I'm new to this site. So I may be in the wrong place. But I checking if any one hunts with a black powder pistol. I'm planing on using a Encore .50 15" for deer. I 'm checking what any one else uses and what load you use.

I have killed an antelope and a bull elk with the 209X50 Encore ML Pistol. The ML Pistol adds another dimension of challenge to the handgun hunting game, especially with iron sights.



I killed the bull with a T/C 320 gr. Maxiball with 100 grains
of loose H-777. I used the 245 gr. Black Belt (Power Belt) bullet with 100 grains of loose American Pioneer powder for my antelope.

Click to watch the 50 caliber bullet take down the antelope; you can see the white cloud of smoke:
http://www.handgunhunt.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=1722&ppuser=872

I Am Going to Use B/P For the First Time this Year in a
16" Contender 209-50 Pistol

Sorry in advance to the OP...Gregg can you point to a site with the regs for your state that allows Muzzleloading pistols? I'd like to start the charge here in VA to get that into our regs. Much of our hunting is in tight cover and a ML pistol makes perfect sense. I'm gonna Google it, but if you know where they are, it'd save me some time.

Never mind Gregg, I found the ones from Wyoming pretty quick....

I wrote my GIF commissioner regarding this. Wish me luck.

I'm in Iowa. You can only hunt with a BP rifle or pistol during early M L season. The season starts in mid Oct. and is open for a week.

That is interesting that the DNR limits ML's to only that season. In the states that I am familiar with, you can always hunt with a legal LESSER weapon, as long as you have the proper license for that season (ie. during regular rifle season, you can hunt with a ML or archery tackle, etc.

the video really shows knock down power, simly amazing!

I live in Maryland and around me the only handgun I can hunt deer with is a M.L. I started out with a custom bullberry 14" contender barrel and took a few deer with it. I didn't like having to drag the ramrod around with me separate so I sold that barrel and bought am encore 15" 209x50 and have used that ever since. I have taken well over 20 head of deer with it. I have since acquired a second 15" s.s. Thompson custom shop 209x50 barrel and I took a few deer with that one as well. I keep my shots around 50 yards but that is not because the pistol can not take longer shots it is my personal preference.
I was using 90 grs of goex black powder under a 300 gr Alpha gold sabot, They are a little hard to find around me so I have switched to Barnes 250 gr copper bullets. I found that they hit very close to the same point as the 300 gr bullets and work welling deer. I have now switched from Goex powder to blackhorn 209 and like it a lot. I am using the same load and it shoots about the same with both barrels.
When I first started hunting with the 209x50 my friend was like you are not going to kill anything with that, now after 10 years and well over 20 deer he doesn't even blink when I bring out the pistol.

I dind forget to say that you do need to be careful of your bullet selection, bullets that are desinged for mag rifle will not work well out of a pistol. I have not had good experance with the hornady 240 GR XTP MAG bullets they do not expand well for me.

I have a factory 15 inch 209X50 Encore. It will hit a one inch circle at 50 yards all day. I'm using Triple 7 powder and 300 gr. XTPs. Last year I took a doe with it at about 100 yards. I also took a wild hog the same week.

I have hunted a couple of years with a black powder pistol. Last year I got a 209x50 for my Encore w/fiber open sights. I did some testing and used the Power Belt bullet, 250grn with 80grn of loose 777 powder. I took this buck on a management hunt in NW OK at about 60 yds. He only traveled about 15 yds in a circle and dropped on the trail he came in on.
The Power Belt is alot easier to load than any of the sabot bullets.
I'm ready again this year for pigs or deer in the area I'm hunting.
Mike

CJdeputy I live in Iowa we have early and late M L seasons and you can use black powder in the shotgun seasons to.
Marshrat870 to busy killing geese right now need to get in a treestand soon.