Further range vs faster follow up shots

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
What do you prioritize more from a hunting firearm:

1) Longer/further effective range to kill a deer

2) Faster follow up shot at a deer

Was thinking about this in single shot straight wall rifles vs magnum muzzle loaders.
 
Big Country

Big Country

Ten Pointer
Dan Apple said:
A follow up shot is NEVER considered when I am shooting or choosing a firearm for a hunt.
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Agree with this 100% but to answer your question I have a friend that got a 350 Legend. I have shot it at a 100 it will shoot a 1 hole 5 shot group, if I had to have a straight wall cartridge I would most likely go that route. It's a Ruger American ranch rifle short handles well, designed for 200 yards. I am curious how it preforms on deer guess we may find out in the next week or so.

Sent from my S48c using Tapatalk
 
ddavenport

ddavenport

Six Pointer
Contributor
I think it absolutely bears consideration. For example, in several states, you are limited to either shotgun or muzzleloader. In Illinois, you can use either for most of their gun season. If I have equal confidence in my muzzleloader and shotgun and they both kill effectively at approximately the same range, I will be toting the shotgun because it holds three shells. I will readily admit that I have missed deer with the muzzleloader that I really believe I would have killed if I had my shotgun and another shot.

To answer the original question, I would sacrifice a small reduction in effectiveness for the straight wall rifle versus the muzzleloader. But given the range of some of the new muzzleloaders out to 300 yds or more, it would be hard to find a straight wall rifle that can compete.
 
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brownisdown

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Big Country said:
Agree with this 100% but to answer your question I have a friend that got a 350 Legend. I have shot it at a 100 it will shoot a 1 hole 5 shot group, if I had to have a straight wall cartridge I would most likely go that route. It's a Ruger American ranch rifle short handles well, designed for 200 yards. I am curious how it preforms on deer guess we may find out in the next week or so.

Sent from my S48c using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

It performs well for what it is as my 6 year old son shoots one specifically because it was legal in Ohio last year. Same rifle you describe. Shooting the 150 grain XP load my son has killed 3 deer with it. One DRT high shoulder where bullet exited, One boiler room with okay blood trail for 40 yards and one mid shoulder no exit dead in 50 yards but no blood.
 
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brownisdown

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
ddavenport said:
I think it absolutely bears consideration. For example, in several states, you are limited to either shotgun or muzzleloader. In Illinois, you can use either for most of their gun season. If I have equal confidence in my muzzleloader and shotgun and they both kill effectively at approximately the same range, I will be toting the shotgun because it holds three shells. I will readily admit that I have missed deer with the muzzleloader that I really believe I would have killed if I had my shotgun.

To answer the original question, I would sacrifice a small reduction in effectiveness for the straight wall rifle versus the muzzleloader. But given the range of some of the new muzzleloaders out to 300 yds or more, it would be hard to find a straight wall rifle that can compete.
Click to expand...

Your points are valid but with todays muzzleloaders shooting blackhorn 209 they are easily 200 yard guns without much scope dialing. You start considering smokeless and you essentially have a single shot 300 win mag as my 40 cal smokeless muzzloader pushes a 225 grain bullet 2830 fps into a ragged hole group. In the woods though i agree i would pick up the rifle solely not to have to carry all my MZ components.
 

Hank

Old Mossy Horns
If I could choose between Black Powder and a 45/70 in Muzzleloader Season, I’d take the 45/70 every day. If for no other reason as not having to mess with the Powder, Bullets, and Primers. It has nothing to do with being able to shuck a shell in quicker....though that is not a downfall either.
 
45/70 hunter

45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Hank said:
If I could choose between Black Powder and a 45/70 in Muzzleloader Season, I’d take the 45/70 every day. If for no other reason as not having to mess with the Powder, Bullets, and Primers. It has nothing to do with being able to shuck a shell in quicker....though that is not a downfall either.
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Agreed. I'll take the 45/70 everytime over a ML if I had the choice. I'm shooting a 300 gr .458" bullet 100 fps faster than I am a 240 gr .429" bullet in my ML. The 45/70 thumps much harder... on both ends :D
 
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bwfarms

bwfarms

Old Mossy Horns
The only time I want to shoot twice is if there’s two dandy bucks otherwise it’s one shot. Hell I give up on a bird if the second shot misses. The poor bugger deserves to live and I’m not wasting a third shell.
 
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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
bwfarms said:
It doesn’t take all day to reload a muzzleloader.
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Yes but an argument has been put forth you have 2 does in a field, you can shoot both of them with a single shot cartridge vs a muzzleloader. Instead of just one and the other deer running off.
 
Dan Apple

Dan Apple

Old Mossy Horns
CRC said:
Even if you plan to take more than one deer in a day?
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I never plan to do that.

My doe killing days are behind me, and once upon a time I shot a 139 and a 148 together. The chances of that ever happening again are zero....

But..... the point is, focus on one thing at a time. IF you are able to kill one, then refocus on another.... planning for a second shot will almost always guarantee that you’ll need it... on target #1.
 
nchawkeye

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
Long range shooting plus a quick shot....That's why I shoot a .54 flintlock and use a loading block... ;)

Shoot the first doe high in the shoulder, or in the neck so she drops, the other doe will hang around...Reloading without her noticing your movements is up to you.........
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
CRC said:
Yes but an argument has been put forth you have 2 does in a field, you can shoot both of them with a single shot cartridge vs a muzzleloader. Instead of just one and the other deer running off.
Click to expand...
I’ve done that with a muzzleloader on multiple occasions. You’re argument is invalid.
 
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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
pcbuckhunter said:
I’ve done that with a muzzleloader on multiple occasions. You’re argument is invalid.
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It was the only argument where I could come up with a straight wall cartridge like a 22 WMR or 350 Legend having an advantage over today's muzzleloading guns.
 
Scrub

Scrub

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I only hunt with single shots anymore so anything good out to 300 yards is all I want.
 
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