.45 vs .50 cal muzzleloader

[ProCharger]

I have a magnabolt 150 from CVA and I do not like the loading with the small tool for the primer. I am wanting to go to a new gun that breaks down for loading, either a CVA Optima or a TC Encore but my only problem is whether to get .45 or .50? What are the advantages of the .50? So far from some ballistics I read the .45's tend to carry better trajectory and are slightly faster out of the barrel. I would be using this for deer hunting only, so base the caliber on the whitetail deer frame. I am leaning towards .45 as of now for thats what I already have and it seems that every time I hit the stores to buy something for the gun .50 is sold out while .45 has an abundance of stuff (which kinda bothers me cause for some reason everybody is shooting the .50). Tell me what you prefer and why. Thanks in advance.

Brett

BTW sorry if this is in the wrong forum I just didnt consider a muzzleloader to be a blackpowder after reading a bunch of the posts in that part of the forum. They seemed to be more geared towards the older style firearms.

 

[critter]

Black powder guns kill like a bow/arrow-they poke a hole and bleed the animal out. Very little if any 'shock' and 'knockdown' is usually only if a large bone structure is hit. Expansion is nill to iffy at best.

Therefore, poke a BIG hole. I shoot a .54 caliber and have taken many deer with it over the last 12-15 years.

YMMV, and there are other opinions!

 

[cookhj]

i have a .45 T/C omega and it is VERY accurate for a muzzle loader. if i clean between each shot, it will shoot between 1" and 1 1/2" at 100 yds. i haven't really had a chace to shoot it much at 200 yds, but the shots i did make were no more than 2MOA at 200 yds. i would be comfortable shooting at a deer at 200-250 yds with my rifle.

 

[mete]

Considering that .45 is the minimum legal caliber for big game here in NY - get a larger size especially for longer range - 50 or 54.

 

[redneck2]

I sincerely doubt that any deer you hit will be able to tell the difference between calibers

When I got my Knight maybe 15 years ago, I got a .54 because I thought it'd be more potent. Problem is, there are very few stores that carry .54 stuff. If I had it to do over, I'd get a .50 as it's more popular and easier to find supplies for.

I've heard guys argue about a 7mm mag vs. .300 WM. A whole .016". Whoopee. Get the one you can get bullets and sabots for.

 

[5knives]

If you were shooting round ball, the answer would be .45 for deer, not your best choice for bear. Presume your shooting slugs, so for anything up to deer it's whatever you prefer. If you can get flatter trajectory with the .45 it'd be a good choice.

Killed my share of deer with both, last 10 or 12 years I've used a .54 or .58 for Deer. They don't run as far on thr average, bit I've had them drop in their tracks with a .45 round ball.

If you're going to use it for anything smaller than Deer, then definitely go with the .46.

If it weren't illegal in my state I might even have taken a deer or two with my .32 (It was good enough for D. Boone, IIRC) But that would be illegal here so of course I never tried it out!

 

[Ed]

I'd probably get a .50 because supplies will be easier to find. I read yesterday that this year Arkansas minimum for deer is .40. And it just so happens that I'm about 70% finished with a .40 cal flintlock build.

 

[Lee Woiteshek]

Had a fifty caliber Knight MK85, now have a .45 cal Disc Extreme. The .45 according to Knight was designed for deer. As much as I dream about going on an Elk hunt it probably isn't going to happen for me. I use mine for deer and turkey, and it works just fine.

 

[Hand_Rifle_Guy]

One thing I like about .50 is the fact that you can high-tech premium .44 or .45 caliber hunting bullets in sabots with greater velocity/load and superb accuracy, providing your gun likes 'em or you've got a good working load already worked out.

There's a big variety of sabots and extra-super-cool-whiz-bang hollowpoint hunting bullets available from Cabela's, among others. Roundballs work, in their own particular way, and conicals offer accuracy and weight, but sabots obviate the need to "up-gun" to a larger bore these days to get adequate effectiveness.

So, I think the .50's a bit more versatile than the .45, but I live in the Bay Area with 7-10 million other people, so it's a bit easier to find supplies elswhere should the first try come up empty. Eh, the world is at your fingertips with the 'Net. Run what you like the best. Shot placement's lots more important, as other's have said.

Oh BTW, do take this post with a grain of salt. I don't hunt, and I've never fired any of my muzzle-loaders, just my old Trapdoor Springfield. Therefore I have no actual experience, I'm just re-iterating what I've read and seen at gunshows. Just so you know...

 

[smokemaker]

The .50 is the 30-06 of muzzleloading. You'll find a greater selection of bullet styles and weights, as well as greater availability (usually). The .50 will take any game in north america, but most of us use them for deer, and deer. Oh, there's deer, too.

My Uncle Dave has a T/C Omega in .45. I have one in .50. Last season we both shot deer within minutes of each other. He was using 180 gr XTP and 110 grains 777 FFG. I used a 300 grain SST and two 777 pellets. (I've since given up on pellets, BTW. My gun shoots so much better with 130 grains 777 FFg.) Both deer fell down dead.

So it's maybe a matter of personal choice. The .45 kicks a good bit less than the .50, if recoil is a concern.

Of course, the .50 is my smallbore muzzleloader.

 

[Ranald]

I have two .54 caliber Hawkens. I like the power of the .54, the somewhat increased range.. getting stuff for it isnt a problem out here. Aside from casting, the local Walmart sells the stuff. Sometimes it is difficult finding flints in the stores-- one of them is a T/C flint Hawken.
Your concern, I take it is finding the gimcracks that up performance in the "inline" muzzle-loaders. The .50 would likely serve you well in that respect.
Each to their own, I love my so called "assault weapons". Never could understand the use of those inlines, tho.
Good luck, and in muzzle-loading, "Bigger" is usually better. Some m/l here in the West miked out at 12-bore in the old days... bear, buff, stuff like that.

 

[TaxPhd]

"I've heard guys argue about a 7mm mag vs. .300 WM. A whole .016". Whoopee."

Uh, wouldn't that be .024 (.308-.284)?





Scott