Has anyone tried shooting 50 grains?

[Bullseye]

Wanted to know if anyone has tried shooting 50 grains instead of 100? Want to reduce the recoil for my daughter, (12yrs old).
She tried shooting 90grains with 300g sabots. (doesnt want to do that again)
I was going to try 245g powerbelt hollow points & a 50 g pellet. & keep her range under 50 yards for Deer.

[BLACKCLOUD]

I don't know if I would try 50 grains of powder. Maybe try 75 grains first.

[fraid.knot]

Try powder instead of pelets you can get the wright speed and kick and I don't think 50 gran pelet can get the power needed to safly kill a deer power belt 245 or a little smaller if you can find them are a good bet for anyone thats all I use 245 power belts and stoped using any thing else no plastic build up to worry about and accuret as hell I've taken deer to 150 yrd. one shot and down a freind of mine killed a 400lb + bear in colorado last year 150 gran pelets and wright down 245 power belt bullet try powder with her you can work it for her better:D

[Pagrizz]

I do not think 50grs has enough power. 70 or 75 would probably work with a lighter bullet.Get you a pack of just the sabots and pick up some Hornady 180 XTP'S.I have taken deer with the 180's out of my 44 mag out to 75 yards.I do not think the mag would have any more power than the muzzleloader would.

[cc19..aka A-5 Pemberton]

Really depends on the gun and what you expect. I shoot black powder, 65 gr., patched round ball. The deer seem dead when they drop. This is a sidelock percussion gun. Granted, I am not reaching out much past 50 yards, but I like to get them close. On the range, the gun will keep a pretty good 3" group at 100 yards with iron sights. I think that what you want to accomplish is very doable. go the the range and mess around with the 50 gr. and different bullets to see what gets you some decent accuracy.

[Bullseye]

Thanks for the replies. CC, I think if I keep her range close in, & she hits the spot, there wont be a problem. She is no stranger to close in shots. She shot a buck this year & a doe last year with her bow. We will just bow hunt with the gun.

[Buck Tales]

Bullseye, I shot a doe some years back with 50 grains and a patched round ball, dead deer. It will work fine and the deer will be just as dead as 150 grain with a super bullet. :fight: Now the bullet will not expand like with the velosity of a larger faster moving bullet but just watch the deer. Iwas amazed when the deer just walked away after I shot it and acted as though it had not been touched at 25' away. :eek: But she only walked 30 yards and fell over. Good luch and let her enjoy the hunt.

[Bullseye]

Thanks for the reply Buck Tales, I did some Back yard experiments at the range last week. I shot through a 2x4 at 60 yards, with the 245 grain hollow point powerbelt. Blew a 2" hole out of the back of the board. I think it will do the job on a deer.

[Buck Tales]

Yea man, don't forget to show off a couple of pictures of her deer when she shoots it. P.S. A big smile shot also because you know she will be smiling for a week straight. I know my son did.:D

[Bullseye]

Buck Tales, here is a pic of the Buck she shot with the Bow this year. Hope gets another chance.

[Buck Tales]

Hey man I just got a chance to cruise the forum and saw the picture, great deer!!!!! Tell her I said congratulations. Now I have to keep looking for that report with the picture of the muzzle loader deer shot with 50 grains of powder. I'll be out between Christmas and New Years due to work this year but I'll try to post a picture or 2 when I finally get on them. Been a slow year for hunting this year but overwhelming for work. Either way I'm blessed I know. Good Luck!!:thup:

[MRSFISHERMAN]

We use to use 70 grains of Pyrodex select powder in our sidelocks, with a 250 or 300 grain minnie balls/ or Buffalo bullets. Yes, we killed deer and we also lost deer. You can kill a deer with a 22 if you shot it right, I know someone that killed a deer with a load of high brass sixes, but would not recommend either.
With the low powder charge(50 grains) I would only recommend broad side shots through the ribs. If you hit bone the bullet will probably run out of gas, and have not have a exit hole.
Also How can someone compare the velosity and the downrange energy of a muzzeloader to a 44 mag, (according to Dirty Harry) it is the most powerful hadgun on the market. (before they made a 50 calib.)

Joe Termite

[MRSFISHERMAN]

Someome said to go with a lighter bullet. This is wrong, If you want to increase the energy at impact there are only two ways of doing this with a muzzelloader.
Either you increase the amount of powder or you INCREASE the bullets weight. Plain and simple. Try your daughter with 70 grains and (maybe) work her up to 100 grains. Get some CVA powder belts, try the 405 grain Aerotip bullets. We are talking big bullets here. But with the bigger bullets she will have no problems at close range. I am not talking shooting out past 75 yards.
Do you hunt over bait???? If so sight her in dead on a 25 yards. She will probably be 1-1 1/2 inches high at 50 yards with 70 grains. And still killing at 75 with two holes through the ribs.
I have killed bear, deer, and wild boar with my smoke pole. We are planning a trip to south Texas and I will be shooting mine.I own six of them.
I have been shooting muzzel loaders for about 20 years now, and this is my opinion.
JOE tERMITE