quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:
Not to in any slight your choice of equipment, but there is quite a bit of difference in a MODERN inline and a 58 cal Pedersoli double rifle. A fifty caliber inline can take larger charges with a much more effecient projectile.

My point exactly! I don't consider the in-line to be a premative weapon, which was the reason for a seperate hunting season, in the USA, for a muzzle loaders! I have no problem with the in-lines of today, but I see no reason to have a special season for them, as they are in no way inferior to a lever action chambered for the late 19 th century cartridges.

I'm not into muzzleloaders at all, though I own a few. I consider a true muzzleloader to be a replica of 17th, and 18th century weapons. The in-line doesn't qualify for a handicap season, IMO!

That being set asside, If a 45-70, and 405 Win are not adiquate, under the game laws for Cape Buffalo, then I certainly don't see a muzzle loader, smaller than a heavily loaded 12 bore (70 cal)to be adiquate either!

None of this is to say one shouldn't hunt Cape Buffalo with anything the law will allow. That is a personal call, but I believe the origenal question was, "Has anyone hunted Buffalo with black powder in 50cal?" <<SNIP>>, and , "I need advice, on bullets to use" My advice is, If you are willing to let the PH shoot your trophy, then do your thing, because that is a very definite posibility, with a sub-standard tool, for the job. I believe I said that the Pedersoli is fine for North America, but I don't consider it OK for most things in Africa. I will extend that opinion of inadequacy to Africa as well,for most larger game, and that includes in-lines under 70 Cal!

All things considered, this is simply my opinion, and is not binding on anyone other than myself, personally!

I believe Jeffe here has gotten a 600-grain conical to 1400 fps out of his Kodiak .58.That's not quite up to Baker's 1650 fps out of his .577 Express 3 1/4, but still a lot of Taylor KO.
And not intending to slight inline users, but if the object is to re-create the conditions hunters of the 19th century faced, then inlines, pellets and sabots simply do not apply. However, that may not have been Kwan's original intention when he started this thread, so perhaps he would be happy with an inline.

Walter,

Hi Everyone

Sorry I was out of circulation for a week or so, trying to keep the predators under control as our impala and blesbuck started lambing .

My original question was ans still is Has anyone hunted a Buffalo witha 50 cal muzzeloader, that is not and inline or anything new a replica or original in Lyman Deerstalker or actually Great Plains type rifle,

Was the 50 cal Muzzleloader not used in the US on Buffalo in days gone by ??

Whatever your answers, my suggestion turned inot the following

Kobus of Rhino bullets in South Africa once again answered to the call and made us some monometal solids in 452 caliber to fit a sabot in the Great Plains and a large meplat with a cutting shoulder in 350 grain, we will see on ths weekend whether Diana favours us and then we use this combination on the buffalo if not the 375 with 300 grain Goodnel expanders will just have to do the job, which we know it will.

We just really want to try and shoot a buffalo sucessfully with the Great Plains, withour undue risk or injury or chance of wounding it.

We have seen buffalo shot woth 30-06 to 500 NE now we will see the 50 cal Muzzleoader

Thanks too all with their ideas and opinions

.50 muzzleloaders s were not especially common on the American Plains for bison - most were in the .62 caliber range.

Where .50s were used on bison, they were .50-90 cartridge rifles using a 473 gr or larger lead bullet. So, if you are going to use a .50 muzzleloader, use the heaviest bullet you can get. I doubt roundballs are not going to be very appropriate. and the .350 gr bullets you mention, may not be much better - even in .452 caliber. Most .45 caliber bison bullets ran .425-550 grs.

Brent

I used to have a .50 caliber Hawken rifle. It is strictly a deer rifle. I traded up for a .54 caliber Lyman Deerstalker. The .54 is better for elk and black bear.

If I were to hunt in Africa, I would use what the old time hunters used in Africa. An 8 bore ML rifle.


BTW, what is the point of using a modern inline? If you want the efficiency of a modern rifle, then get a rifle that uses centerfire cartridges.

Just finished a hunt where the client used a .50 cal Hawken style rifle.

He had two loads. A 300grn copper bullet (with a little plastic cup attached to the back as a sort of gass Check propelled by 4 pyrodex pettelets or 200grns Goex ffG (he bought the BP in loaded shotgun cases.)

His "dangerous game load was a 600grn composite bullet with the copper front swaged to a hard lead rear- 600grn weight (and again with the little plastic cup) charge was 3 pyrodex pellets. He wanted hippo, buff and ele.

We got the buff, and I didn't have to shoot it for him although there was some luck. First shot went just behind the leg and got one lung properly, breaking a big blood vessel. $ hrs later he got a second frontal shot in, which got the other lung, and half an hour later he had his buff. He used my .458 lott for his ele and borrowed my 9,3 to brain shoot his hippo.

Check out this thread on Big Bore Muzzleloading rifles.

*click here*