Anyone else hunt with balck powder Cartridge?

[Float Pilot]

I occasionaly hunt with one of my Shiloh Sharps. Particularly after selling my good muzzle stuffer... A couple of caribou and a bullwinkle were taken with a 50-90 and a 45-110.

Anyone else into that here? I still have another 50-90 Shiloh long range express (an older one) that seems to be unfired.


xx

[BrownBear]

I've loaded for and shot several of mine with BP (38-56, 45-70, 25-35, 45 Colt, 32-20 and 25-20 Win), but never taken the final step and hunted with them. Only so much game will fit in the freezer and be eaten each year, and right now I'm distracted by muzzleloaders.

I will say that of all I've played with, my 50-140 pre-Shiloh Sharps officer's model will be the first BP cartridge gun to draw blood- probably an elk. It's a jimdandy and accurate enough to justify it's creedmore sight.

[Float Pilot]

I also have a 1892 Winchester in 38 WCF, (1st year production), that I load with Holy Black. But there is not much interesting to zap with a 38-40 around these parts. Maybe if I was still living down in southeast AK (Petersburg) I would try a close shot on a Black-tail.

The biggest caribou I ever MISSED was with a 54 caliber plains rifle. It had rained for a couple days and it hang fired. The whole herd looked at me and gave me "the hoof" before making the jump to light speed.


xx

[RANGER RICK]

Sometimes I hunt with my 45-120 . I have not taken anything with the rifle yet .
I do more handgun and bow hunting anymore . I have not used my rifles in two years for hunting but sure do use them shooting at targets !!!
My buddy hunts with his Shiloh 50-140 ,45-110 and 45-70 .
They have taken moose with theirs .
We use nothing but the Real black powder and mostly 20-1 to cast bullets .

RR

Recently shot a Calif Bighorn with a 50 cal TC Black Diamond ER - 100gr black powder and 370 gr maxiball with open sights at 155 yd - the new WA state record for black powder.

[jdb3]

I have used my 45/70 sharps several times for caribou. Taken one at 300 yards with it. I'm thinking of bison for this next fall, have to take the sharps for that one. Jim

[George]

38-40

Float Pilot,
I see you have a 92 in 38 WCF. What a fun peashooter that caliber is! Wish I had a Colt SA to match mine. I load quite a bit of BPCR stuff- some with BP, some with smokeless. I've found powders like 4759 and 5744 work fine for light cast loads in the old original BP guns but always burn a little dirty in the lower pressure loads. In the 38 WCF I've found 180 gr. FPRN cast bullets over Trailboss works very, very well. Trailboss has proven to be a really clean burning, low pressure smokeless powder for certain older BP cartridges and guns. I guess that's why the Cowboy Action folks like it.

[Float Pilot]

I have not tried Trail Boss yet. I have tries cleanshot, pyrodex and triple 7.

I wish we could get Swiss black powder up here. I have a bunch aof GOEX which is OK but not great.

I have loaded some HS-6 smokeless loads for the 38-40 using bulk 180 grain semi-wadcutters I bought up at Great Northern in Anchorage.

I also have a 38-40 USFA pre-war with a 7.5 inch barrel. I had a Colt 3rd generation 38-40 in 4.75 inch but sold it a while back. Originally I thought I would get into cowboy shooting after I retired from jobs that kept me someplace else (or at the same range doing something else).

But when I moved back to Homer, the distance is a bit far for running up to Birchwood.
Plus now I made work for myself again with this floatplane instruction business, so I really tied up my summers.

I guess I'll have to be a historically inspired shooter...instead...

PS:::I sure wish I could edit the thread title since I typoed the work "black".....That's what happens when your wife is coming into the room and yelling at you to get off the computer....