Youth loads again… muzzleloader this time

[john 800]

Had the my (extremely tiny, very muscular) 11yo daughter out at the range today shooting the 22 and tbe muzzlloader. Set her up to start with 70 grains of bh 209 with 44 cal180gr xtp pistol bullets. She gad no issue with the 180s at estimated 1700 fps or so, but when we switched to a 240 grain bullet it was a little more than she liked. So we switched back to the 22 lol.
Not sure what to try for a deer hunting load for her, not sure what would be the most effective at a given recoil threshold. Thats a pretty big bore (.429) for 180 grains
I have some sabots that will use a 40 cal bullet, maybe a 200 grain 40 cal would be the ticket? An xtp or even hard cast, could use the barnes copper pistol bullets, swift a frames, cost isnt much of a concern for a few shots a year at a deer.
I have takes a handful of deer with a muzzleloader but always used heavy bullets, not something I would let her shoot.

 

[snert]

Recoil is a product of bullet mass and velocity. Find a reasonable speed with a bullet that will open up at the speed it impacts.

I see no issue running a 200 grain 40 cal. I would look at something that would expand.

 

[XTR]

The 180 XTP at 1700 is about 500 fps faster than most pistols will shoot them. Probably still faster than pistol velocity at 100 yds. A 180 should do fine out to what would be reasonable ranges.