Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: lamar_hunter on May 14, 2009, 01:55:34 PM

Title: .45 or .50
Post by: lamar_hunter on May 14, 2009, 01:55:34 PM: hey guys i have a winchester x150. it came with a .45 barrel and a .50. im comptemplating muzzleloading this year and wondered if any of you guys perfer a .45 caliber over the .50. I know the .50 is much more common. im thinking this is probably for a reason.
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: jackelope on May 14, 2009, 01:58:51 PM: you have to use a .50 cal for elk by law.

45 is ok for deer, but it seems most still use a .50...maybe to eliminate the need for multiple guns.
:dunno:

not true...i apologize
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: jackelope on May 14, 2009, 02:01:54 PM: did they change the law?
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: boneaddict on May 14, 2009, 02:26:29 PM: I chose .50 why...bigger IS better.
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: lamar_hunter on May 14, 2009, 06:13:37 PM: yea i was planning on going with a 50 but just wondered what u guys thought
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: rasbo on May 14, 2009, 08:02:10 PM: 50 forsure good luck
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: lamar_hunter on May 14, 2009, 08:28:04 PM: Quote from: rasbo on May 14, 2009, 08:02:10 PM
50 forsure good luck

yea thanks rasbo. im not for sure if im doing muzzle yet. i talked to a buddy today and he asked me if i would be interested in packing back in the wenahas with mules and horses to deer hunt this year so i might have to do modern. i really wish i could do both!
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: rasbo on May 14, 2009, 08:30:34 PM: Quote from: lamar_hunter on May 14, 2009, 08:28:04 PM
Quote from: rasbo on May 14, 2009, 08:02:10 PM
50 forsure good luck

yea thanks rasbo. im not for sure if im doing muzzle yet. i talked to a buddy today and he asked me if i would be interested in packing back in the wenahas with mules and horses to deer hunt this year so i might have to do modern. i really wish i could do both!
that would be a blast,I would go for it,go muzzy later
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: lamar_hunter on May 14, 2009, 09:52:34 PM: Quote from: rasbo on May 14, 2009, 08:30:34 PM
Quote from: lamar_hunter on May 14, 2009, 08:28:04 PM
Quote from: rasbo on May 14, 2009, 08:02:10 PM
50 forsure good luck

yea thanks rasbo. im not for sure if im doing muzzle yet. i talked to a buddy today and he asked me if i would be interested in packing back in the wenahas with mules and horses to deer hunt this year so i might have to do modern. i really wish i could do both!
that would be a blast,I would go for it,go muzzy later

yep i just bought my modern tag. im commited. thanks for the input anyways guys.
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: hornhunter on May 17, 2009, 08:16:04 AM: The Big .54 for me :)
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: Pat/Rick on May 17, 2009, 09:56:38 AM: .54, hell yes its a sidelock. 8)
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 17, 2009, 10:09:02 AM: I vote for .50. Frankly though, I don't know much about the .45
All I do know is that when I was invited to muzzleoader elk camp for the first time, the guys told me that I had better show up with "no less than a .50 cal".
I own a .50 and a .54
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: shoot-em-dead on May 17, 2009, 10:13:27 AM: I have a 50 and have killed one deer with it. Dropped in its tracks. I also have a 58 that shoots a 600 grain bullet :yike: but the origional rear sight were never mounted and the one I put on is too low to sight the gun in.
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: Smoke Pole on May 18, 2009, 09:18:40 AM: I shot a bear with one of my 50s using a 50 cal. slug, she went down in a heap. I shot another bear with the same rifle using a 45 cal. sabot and he also went on the wall. I didn't notice a difference in the wound channel, and neither did they. My advice is to take both barrels to the range and see which one shoots best. Accuracy trumps bullet size any day. Dry Powder :twocents:
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: Pat/Rick on May 19, 2009, 09:11:43 AM: :twocents: Larger is better because the wound channel/area will not be as large as it is with modern rifle/ammunition, less hydrostatic shock. You will still get bloodshot, but it will not be as much.The wound will be more of a ugly puncture.Whatever you decide,shot placement is still the decision maker.Have fun.
Title: Re: .45 or .50
Post by: h2ofowlr on June 15, 2009, 07:37:30 PM: I would go with the .50. Hunted with the Lyman Great Plains Rifle in .54 cal for many years. It dumped the animals good. But I think the .50 is the popular choice. It is also more prevalent I think due to it's popularity with whitetail hunters in the eastern U.S.