because I was accurate at that range. I decided I would only take the shot on a small buck or a doe, broadside only. Well I took the pistol along about ten times, along with my 30-06. The type shot I wanted never presented itself. I got tired of taking two guns into the woods and I didn't take the Beretta out again.
I did use it once for a finishing shot on a deer that got hit by a car and was in the ditch by my house, paralyzed hind legs. I shot her once in the neck from 5 feet and her problems were over.