about muzzleloaders

[Ajax]

I am thinking of leaving all my center fire rifles in the gun safe and going back strictly to traditional muzzleloaders. Why you ask, I just don't have as much fin with center fires as i do with smoke poles. What are all of your thoughts on this?

Andy

[Shooter]

I did that for several years in the '70's.
It sharpened my hunting skills greatly. My hunting buddies thought I was nuts.
Dove hunting with a side by side M/L shotgun is a blast!

[Ajax]

I am having my first semicustom flintlock built by a friend on here. I just have missed the challenge of using a muzzleloader to hunt.

Andy

[twotoescharlie]

been shootin' muzzleloaders for well over 50 years, it can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be, main thing is be careful and have fun. that's what it's all about.

TTC

[John Taylor]

You can shoot a muzzle loader all day for the same amount of money you spend on a simi auto in ten minutes. Plus you don't have to look for the brass.
I found out as a kid when getting paid to shoot ground squirrels that I did much better with a single shot than a repeater.

[Shooter]

+1 John. Knowing that one chance is all you get sharpens your focus.

Hunting groundhogs with a .36 Cal. underhammer is a real education after blasting away at them from 400 yards with centerfire varmint rifles.

[Potsy]

I did most of my deer hunting in the 90's with a muzzleloader. Granted, it was a Knight with a scope.
It did occur to me a few years back that I've got a shop wall full of "woulda been a good deer next year antlers". Also started getting the feeling of "I've killed a deer, never a 190 class Canadian monster, but I've killed a deer."
And that's why I'm building a flintlock now. This ones just a little .40 squirrel gun, the next will be a .54 Virginia. Then it'll get serious.

Always remember, you'll only be the subject of ridicule by your buddies till you kill more deer than they do.

[northmn]

I hunt with both but have an attachment to lever guns for centerfire and just use cast bullets. I ditched the scoped 270 as it was about as much fun to deer hunt with as shooting a beef for butchering. I build my own muzzleloaders and truly enjoy hunting with them. I only hunt squirrels with a ML, but enjoy a good double shotgun for hunting grouse, ducks or pheasant. I do hunt them with a ML fowler also depending on the mood and have been using old Stevens single shots on occasion. A side by side double hammer breechloader using BP cartridges is a lot of fun. So many guns so little time. ML competition was fun and it is much cheaper to shoot them. One reason is that you do not really shoot as many rounds with one. They are a true single shot when deer hunting as I have never really seen a need for a "fast" reload with one. Some claim they have, but if I miss the deer is long gone before I can get the powder poured.
Traditional ML's have a look and feel all their own and look better hanging on a wall. I lkie to carry a rifle with me when putting up wood and often carry my squirrel rifle with me or a fowler, but generally carry a lever gun. Sometimes its fun to grab a huntign bag and a ML and sometimes its just nice to throw a few shells in your pocket and go out. They are definitely a different experience than the modern paramilitary stuff.

DP

[Naphtali]

I am thinking of leaving all my center fire rifles in the gun safe and going back strictly to traditional muzzleloaders. Why you ask, I just don't have as much fin with center fires as i do with smoke poles. What are all of your thoughts on this?

AndyAndy:

Excepting my Freedom Arms revolvers and custom Marlin 1895s in which I shoot only CBs, I, too, am leaving the dark side. I have a pair of Kodiak Safari double rifles, one of which has been regulated for 775-grain bullets, CCI #11 Magnum caps, 150-grains Goex FFg - dinosaurs being a more significant problem here than grizzlies.

And here comes the part where you might benefit as I would. I have most of the fixings for my two left-handed built-to-order English-style .72-caliber flintlock rifles. I have 13 sets of L&R castings that Bill Cox custom cast for me. Lock sets are three different designs, most left-handed, a few rightie. I need a gunsmith who can build my rifles around my one of my lock designs, the inference being the locks need be assembled.

If you PM me, perhaps we can solve my problem as you "adjust" your semicustom flintlock to full bore exactly what you want?

[Dean D.]

I love shooting any kind of gun but since I have been introduced to the wonderful world of the flintlock I have become spoiled! I love em. You will too Andy!

[ZebDeming]

I've been shooting black powder stuff since I was young as well, and I have so much more fun with them than I do the regular stuff, just recently got an 1860 army and it's probably my favorite pistol right now, I'm in the process of building a 20 gauge smooth bore underhammer pistol and before deer seson starts I'm going to try and build a 458 box lock for paper patching some heavy boolits.

Zeb

[idahoron]

I have been shooting traditional ML for about 30 years or more. The big reason I stay with them is there are some great hunts for ML here in Idaho. Up until a few years ago most guys would not even put in for the hunts. I guess it is pictures like these that make guys put in for hunts ;^)

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/Deer%20hunting/2009buck05-A.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/Deer%20hunting/Bigbuck4.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/Deer%20hunting/Mybuck55.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/Antelope%202010/9-25-10Lsmall.jpg

[mooman76]

I am leaning that way also. I don't want to stop all together but I like the simplicity of the ML plus I have come up with way too many projects involving loading too many different guns. I finally realized I will never get around to completing allot of them. I don't get out and shoot as much as I want because I never have one of my projects ready. With the ML I just load up my gear and go.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

It's not the technology of what you shoot. It is your mind set with what you shoot.

Nothing is sweeter than a slim longrifle, a classic 222 R sporter, a reliable musket, a good shooting pistol, a great shotgun, or a family heritage 22. Yes, a good AR for 300 rapid fire is there too!

BvT

[nanuk]

I too have been regressing

I guess that is why they call it "Hunting" and not just killing

[Ajax]

Beautiful buck Ron. For me I love the simplicity of a muzzle loader. I also like the fact of doing it as our forefathers did.


Andy

[John Taylor]

Hunting groundhogs with a .36 Cal. underhammer is a real education after blasting away at them from 400 yards with centerfire varmint rifles.

You really want to have some fun, try groundhogs with a bow and arrow. Use the rubber tips as you don't need to break the skin to do them in and any other tip may damage the arrow shooting at the ground. A friend showed me this and made the arrows out of 7/16" wood. I was able to get a few but that was many years ago.

A while back we visited a city park that was full of ground squirrels. They were protected and people fed them junk food. Most were so fat they could barely walk.

[Shooter]

You really want to have some fun, try groundhogs with a bow and arrow. Use the rubber tips as you don't need to break the skin to do them in and any other tip may damage the arrow shooting at the ground. A friend showed me this and made the arrows out of 7/16" wood. I was able to get a few but that was many years ago.

Been there, done that. Back in the '70's that was my practice for bow hunting deer.
I used field points and later "Judo" points from Bear.

A productive stratergy was to surprize them and run them into their holes, then, stand behind the hole at full draw until his head appeared, and pin him to the ground.
I was young, energenic, and had a lot of time on my hands.

[firefly1957]

Your choice I did it for a while but with eyes getting older a scope is my friend.

[Ajax]

I have thought of that Firefly but luckily i am still young. I do wear glasses but thats mainly to read.


Andy

[Geraldo]

The first gun I ever bought was a muzzleloader, and while I went away from them for a few years I'm back to muzzleloading in a big way, but not exclusively. I still like to fool with Contenders in different calibers and I've got a couple of hunting shotguns, but lately I've been thinking of how easy life would be without presses, brass, and all that.

[Fly]

I can't say I will put all my WW11 gun's away.But I do & will continue to shoot my muzzle loader's
much more than the others.Since buying a Gibb's I can shoot out as far as any of my
center fire guns.
Fly

[northmn]

Actually for me the simplicity is the ability to grab a couple of cartridges and take out the iron sighted lever gun or the shotgun. Creating simplicity with a muzzle loader generally means keeping one hunting bag per gun. Flintlocks are not simple as compared to the lever. Also the cleaning afterward. When I use my ML's I accept that need. The use of iron sights and the need to limit yourself to the constraints of the gun are what keep me using a ML. Squirrels are no fun for me to shoot with a scoped 22 as it is too much like sniping and not hunting. I have taken deer with a 270 at some very respectable ranges, but it got rather boring, especially at closer ranges. A ML or a iron sighted lever rifle put the fun back in the sport.

DP

[troy_mclure]

i have 4 black powder guns now. started with one as a necessity years ago for deer hunting.

now i enjoy shooting them as much as my ar's and lever guns.

[I Haines]

I shoot my ML guns way more than my CF stuff. Started hunting with muzzleloaders a few years ago. I really love shooting doves and pheasants with my 10ga side by. Have yet to shoot a deer with a ML but have shot a few hogs and that was a kick.

IH

[thunderthud]

flintlocks are addictive, when you harvest any animal with one , its a trophy, whether squirrel , deer, chuck or whatever.

[Baja_Traveler]

I have a Pedersoli side by side shotgun from Cabelas that is a fantastic pheasant gun. I've taken pheasant, chukar, quail and rabbits with it, and it is a blast to shoot. I sure do get alot of attention from other hunters when I let loose on a pheasant out in the field!
I always try to find someone new to "unload" it for me at the end of the day - gives them something to talk about for the next week or two...

[David LaPell]

I have never owned an inline gun. When I first started mz hunting here in NY the only thing was patched roundball and either a percussion or flintlock. I believe muzzleloading is a traditional sport. Last year I took a nice doe with an 1853 Enfield musketoon .577 offhand at 100 yards. All I was shooting was a traditional 475 grain Minie ball, the same thing that the real guns used in from 1861-1865. I will put this gun against any inline muzzleloader on the market.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss57/Smith29-2/muzzledeer2.jpg

[bigboytwo]

When you get hooked on flintlocks there is no going back. Do have both cap and flintlocks. Deer hunt with a Fifty Thompson in flint. Rabbit hunt with a 12 ga. flintlock. Squirrel hunt with a .36 in flint and a .32 caplock. Turkey hunt with both flint and caplock shotguns. Be safe and enjoy them muzzle guns.

[Ajax]

oh yea i need a flinter shotgun next. :)

Andy

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Only percussion rifles I have left are military examples which I like having around. Sold my last percussion hunter 30 years ago and just use flinters if I am going to ML hunt something. I no longer need lots of meat to feed just the two of us so there really is no pressure. Actually I use my old recurves more than anything.. but a flinter is my first choice to smoke a critter. Tune the lock and set the flint and with a good hardened frizzen it will fire... unless you forget to pick the vent off & on.
Mike in Peru

[muleequestrian]

Andy -- I use an Enfield musketoon just like the one pictured above for deer. THIS YEAR's bear hunt will be with a smooth bore Brown Bess flintlock made by Pedersoli. Of course I'm only shooting about 35 yards over bait though. I'm thinking about a buck and ball load too.

[sffar]

Every time I take out one of my muzzleloaders I ponder using BP exclusively. I do believe nice flintlocks are the most beautiful of all firearms, and there's plenty of utility in a smoothbore, especially, and they are great fun to shoot. I tend to think the same way when I shoot a traditional bow. Then I think how well I could get by with a single barrel shotgun if I had to have one firearm. I really like my handguns, though, and all the molds and loads make them more interesting than before I started casting. Not to mention .22's., which are fun and extremely useful. I'll never give up the .22. So I just go round and round shooting them all in turn and wishing there was more time for it all.

[waksupi]

Andy -- I use an Enfield musketoon just like the one pictured above for deer. THIS YEAR's bear hunt will be with a smooth bore Brown Bess flintlock made by Pedersoli. Of course I'm only shooting about 35 yards over bait though. I'm thinking about a buck and ball load too.

If you are using buck and ball, work up your loads early. It took me quite a bit of fiddling around to get a load that was half way acceptable, and I am still not real happy with it.

[Good Cheer]

I've always preferred reloading and single shots any way. Reckon that just makes muzzle loading the thing to do.

[Tammany42]

I gave up Hi Power matches for CW guns exclusively 30 years ago and havent looked back.

[white eagle]

I love the traditional m/l as well
it just is more satisfying when you get a shot
be it paper or game when the total outcome depends on your own actions
I have even switched from a compound bow to a recurve bow and shoot that instinctively
:happy dance:

[Ajax]

Awesome!! I have been thinking of going to the longbow instead of a compound myself.


Andy