WB
Related to the above post...
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 07:38

The carbines of yore took many game animals no doubt they were "less suited" to perform. I'm sure a few Grizzlies, Black Bears, and Elk, Mule Deer were taken with .25, .32, and .38, .44 WCF. There are tons of old Winchester and Marlins in those calibers. Interesting is the power, and with about all BP guns including muzzle loaders. The velocity is all the same. Maybe 1300 fps +/-, all of them, the changes in performance are just bullet diameter and weight. Round ball muzzle loaders with slow twists (1:66" -1:72") can be driven at much higher speeds (2000 fps). with heavy charges and longer barrels, but the RB is poor in ballistic coefficient. But the old guns all had the same speed, just bigger or smaller projectiles. Some special "Carbine" only loads were developed with the advent of smokless powders.

With modern carbines and powder we can do quite well. We shot a 120 gr. .32-20 carbine at 2200 fps and the .429 GNR punts a 310 gr. 1800 fps, 240 gr. at 2150! Great performance for such small capacity. My .25-35 (on the .30-30 case) has seen it's 80 gr. bullet sing at 2600 fps!