.36/.40/.45 in a kibler Southern Mountain rifle?

[tallpaul]

I should have already bought one... I have mostly .50 T/C percussion and 1 great Plains flintlock... I have a .36,457 and a .44 in Cap and ball one. .45 kentucky pistol.

I am leaning toward the .40 in my head. legal for deer in my state and should be fine for target n groundhog...

Ant thoughts on a .40 flinter? I cast but would need a mold of course- for any of the choices...

 

[Risky buisness]

After putting together a .40 kit just for the reason it wasn't a .36 of which I already had, I absolutly admire the caliber. Lots more juice for a little more squeeze. Plenty for big jackrabbits coyotes and deer. A 1/2 charge load prints perfectly at 25 yds so it's great for bunny hunting. Doesn't foul as quickly as my .36s and it's legal caliber. Yea, 40 guns rock.

 

[hawg]

In my opinion a .40 isn't deer worthy. It will kill them, no doubt about that but I hunted with a .50 for about 30 years and killed a lot of deer with it but I had to track some of them and didn't always get an exit wound. Around 2010 I moved up to a .54 and while I haven't killed nearly as many deer with it I always get an exit wound and never had to track one.

 

[Armored farmer]

I have both a .40 and a .45.
I personally lean towards the .45 for deer and then go. 36 for small game and varmint.
That being g said.... the .40 is quite popular among competitors in many of the nmlra shoots that I attend. In fact, I may well shoot my .40 this weekend at our annual chunk gun match.
The forty is easy on lead and powder, but not deer legal in my state.
You really cannot go wrong with a kibler rifle in either caliber.
Your choice.
If forty cal were deer legal in my state it would be a tough decision for me too.
If you're going to hunt small game and punch paper, I would say .40.

 

[david58]

In my opinion a .40 isn't deer worthy. It will kill them, no doubt about that but I hunted with a .50 for about 30 years and killed a lot of deer with it but I had to track some of them and didn't always get an exit wound. Around 2010 I moved up to a .54 and while I haven't killed nearly as many deer with it I always get an exit wound and never had to track one.

We all get our opinion - mine is that .40 is a great caliber. Not legal here in NM for deer, used to hunt with a .40 for mule deer in Oregon, a good clean kill.

David
NM