I believe patch and ball to be very effective muzzleloading projectile for taking game. I have been very happy with their performance on the deer I have taken with them. As I see it the advantages of patch and ball are: The are very accurate, inexpensive, offer a multitude of combinations of ball diameter and patch thickness, and do a great job on game. Disadvantages would be: limited range, and they usually require more effort in working up a good load (ball diameter / patch thickness).
In a nutshell, I wouldn’t recommend using anything less than a .45 on deer and would say a .54 round ball was needed for elk. In the range department I’d say 75 yards would be the limit for the average shooter, and up to 100 yards for the expert, and with the “perfect” shot. For hunting, I want a load (patch/ball/powder and maybe a wad) that can be shot from a clean or fouled barrel and be loaded at least 3 times before a cleaning is needed. I also believe that heavier charges of powder should be used to help make up for the lighter projectile.
I’d like to hear everyone’s opinion on patch and balls for hunting. Do you use them? Why or why not? What is the minimum caliber you would use on deer? On elk? What type of performance have you gotten with them when used to take game? How about their effective range? How accurate are they? And any other personal opinions or experience.
The reason I ask is I’m planning on posting an article on my website about using patch and balls for hunting, and while I know what I think and feel about them, I also know when you ask 10 hunters about their pet caliber/load you will get 10 different answers, and 10 different reasons why their answer is correct. So in this article I want to include all advantages and disadvantages to their use, and know you will have some different opinions than mine. I do this so the reader can decide if shooting patch and ball is right for them.
Thanks
In a nutshell, I wouldn’t recommend using anything less than a .45 on deer and would say a .54 round ball was needed for elk. In the range department I’d say 75 yards would be the limit for the average shooter, and up to 100 yards for the expert, and with the “perfect” shot. For hunting, I want a load (patch/ball/powder and maybe a wad) that can be shot from a clean or fouled barrel and be loaded at least 3 times before a cleaning is needed. I also believe that heavier charges of powder should be used to help make up for the lighter projectile.
I’d like to hear everyone’s opinion on patch and balls for hunting. Do you use them? Why or why not? What is the minimum caliber you would use on deer? On elk? What type of performance have you gotten with them when used to take game? How about their effective range? How accurate are they? And any other personal opinions or experience.
The reason I ask is I’m planning on posting an article on my website about using patch and balls for hunting, and while I know what I think and feel about them, I also know when you ask 10 hunters about their pet caliber/load you will get 10 different answers, and 10 different reasons why their answer is correct. So in this article I want to include all advantages and disadvantages to their use, and know you will have some different opinions than mine. I do this so the reader can decide if shooting patch and ball is right for them.
Thanks