Traditional Muzzleloading on the Cheap

General Information => General Muzzleloading => Topic started by: Hanshi on December 29, 2022

Title: .40
Post by: Hanshi on December 29, 2022
Who all likes/owns/did own/use a rifle in .40 caliber.  What do yall think of .40 rifles, flint or percussion.
Title: Re: .40
Post by: Patocazador on December 29, 2022
I think that .40 is a tweener, not big enough for deer except in ideal conditions and too big for small game if you want anything left to eat (unless you use it to "bark" a squirrel.

IMO, .36 is the ideal small game caliber and .45/.50/.54 are the best deer killers.
Title: Re: .40
Post by: flintboomer on December 29, 2022
Quote from: Patocazador on December 29, 2022
I think that .40 is a tweener, not big enough for deer except in ideal conditions and too big for small game if you want anything left to eat (unless you use it to "bark" a squirrel.

IMO, .36 is the ideal small game caliber and .45/.50/.54 are the best deer killers.
I agree on both counts, but I like my 40 for target shooting. It is an accurate caliber, easy on powder and lead and easy to shoot because of the limited recoil. It also cuts clean holes in the targets.
Title: Re: .40
Post by: beowulf on December 30, 2022
I`ve owned two ! I`d say they tend to be very accurate , cheap shooting , and great groundhog rifles ! as for squirrels , aim for the head !
Title: Re: .40
Post by: Hanshi on December 30, 2022
That's sort of the way I think about the .40.  I had one and it got blistering velocity beyond beyond my expectations.  I'm talking 2,200 fps.  But I preferred speeds around 1,700 fps.  A while back the bore was injured and had to be bored out to .45.  I considered it a FUN caliber.