.36 caliber for deer

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
My dad has a Seneca with a .36 caliber barrel. I have wondered the past couple of years about getting some maxiballs and giving it a good deer hunting.

I know it was made as a small game gun, but at .36 caliber, you still get performance similar to a .357 or .44.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Would love to hear the thoughs of the muzzleloader guys. I feel like a round ball would be light, but a .36 pill similar to a maxiball would seem to have enough weight to get energy up to hunting revolver levels. I think i could use calipers to get a true barrel diameter from land to land. There may be some hunting pistol bullets suitable for the work. Ive dabbled in reloading and have messed with muzzleloaders enough to know the jist of it. I have never experimented so to speak. Im not found of the idea, but i think experimenting is about the only way to find out on some of the muzzleloading stuff.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
You're right that a .36 cal roundball will be too light.

Track of the Wolf lists .36 cal T/C Maxi Balls, so I would try those first. I've heard there are some pistol bullets that will work also, but solid lead bullets will grab the rifling best. Getting the right fit is obviously important, and that's where the maxi ball has the advantage. T/C's are 128 gr. I believe, which is pretty light, but they can accept larger powder charges, unlike minie's. It will probably get the job done out to 50 yards.

Do you know what the twist rate is in the barrel?

I was looking for the same thing in a .40 cal and nobody made them. Finally was able to track down a guy with a custom mold that made some R.E.A.L's, only to find that my 1:66 roundball barrel that would stack balls wouldn't shoot them worth a flip.
 
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DarrinG

Six Pointer
I would think it's on the light side but with the right powder charge and conical, and keeping your shots at game within reasonable range for that caliber, I'd say it would do the job. Not sure what a Maxi-ball weighs in 36 caliber, but I'd bet it would do the job with enough charge behind it. Whitetail deer are not thick-skinned, heavy-boned critters. Good luck!
 
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