Just curious. The obvious choice would be a .45 Colt, probably in a Single Action Army and with handloads powered by FFFg Swiss. Could of course get more "oomph" using a single shot in a heavier caliber, such as a Lyman Plains Pistol in .54, or Cal's new toy, a double-barreled Howdah in .577 Snider. Just kinda daydreaming here.

Don't forget the Ruger Old Army, which is a strong, well made and accurate percussion revolver. Many consider them the best percussion revolvers ever built, by a large margin. They went out of production about the time of Bill Ruger's last breath, but they are not too hard to find.

Available in both blue steel and stainless, built like a tank, and there are numerous devotees who do hunt both deer and smaller game with them.

Hope this helps!
John

John, the Old Army was very well built. I was thinking of both percussion and cartridge guns.

The CVA Optima V2 pistol is a lot of fun and can take 100 grain loads. I usually shoot 80 in mine, a 50 grain rifle pellet and a 30 grain revolver pellet.

I sometimes hunt with my CAS revolver, a Ruger 4 5/8 inch Vaquero in 44-40. I load with 35 grains of Goex 2F in a Starline case with a cast 200 grain bullet.
This load chronos 840fps out of my gun. So pretty much a .45 acp for performance, plenty for squirrel, rabbit, coyote or other varmits.

Buckeye, I was thinking of something similar, a case full of black under a 250-grain bullet out of a 7 1/2-inch Colt SAA clone in .45 Colt.

My uncle's friend had a Colt SAA in 45 Colt that used the holy black. He shot several Indiana Whitetail with that handgun.

I shot a whitetail many years ago with the Ruger Old Army. I think it was 35 gr GOEX with the standard dead soft lead RB in 0.458". Dropped the doe instantly and I couldn't see where she went in the cloud of smoke. We were on a trail going somewhere to hunt and she wouldn't step off the trail. Shot through the white patch in the throat and followed the neck a ways down but wouldn't exit the hide. Dead soft lead really looks to impart energy to its target if resistance exists. Never used black in my .45 colt contender. Packy

I have one of the Old Armys in SS and a .45 colt conversion cylinder to go with it. It shoots great and is accurate as can be. I haven't tried the conversion cylinder with it yet but have heard that some folks use trailboss powder with good success. I would like to hunt with mine but haven't got around to it yet. They are built like a tank. You can just shoot it, take the grips off, and put it in the dish washer and then the oven to dry it out.

God Bless, Louis

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Buckeye, I was thinking of something similar, a case full of black under a 250-grain bullet out of a 7 1/2-inch Colt SAA clone in .45 Colt.

I am positive it would work fine.

I use a .54 caliber T/C Scout pistol with a patched round ball.

Doc
What are you pouring in behind that PRB?

Never hunted with them.

Now have 3 single shot bp pistols.
.40 10", .45 5", 50 6".

Need a hammer for the .40, just got it.

Plus: a ? revolver and Walker Colt.
Really enjoy shooting that and the 5".
Haven't fired the others yet.

Got the 50 a couple months ago, just got it
refinished and working.

Those old timers were not as ill armed as I used to think. I've put RB's and slugs thru the 4'sq target frame at 100yards every shot off one handed. Impressive for what they are.
I'm looking fwd to getting back at the games this next year.

George

Awesome arsenal George. Keep on healing, amigo!

quote:

Plus: a ? revolver and Walker Colt.
Really enjoy shooting that and the 5".
Haven't fired the others yet.

Those old timers were not as ill armed as I used to think. I've put RB's and slugs thru the 4'sq target frame at 100yards every shot off one handed. Impressive for what they are.
I'm looking fwd to getting back at the games this next year.

No handguns back then certainly didn't lack in the power or accuracy department.

I have a 3rd model Colt Dragoon I've thought about taking hunting a few times. It thumps stuff every bit as well as more modern revolvers.

For deer hunting where I live it's hard to determine the legality of it though. The regulations say .45 caliber & up. But blackpowder percussion revolvers where measured differently way back then.

The revolver is marked .44 but it takes a .45 round ball. But I've never actually contacted the game department to find out if it's acceptable.

quote:

I've put RB's and slugs thru the 4'sq target frame at 100yards every shot off one handed

Four (4) feet?

Yes, four foot square frame at 100yds off one handed, irons Bp, 5" .45 RB's.

I was just getting into such shooting when the know it all's came up with: "No handguns on the rifle ranges".

Sure as hell, there's not any 100yard ranges to shoot handguns on either. Sure played hell with my getting in practice for elk with the .45 Colt.

George

Truth is, the know it alls didn't want a handgun shooter to show them up! Rusty

Rule one; shoot a conical bullet; they are better ballistically, at any range over ten yards.
Rule two: shoot as much powder as you can. Colt Walker is good; 60 grains or so.
Rule three: Have fun; I am just making this up, as usual.
I have an article which of course is lost, testing a Ruger BP revolver with 4 FG powder; worked well, but don't use that in any others.
Using BP in regular cartridge revolvers is too easy. Use soft lead bullets lubed with soft lube; not that hard blue or red stuff; and be prepared to have the cylinder start turning hard after a while. Water, is the cure. The only Army approved black powder solvent; forget all the modern gimmicky ones. "Water, warm if available, one gill."
And yes, BP revolvers and many others are designated by the Bore diameter, not the groove. Which is why they are called .44s but really use a .45 caliber bullet.

quote:

And yes, BP revolvers and many others are designated by the Bore diameter, not the groove. Which is why they are called .44s but really use a .45 caliber bullet.

Yup, just trying to decipher the game laws that specify ".45" caliber but don't say whether it's based on bore or projectile.

quote:

Rule one; shoot a conical bullet; they are better ballistically, at any range over ten yards

Yup again, conicals are the obvious choice.

quote:

Rule three: Have fun; I am just making this up, as usual.

Aren't we all!

I think i've said it before but I knew a guy who hunted with an old Colt SAA in 45 Colt that shot black powder cartridges. He killed many deer with the cowboy loads.