cap and ball for small game?

[bubba15301]

can i hunt small game witha .36 cal cap and ball revolver?

[knight0334]

No. Typical cap and ball revolvers do not load from the muzzle, therefor they are not "muzzle loaders". A Ethan Allen type pepperbox revolver would be legal though.

[sleeper78]

Do you have a reference for the no answer. I'm curious because I own a cap and ball revolver and I was under the assumption that as long as I follow the caliber restrictions for handguns (.36 and smaller for small game and .50 and larger for big game) I'd be OK. I figured that I'd only be able to use my .44 cap and ball for turkey since it falls into the requirements for turkey in the fall. Mainly the part about manually operated rifles and handguns with an all lead bullet or a bullet of expanding design.

[knight0334]

Do you have a reference for the no answer. I'm curious because I own a cap and ball revolver and I was under the assumption that as long as I follow the caliber restrictions for handguns (.36 and smaller for small game and .50 and larger for big game) I'd be OK. I figured that I'd only be able to use my .44 cap and ball for turkey since it falls into the requirements for turkey in the fall. Mainly the part about manually operated rifles and handguns with an all lead bullet or a bullet of expanding design.

Its been discussed several times here and at HuntingPA.com, and the answer has always come to being "no", even from PAGC Officers.

Cap and ball revolvers do not load from the muzzle.

[bronco]

The caliber restriction is .23 and lower for handguns and rifles for small game. It's on page 21 of the digest.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...=608412&mode=2

[knight0334]

The caliber restriction is .23 and lower for handguns and rifles for small game. It's on page 21 of the digest.

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal...=608412&mode=2

40cal for muzzleloading guns.

Regulations
Arms & Ammunition: 1) Manually operated and semi-automatic 10-gauge or less shotguns with a capacity of no more than 3
shells in the chamber and magazine combined; 2) Manually operated rifles and handguns .23 and less calibers; 3) Muzzleloading
rifles and handguns 40 caliber or less and shotguns 10-gauge or less; and 4) long, recurve, compound bows and arrows, and
crossbows. Single-projectile ammunition, or fine shot pellets no larger than No.4 lead, bismuth-tin, or tungsten-iron, or other
approved non-toxic shot or No. 2 steel. Note: Rifle and handgun caliber restrictions do not apply when hunting woodchucks,
although rifles and handguns must be manually operated. While hunting small game during the bear or muzzleloader deer
seasons, the only rifle or handgun that can be used is a 22 caliber or less rimfire.

[sleeper78]

Well, that sucks!

[bubba15301]

so icant use acap and ball for hunting but if i load the powder and ball in a centerfire cartridge used in a modern revolver i can use it for big game

[Eagles6]

According to Knight0334's post you can. Don't have my manual handy but it looks right.

[knight0334]

If you load black powder into a casing, then top it with a ball - it becomes a fixed centerfire cartridge just like any other revolver/pistol cartridge. ... Any centerfire manually operated handgun is legal for big game(deer, bear)