Which cartridge choice for louisiana primitive season?

I have a 500S&W Handirifle which we call the Blunderbust. Lee makes several 50cal muzzle loader molds for it. It is a real hoot. It will shoot 1/2 inch one shot groups all day. I bought it to shoot great big subsonic slugs which it does. I am a fanatic about stepping off distanses in the woods. After years of prowelling around deep southern woods, I have determined that I just don't see critters more than 35 yards away. I don't hunt much any more. I think that a load could be developed with a 500S&W that would be subsonic and shoot in piggies nose and out his curly tale. Expansion is unimportant with 50 cal so I hard cast projectiles.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're Primitive Season allows single shot cartridge rifles?

That would be a dream come true, I got a couple trapdoor Springfields that want to play, one 50-70 and one 45-70.

I also have a Remington Rolling block in 44-90 Sharps Bottleneck that wants to play.

We cant even get this state to have a designated Muzzle Loader Season.

Guess I need to look at an LA Non Resident hunt.
 
35 caliber or larger

I'm thinking that sporting goods dealers in Louisiana must have a very strong lobby in Baton Rouge.
First they made an either sex muzzleloader season and everyone ran out and bought a caplock along with a few hundred dollars in accessories. It had to be open sights at first but then they allowed scopes so that was another expense.
Then they allowed inline muzzleloaders and everyone had to have one of those.
Next they started allowing crossbows during archery season and they sold a zillion of those.
Next, they changed "muzzleloader" season to "primitive" weapon which is a single shot of 35 caliber or larger and an exposed hammer. The sporting goods stores did a very brisk business in those rifles and ammo.
I can't wait to see what comes next. Anyone interested in a good deal on a T/C caplock or inline rifle?
 
Late to the party, I guess.
Nonetheless...

Short range: .444 Marlin.

Long(er) range: .35 Whelen.


My scoped 444 Handi is good for 300 yards, so long as I know the load and the bullet is capable of performing at .44 Mag velocities. (Hornady 265 FP, or even factory Superformance loads with the same bullet good choices.)
And, of course, it's a sledgehammer up close.

My Whelen is a bolt action. But, assuming it was a single-shot, I don't think I'd try to stretch it more than 300 yards. Bullet drop is FAR better than .444 Marlin or .45-70, but it doesn't have quite the velocity that I would prefer, once shooting beyond 300-350 yards. (My own hand load in my rifle runs just ~2650 fps. At 400 yd, with a 2" high at 100 yd zero, impact is only 31" low, but velocity (~1,700 fps) is below the minimum threshold for the bullet to expand properly.)


Without a scope, .444 Marlin will do anything within iron sight range (for me). There's no need to worry about the flatter trajectory of .35 Whelen.


.45-70:
Never been a fan. Over-hyped. Underwhelming.
It's a great cartridge. But, in my opinion, the only reason to pick it over .444 Marlin is ammunition/component availability. ...Or, maybe, because you already have one. ;)
 
Hard for me to accept the 35 Whelen as being called a cartridge to be used in a primitive rifle. Seems a stretch of the truth to me.
 
I shot my first buck with a H&R Topper 30-30, still miss that gun. I bet shooting a 35 Whelen or 444 Marlin H&R is quite an eye opening experience.
 
I hear that .35 Whelen is pretty uncomfortable.
However, no one that has shot my H&R Handi-Rifle in .444 Marlin has ever complained. On the contrary, most have opined: "Wow, that's not bad at all!"....



...One of the few times that the horrible ergonomics of the Handi actually work out okay. :rolleyes:
 
My old 444S used to slap my cheek bone worse than my shoulder.:mad: It was incredibly accurate though, you could put 3 265gr Hornadys under 3/4" at 100yds any day (with a scope). I've always been a fan of the short magazine tube longer barreled Marlins, I've got a sweet old 36 ADL like this also.
 
I'm more about the "spirit of the game" rules so no T/Cs for me and 35 Whelan is out too. I'm taking either my Sharps or my 1885 hi wall both are 45/70
 
Not trying to step on any toes but hunters as a whole tend to get as much advantage as possible. If we truely had to go primitive we would be using sticks and strings or stones. Any thing other than that is really cheating right?
 
I own a custom Winchester 670 that was re-bored from 30-06 to 35 Whelen. The muzzle was Magna Ported at a shop in Michigan. No muzzle jump and recoil isn't too bad, either.

35 Whelen is a keeper!

Good hunting to you.

Jack
 
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