New Member, sharing a few Hunting Pics with cast roundball

[piwo]

Greetings,
I’m a new poster here and when I saw this BP hunting forum, I decided to chime in and post some pics of deer I’ve taken with Cast Roundball.

Here's a deer I shot using a Navy Arms double barrel percussion "English Fowler" I built from a kit. I used .69 patched roundball behind 110 grains of FFFg black powder: I quit using substitutes years ago as I've verified their velocity on average 100 fps slower with equal amounts of powder (chronograph verified) and not as "ignition friendly). This 9 pointer was taken in Central Missouri, Boone County. 3 years ago.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/jsquaredjcubed/Percussion_Buck.jpg

Here's a doe I shot on the same farm 2 years ago, this time with the flintlock that I built from scratch. It's my version of a rifle built in 1761 by John Schreit. It was my first attempt at such a project from scratch, it's has flawed workmanship, but it fires, and kills deer. I'm not sure how she ran the 65 yds through the woods as she did, with a .535 hole clean through her, but she did. You could follow the blood trail from the spot I shot her almost the spot she fell. It was devastating wound.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/jsquaredjcubed/Hunting%20Pics/Pc200026.jpg

And finally, here's the picture of the 8 point whitetail I took on my buddy's other farm in Boone County MO. This deer dropped strait to the ground and didn't even quiver.. 1700's technology does indeed still work!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/jsquaredjcubed/Hunting%20Pics/2006%20Missouri%20Season/20068pt.jpg


And another of the same deer.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/jsquaredjcubed/Hunting%20Pics/2006%20Missouri%20Season/IMG_0718.jpg

All these deer were taken with cast roundball, and none went any further then most shot with a modern rifle. All were struck fairly.

I'm trying to cast some more roundball, this time using a mix with wheel weights to go cow elk hunting in December, in New Mexico. I'd like to test them this weekend using a doe tag I still have, but weather is supposed to be real nasty tomorrow till Friday, so I may not get it done by this weekend.:(

[dk17hmr]

Awesome....I am hoping to get out blackpowder hunting in a few weeks. Not quite as traditional as you. Good shooting!

[45nut]

very impressive work,,,,,welcome to CB!

[rugerman1]

OUTSTANDING!:drinks:

[piwo]

Thanks guys, and thanks for the welcome.

When it comes to BP, I think it's all good. I know some traditional shooters who scoff at the modern BP setups, and some that shoot modern that scoff at traditionalists. Each has their charm and appeal, and I'd LOVE to hunt with a BP cartridge gun, like a 45-70. It's whatever catches your imagination, that's the way I see it 8-) I've only been casting a few years, and only roundball. Make up a big batch, and then don't touch it again for a long time. I have however been hunting exclusively with BP the past 7 years here in my native Missouri (state of misery), and for a few trips to Wyoming. These were the successes (well, do have another doe, but no pics), but I did miss a doe standing in Wyoming @105 yards (my partner uses modern rifles, and laser rangefinders :) ), and I missed a doe last year as well. I actually saw the tree limb bust in half with that shot:roll: thought I'd be well below the limb that got me!

Anyway, going out again this Saturday with a doe tag, and with a digital cameral. Maybe try to get a little movie if the opportunity exists. Tried it two weeks ago, and actually did catch a doe on film as I was holding on her, but she was moving through pretty thick brush, and no opportunity to fire. Since I sit on fold up stool, I just rest the camera on my leg, and when something moves in, touch the record button and continue hunting as normal. I'll post a link if I come up with anything!

I'll be traveling to New Mexico for a brief 3 day cow elk hunt December 18, and will be bringing my flintlock on that one as well. I won't however pass up the chance with my buddies 300 Weatherby on the 2nd day if things aren't too active! I'm hoping to cast some new roundball this evening with the mix of wheel weights and soft lead for that hunt, as I think I might need the extra hardness dealing with the thicker skeleton of the elk. Probably not necessary, but it would give me some more confidence. 1/2 + inch holes really don't need any further performance in my book!

Thanks again for the warm welcome.

[JDL]

Most excellent piwo, welcome!! Yeah, they still work fine iffen you do your part. :-) A few years back, I shot a doe with my .54 caplock and one whole shoulder was bloodshot and I was only using 90 grains of FFF. Again, outstanding. -JDL

[Beerd]

piwo,

The way you are shooting that smokepole you might not need to use a harder ball for elk:-) Cast them up and see how your flinter likes them, then you can decide.

Good Luck! and don't forget to write.
..

[Bigjohn]

piwo; welcome to the forum from downunder in Australia.

I am another BP shooter/hunter, who spends a lot of time on the range keeping in practice for that one chance at a shot. We have some Fallow deer down here plus several other species in other areas.

I have a 'Brown Bess' repro with which I have taken duck on the wing and rabbits; much to the shegrin of doubters. I have flinters and cartridge firearms which all use BP including one I. Hollis & Sons BP proofed SXS 12g. I have only been able to bust some clays with it sofar.

Anyway, best of luck with your hunting and keep us posted.

:drinks:

John

[piwo]

piwo; welcome to the forum from downunder in Australia.

I am another BP shooter/hunter, who spends a lot of time on the range keeping in practice for that one chance at a shot. We have some Fallow deer down here plus several other species in other areas.

I have a 'Brown Bess' repro with which I have taken duck on the wing and rabbits; much to the shegrin of doubters. I have flinters and cartridge firearms which all use BP including one I. Hollis & Sons BP proofed SXS 12g. I have only been able to bust some clays with it sofar.
Anyway, best of luck with your hunting and keep us posted.
:drinks:
John

I once held an original Brown Bess (not sure which "number") at a gun show. It was badly rusted and the metal almost fossilized. Just not well cared for over the past several hundred years :-x The American Revolution (as well as French Indian War) are areas of great interest and study for me, so a Brown Bess is indeed a coveted and venerable weapon. Taking ducks "on the wing" and rabbits definitely gives you braggin rights: you are da man! Perhaps I'll try to build one of those some day.....

As for hunting, we are now expecting several inches of rain, followed by freezing rain, then up to 3 inches of snow before Friday evening. This will make driving to my buddy's farm bad at 0'dark thirty Saturday morning, but man, hunting with some snow on the ground is a godsend in these parts. I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Good luck in your hunting, and always a pleasure to compare notes with another "flinter

[floodgate]

Bigjohn:

G'dayee! My wife has an original "India Pattern" Brown Bess, made by Ketland - this is the three-pipe flintlock model with 39" barrel, made under contract for the East India Company (see the early Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell). It useta be mine (I traded an '86 Winchester in .45&90 for it in the mid-1950's) but when she th'owed down on a beer bottle at 50 paces at the dump, I guffawed and said "you can't hit that with a smoothbore musket"; she knocked the neck off - and it was hers.

I got the last laugh, though; a coupla shots later, she got the ball off the patch, levelled the ol' gal a bit downhill, and "plinka-plinka---plop!"; the ball rolled out and dropped in the dirt!

Don't know the date, but the "Wooley & Deakin" bayonet that came with it (with a different rack number, but engraved by the same hand) was stamped "1803". We decided to retire the ol' gal (the BB, not the wife) for good when she turned 200.

Them wuz the days.... *sigh*

floodgate

[piwo]

Bigjohn:

G'dayee! My wife has an original "India Pattern" Brown Bess, made by Ketland - this is the three-pipe flintlock model with 39" barrel, made under contract for the East India Company (see the early Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell). It useta be mine (I traded an '86 Winchester in .45&90 for it in the mid-1950's) but when she th'owed down on a beer bottle at 50 paces at the dump, I guffawed and said "you can't hit that with a smoothbore musket"; she knocked the neck off - and it was hers.

I got the last laugh, though; a coupla shots later, she got the ball off the patch, levelled the ol' gal a bit downhill, and "plinka-plinka---plop!"; the ball rolled out and dropped in the dirt!

Don't know the date, but the "Wooley & Deakin" bayonet that came with it (with a different rack number, but engraved by the same hand) was stamped "1803". We decided to retire the ol' gal (the BB, not the wife) for good when she turned 200.

Them wuz the days.... *sigh*

floodgate


What a great rifle and even greater story! Any pictures?? It's really difficult to take decent pics of these long rifles I believe, but if you have any, would love to see it! Guess it looks something like this: http://www.militaryheritage.com/musket1.htm ? GREAT STUFF.. Any surviving piece of history is a treasure to me. I post on another forum dedicated to preserving military rifles, and have a few WWll era Russian and Finn rifles, but something two centuries old is amazing..

Don't reckon I'll ever get to own an original, unless it's an unrecognizable rust heap. Guess I'll have to settle for building repro's... I keep hoping to run into one at a Pawn shop or estate sale, so hope springs eternal.....

Thanks for the great stories. Most fella's on this continent are into American Long Rifles (Kentucky Rifles to some), but still plenty of enthusiast who collect British Muskets and accoutrements. Lots of re-enactors here as well. Me, I just like shooting them, and if they bring something to the dinner table, all the better!

I'll be hunting for a young doe this weekend. I'll take a large one on Sunday, but would prefer a yearling. I took only the backstraps, two roasts and the sirloin steaks from the last buck I showed in my post (11-11-06 was when I took him) and the rest ground into burger. These bucks at the height of the rut don't always make for the best steaks (though I grilled one of his backstraps up Sunday, and it was Deeeeeelicious!). Now I want a small doe to really get some tasty steaks all the way around.

Cheers!:drinks:

[floodgate]

piwo:

Yeah, that's the one. Hers is buried too deep just now to dig out and photograph, but the photo you called out shows it very nicely.

floodgate

[waksupi]

It's good to see another BP shooter. I have an Alexander Henry English Sporting rifle, built by Tim Mitchell, a Beckwith Pennsylvania style, I built, and a 20 bore Barnett trade gun, I made from parts from Curly gostomski, about 25 years ago. It fooled both him, and the current owner of North Star, as to being an original.
I'm currently doing a restoration on an original caplock rifle that was found on the California desert. Not a fancy piece, all in all. Hand forged and rifled barrel, commercial furniture and lock. It does have a great set of double set triggers I will blueprint, to copy.
I've owned several originals over the years, the first being one that was made in Iowa. Every piece was handmade. The frizzen was way too soft, and back then, I didn't know how to reharden one. I was blessed with patient squirrels, that would allow a ahlf dozen hammer falls, before it went off. That one was a .36. i seem to recall. Sold it when I moved west, for gas money.
Welcome aboard!

[piwo]

It's good to see another BP shooter. I have an Alexander Henry English Sporting rifle, built by Tim Mitchell, a Beckwith Pennsylvania style, I built, and a 20 bore Barnett trade gun, I made from parts from Curly gostomski, about 25 years ago. It fooled both him, and the current owner of North Star, as to being an original.
I'm currently doing a restoration on an original caplock rifle that was found on the California desert. Not a fancy piece, all in all. Hand forged and rifled barrel, commercial furniture and lock. It does have a great set of double set triggers I will blueprint, to copy.
I've owned several originals over the years, the first being one that was made in Iowa. Every piece was handmade. The frizzen was way too soft, and back then, I didn't know how to reharden one. I was blessed with patient squirrels, that would allow a ahlf dozen hammer falls, before it went off. That one was a .36. i seem to recall. Sold it when I moved west, for gas money.
Welcome aboard!

I've been into BP for probably the last 8 years or so: can't really remember exactly. Never met Curly Gostomski, or been to the range that bears his name. I avoided it as I knew I'd get the bug, and had just too many sticks in the fire. Now, it's all I do. I have a wonderfully accurate 30-06 built by the legendary Art Freund, and haven't touched it in many years. I've gone from precision shooting, to flints!
I love the history, and as you elude, the challenge of making them go boom when you want them too. In every instance they didn't, I can trace it back to an oversight or mistake on my part: not cleaning out the touchhole after repeated shooting, wore out flint, lose flint, used pyrodex in the pan (really green back then :roll: ) and so forth.

I will continue to look for a surviving original that I can afford, and if it's from a documented builder: all the better. Look forward to sharing ideas, stories and tips with you and a few other traditional BP shooters (and contemporary as well).

Thanks one and all for the warm welcome.

[piwo]

Instead of starting a new thread, I'll just post my pics in this old one, which was my introductory post......

Shot this doe on Saturday evening for a friend who wanted the meat, but doesn't hunt. Wish I had 5 or 6 more friends just like him cause nothing gives me more pleasure! .535 roundball cast with plumbing pipe scrap, 90gr. fffg, shot in bread plate (quartering towards me). Ball didn't exit and I was excited, but never found it. I asked the guys at the meat locker if it came out when they took the skin off to save it for me. It was dark by the time I got her moved up to the top of the pasture and gutted so it was difficult looking. Was so warm I wanted to get to the meat processor before they closed. She should be good and tasty, and shold get the full compliment of meat as I didn't touch either shoulder: the ball past through the breast plate and into the other side, busted the ribs but didn't touch that shoulder either....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v426/jsquaredjcubed/Hunting%20Pics/PhilsDoe.jpg

Never get tired of participating..... :Fire:

[Larry Gibson]

Good hunting and good shooting! I'm leaving in a couple days for a ML white tail hunt in NE Oregon. I'm using a TC Black Mountain Magnum .50 cal. It's in traditional design but has a heavy barrel, 1-28" twist set up for saboted bullets and 150 gr powder. Oregon changed the regs and it's not leagal to use saboted bullets, pelletized powder, scopes or glow in the dark sights. I cast 350 gr Maxi-Balls from an original TC mould and pudh then at 1500 fps over 90 gr (V) FFG 777 or 120 gr of some old original Dupont FFFG (I've got 6 lbs left). She'll put the first 5 shots into 3" or so at 100 yards without cleaning between whots starting with a cold clean barrel. Thumps deer really well but I've not had a chance to use it on elk, should work nicely though. I've an old .45 cal Italian repro that I killed a few of deer with years back and one elk all with RBs. Worked fine. Good luck on your next hunt.

Larry Gibson

[Ricochet]

Both of the fowlers pictured are mighty pretty! The rifle, too!

[waksupi]

Good going!

[Topper]

Very nice pics.
The fact that they were taken with a BP says a lots.
Always respect the man that just needs one shot;-)

[piwo]

Thanks fellas! Shooting with home made rifles and home made projectiles is the thrill for me now. That I must hunt in a spot where the deer are @ about 37 yards away before I see them adds to the challenge: how to move that 57.75 inch rifle into battery without being spotted, smelled, or sensed by the quarry and still getting a shot off. I must profess; I've not connected every time. :oops: After shooting this doe on Saturday for a friends freezer, I went back to the task of filling mine. I had a decent 8pt come by, but did not connect. I hunt in a county that has a "4pt" rule: must have 4 points on one side to be legal. This to encourage you to kill does since there are so many deer in the county. A problem when you don't have a scope, must discern EXACT number of points before you consider pulling the trigger. After I shot the doe, I reloaded. At the end of the day, I decided not to pull the ball, clean, then reload in the morning. This was a mistake. Though we didn't get the anticipated rain, the temps swelled to 79 degrees on Sunday, and the humidity was awful. I didn't plug the touch hole with a toothpick which is also my normal routine. Long story short, I had a "squib load" when I fired, and missed completely at 7:22AM on Sunday morning... :( Hard to believe the powder fouled so quickly but it did. Won't make that mistake again. You quit learning, time to hang em up!:drinks:

Bright side, it was so damn hot on Sunday and my partner was so bummed out at not seeing any deer, I invited him to hunt along side me in my spot. The same buck arrived at 4:15PM, and my buddy dropped him with his "cannon" firing J-bullets. Because of his job he only will get two days of hunting this season, and I told him he had first "dibbs"...

Lesson learned, onward and upward. Thanks for the kind words friends. If the women knew all the "mental energy" we put into this labor of love, they'd really be pissed!:wink: