How many shots did they carry with them in the 1700's for a hunting trip?

[Survival Bill]

I was just wondering how many shots did they take with them in the 1700's?
yes I know its a matter of how much powder and lead and if they were able to recover their lead but I just want a guestimate for my personal curiosity is all...

[Winger Ed.]

The 'cartridge box' of the day a infantry trooper had carried the makings for 25 rounds and a spare flint.
Most units were also horribly under supplied.


Opps, just noticed the hunting trip part.
I'd been reading some stuff on the Revolutionary war, and didn't notice it.

But, to the op-
In the day, people had their powder horn and usually a leather bag for other stuff like Lead balls.
I'd figure they would have several in it, just to keep them in one or two places.
Enough not to run out, maybe 6-10, but not so many the bag would be heavy.

[RU shooter]

I'd say would depend on the hunting trip or who they were hunting for , if it were just for himself and wife and kids might just take a few ball(5 -10) and small day horn . If he was going out with the guys to supply meat for the village or small town I'd assume he take more ammo. All speculation of course . When I go out hunting with my flintlock I take 3 pre measured loads along with a loaded rifle so 4 shots total if I need more than that I deserve to go home empty handed .

[JWFilips]

An eastern Long Hunter had what he had in in pouch to procure meat for the settlement! His load were gaged for penetration to the exterior of the hide.... Recovering his lead ball
Later to be remelted by the evening fire!
A missed shot was a loss of lead!
This info was based on a large amount of research in to the 18th Century Eastern Long humter!

[Survival Bill]

I was just wondering since they take a powder horn with them I would assume that they can take as many shots that a powder horn could produce I have no idea what that would have been..

[Michael J. Spangler]

In the book Undaunted Courage (Lewis and Clark) they have the provisions list for their trip. Granted this was a much larger scale trip but it might give you some idea. One cool tidbit was that the powder was purchased in lead barrels. The lead barrel being of sufficient weight to provide enough shots for the quantity of powder.
Now that’s some crafty thinking.

[RU shooter]

That would be one heavy full barrel of powder ! But very clever idea

[Rgmcfarland]

I always found this stuff interesting, when I read your question I recalled this in “armed America”

“that every house keeper or housekeepers within this Province shall have ready continually upon all occasions within his her or their house for him or themselves and for every person within his her or their house able to bear armes one Serviceable fixed gunne of bastard muskett boare” along with a pound of gunpowder, four pounds of pistol or musket shot, “match for matchlocks and of flints for firelocks.”34 At least two colonies required immigrants to bring guns with them to the New World or required gun ownership as a condition of receiving land title. Lord Baltimore's instructions to settlers immigrating to Maryland provided a detailed list of tools, clothing, and food to bring. For each man, “one musket . . . 10 pound of Powder . . . 40 pound of Lead, Bullets, Pistoll and Goose shot, of each sort some.”35

[Texas by God]

I'm sure that, just like hunters of today, some carried a handful of balls and some carried 100.......

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[country gent]

In the 1700s hunting was a main food supply and while a few balls for game would be fine there were also other issues to contend with when out and about in the woods. Dangerous animals, Indians, and thieves to be considered also. I suspect that in some areas a medium sized horn and 25-30 balls and patches was the norm. Another was the length of the hunt. For some variety Im sure some traveled a day or two for game not where they were and the hunt might last a week or two with game cleaned and salted down in the evenings or by help brought along for that job. Hunting was a business in that era and hunters supplied meat for several families towns and settlements.

In this time period most families meat was more than likely taken by snares or traps by the older children rather than a firearm. Rabbits turkey most small game can be easily taken by traps set by the older children leaving adults to farm and other chores that weren't suitable for the children

[Michael J. Spangler]

Townsends has some great info on this also.
In one of the FAQs he talks about a short hunting trip. In a few other videos he describes a long hunter and some of their kits etc.

https://youtu.be/4e2kLTAUozw

[Garyshome]

Good reading

[Drm50]

I’ve seen articles that early hunters that first crossed into Ohio would dig stashes to store powder and lead so they didn’t have to carry all of it. They lined hole with stones smeared with clay. Put this in locations that water drained away from. Another thing is that they didn’t use large caliber guns. They didn’t start that until further west where animals encountered need big bores to put them down. The Ohio country had game shot out almost to extinction with ML of 40cal or smaller.
The added BS of Indian lead mines is just that, no lead deposits have ever been found in the region.

[waksupi]

I

The added BS of Indian lead mines is just that, no lead deposits have ever been found in the region.

Lead was traded, as any other item was at the time. The Indians did use it. I was involved in an archaeological dig on burial mounds that were going to be inundated by a new reservoir back in the mid 70's. We found several lead artifacts, along with copper, bone and stone. Lead is very widespread in the central US. The Mines of Spain along the Mississippi was a major producer. There are very few places that lead isn't found, with the least being in the great plains region.

[Biggin]

In the book Undaunted Courage (Lewis and Clark) they have the provisions list for their trip. Granted this was a much larger scale trip but it might give you some idea. One cool tidbit was that the powder was purchased in lead barrels. The lead barrel being of sufficient weight to provide enough shots for the quantity of powder.
Now that’s some crafty thinking.

Don't remember where I read it but went down the rabbit hole researching BP and found a site that talked about those lead powder kegs with pictures as well. They did look to be quite heavy. Probably a pain to carry but past generations seem to have been a lot tougher than we are and more likely to put up with more hardships. YMMV

[Michael J. Spangler]

Don't remember where I read it but went down the rabbit hole researching BP and found a site that talked about those lead powder kegs with pictures as well. They did look to be quite heavy. Probably a pain to carry but past generations seem to have been a lot tougher than we are and more likely to put up with more hardships. YMMV

I would imagine they didn’t make them too big. As to not have too big of a grenade if something went wrong. Also easier to move. I just searched for some images and saw an 8# keg with 4# of powder inside. That seems easy to manage. Seems that would give a great ratio of round ball to powder charge. 175 grain ball to 87.5 grains of powder. Seems a good hunting load.

[Wayne Smith]

Dan'l Boon was once asked if he was ever lost. This was when he was in Congress. No, he said but he allowed that he had been 'turned around' for a couple of weeks one time. I would assume he was equipped for a month or more - and the threat of Indians was always present.

[Beerd]

"they didn’t use large caliber guns. They didn’t start that until further west where animals encountered need big bores to put them down"

I read this all the time.
Until the early-mid 1800's elk & bison were found as far east as the Appalachian Mountains.
What critter was bigger in the west? Griz maybe?
..

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Lewis and Clark noted on the first grizzly encounter listed now many times they had to shoot it with the smaller caliber rifles. Don't remember exactly how many, but it was a lot.
Daniel No one's rifle is said to have been 25 caliber.
CF

[salpal48]

Powder Horns and People loading with them was a Figment of Hollywoods imagination. Old drawing and painting of people waring them i believe were also faked . they were never used only for show. all cartridges were made as Paper Cartridges and carries In pouches Or cartridge Boxes similar to military style. most hunter were fast to load and fast to shoot. Most if not all Horns and Flasks were only used to Prime with priming Powder with Flint . Since priming Powder was like dust, it did not handle well. Horns and Flasks went Out with the introduction of percussion cap
Just Hollywood

[waksupi]

Powder Horns and People loading with them was a Figment of Hollywoods imagination. Old drawing and painting of people waring them i believe were also faked . they were never used only for show. all cartridges were made as Paper Cartridges and carries In pouches Or cartridge Boxes similar to military style. most hunter were fast to load and fast to shoot. Most if not all Horns and Flasks were only used to Prime with priming Powder with Flint . Since priming Powder was like dust, it did not handle well. Horns and Flasks went Out with the introduction of percussion cap
Just Hollywood

Whole lot of misinformation there. I've examined too many original bags and horns to swallow it.

[sharpsguy]

Agreed. Capt. Robert Rogers of Roger's Rangers required that his men carry a pound of powder and 60 balls with them. I examined mountain man Mariano Modena's rifle and bag in the Denver museum over 30 years ago, and his buffalo horn powder horn held just over a pound of powder for his 58 caliber Hawken.

[OverMax]

Best way to judge. A picture. Look for a bread board patched ball toter/ hung from the neck or a ball bag in hand. Back in the day I was so informed most long guns were musket or shotguns. Shot guns seldom missed. Muskets on the other hand required back up shots more often that not and usually toted by those whom thought it best to carry verses a shot gun. Today's flint locks are much more reliable. Although I don't hunt with a flinter. My choice is a percussion lock rifle and carry 4 ball total in a small bullet bag and a Day horn for powder reserve. ( 8 to 10 oz capacity) I never found the need to tote a large heavy horn afield. After all I'm not hunting dangerous quarry or hunting my way to Albuquerque via Duluth. "I'm just on the scout for a thin skin spike'er seen close to home."

[M-Tecs]

Powder Horns and People loading with them was a Figment of Hollywoods imagination. Old drawing and painting of people waring them i believe were also faked . they were never used only for show. all cartridges were made as Paper Cartridges and carries In pouches Or cartridge Boxes similar to military style. most hunter were fast to load and fast to shoot. Most if not all Horns and Flasks were only used to Prime with priming Powder with Flint . Since priming Powder was like dust, it did not handle well. Horns and Flasks went Out with the introduction of percussion cap
Just Hollywood

Musket Cartridges were universally used on both sides during the civil war with Minnie Balls. During the Revolutionary War the Brits would have been using a lot of them for the smoothbore muskets. Due to funding and supply issues not some much in the US. http://www.revolutionarywarjournal.com/was-cartridge-used/

Period journals and writings indicate loose powder and patched round ball was the norm for eastern hunters through the mountain men. Same for the historical artifacts.

Period journals and writings indicate paper musket cartridges were the norm for the organized militia. Same for the historical artifacts.

The best funded and equipped expedition would have the Lewis and Clark Expedition from May 1804 to September 1806. It was also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition. Here is the packing list of supplies. It appear they took both powder horns and Cartouch Box Belts. That would fit since they took both rifles and muskets.

http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/idx_equ.html

http://www.lewis-clark.org/article/2977

http://westernexplorers.us/Lewis-and-Clark-Expedition-firearms-summary.html

Powder horns, powder measures, patching, and lead balls were required accessories. Lewis devised lead powder canisters, each holding 4 pounds gun powder and made with 8 pounds of sheet lead which was used to cast into bullets. The expedition began with 51 of the powder canisters (mostly with rifle grade powder; others musket grade) and some wooden kegs of powder, size not known. The captains' notes of powder usage in their journals indicates that the rifles were fired a lot more than the muskets. Certainly the rifles would have been preferred for hunting.

https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/louisiana-lewis-clark/preparing-for-the-expedition/lewis-s-packing-list/

[sharps4590]

Powder Horns and People loading with them was a Figment of Hollywoods imagination. Old drawing and painting of people waring them i believe were also faked . they were never used only for show. all cartridges were made as Paper Cartridges and carries In pouches Or cartridge Boxes similar to military style. most hunter were fast to load and fast to shoot. Most if not all Horns and Flasks were only used to Prime with priming Powder with Flint . Since priming Powder was like dust, it did not handle well. Horns and Flasks went Out with the introduction of percussion cap
Just Hollywood

This has to be a fake post.

[725]

A great read on this subject is "44 years in the life of a hunter", by Messich Browning. Written in the 18th century, the language takes a little getting used to as he describes his life and his adventures as a meat hunter in western Maryland. Deer, bear, & mountain lions were his primary game. If you want to read contemporary writings of the period with all the unvarnished description of life in a harsh environment, this is the book for you. I do believe it is still in print as I see it in Western Maryland curio shops. By the way, he would "pound" a recovered ball back into round for reuse. This is one of those books that after you get it, it will stay in your library.

[toot]

you will read that an ENGLISH GENTLEMAN would carry a small powder horn for priming and loading his weapon, called a day horn and a leather device called a SHOT SNAKE , that dispersed the right amount of said shot, and perhaps a spare flint. that is what you will read in ENGLISH TEXT ON HUNTING.

[megasupermagnum]

There were all kinds of crafty ways people did things back then. I never knew about the lead canisters for powder. That seems strange to me. I've spent lots of time on the water, I owned a boat years before I bought my first car. The golden rule is anything on board can, and often will get wet. In the case of a canoe, that often means ending up in the water. Maybe the lead canisters could be made 100% waterproof? It seems that they should have been able to make a wood keg reasonably waterproof, that would also float. That way you would at least have powder, you wouldn't loose both powder and balls.

[mooman76]

But with powder in a lead container, they used the lead to make ball or bullet after the powder was removed. Something they needed anyway.

[KCSO]

Check Nicholas Cresswell's journal I think he mentioned this. Otherwise who knows? I just put in what I think I will need for the trip, for a week usually a 1/2 pound of balls depending on calibre. In camp for a two week deer camp I keep a mould and a small lead pot and cast more if I need them. For a day hunt with the trade gun just 5 balls and a 1/2 pound of shot.

[megasupermagnum]

But with powder in a lead container, they used the lead to make ball or bullet after the powder was removed. Something they needed anyway.

And the first time you dump the canoe, you lost both your powder and balls. Being as smart as they were, I'm guessing those lead canisters were strapped down good. Myself, I would have taken something that floated. You can reuse balls. Powder is a one time use.

[M-Tecs]

http://www.lewis-clark.org/article/1495

Lead Powder Kegs
Lead Cannister

1

In Philadelphia in May of 1803, Lewis ordered 52 lead canisters specially made to carry and protect the expedition's gunpowder. None of the original canisters is known to exist. The replica pictured here was created for the Travelers' Rest chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. The cork plug is sealed with wax.

At Fort Clatsop on February 1, 1806, Lewis wrote:

Today we opened and examined all our ammunition, which had been secured in leaden cannesters. We found twenty seven of the best rifle powder, 4 of common rifle, three of glaized and one of the musqut powder in good order, perfectly as dry as when first put in the canesters, although the whole of it from various accedents has been for hours under the water. These cannesters contain four lbs of powder each and . . . 8 of lead. Had it not have been for that happy expedient which I devised of securing the powder by means of the lead, we should not have had a single charge of powder at this time. Three of the canesters which had been accedentally bruized and cracked, one which was carelessly stoped, and a fifth that had been penetrated with a nail, were a little dammaged; these we gave to the men to make . . . dry; however exclusive of those five we have an abundant stock to last us back; and we always take care to put a proportion of it in each canoe, to the end that should one canoe or more be lost we should still not be entirely bereft of ammunition, which is now our only hope for subsistence and defence in a rout of 4000 miles through a country exclusively inhabited by savages.

As it turned out, they had more than enough to get them home. Lewis could even afford to give a couple of pounds of powder and some lead to two trappers he met coming up the Missouri River six months later, on August 12.

In addition to powder and lead, Lewis bought a supply of "fixed ammunition"—prefabricated paper cartridges each containing a lead ball and enough powder to fire it. These were intended for use in the smooth-bore muskets, but they were hard to keep dry; the paper often soaked up moisture and dampened the powder inside

[M-Tecs]

More details here http://www.westernexplorers.us/Powder_Canisters_of_Lewis_and_Clark.pdf

[JoeJames]

Powder Horns and People loading with them was a Figment of Hollywoods imagination. Old drawing and painting of people waring them i believe were also faked . they were never used only for show. all cartridges were made as Paper Cartridges and carries In pouches Or cartridge Boxes similar to military style. most hunter were fast to load and fast to shoot. Most if not all Horns and Flasks were only used to Prime with priming Powder with Flint . Since priming Powder was like dust, it did not handle well. Horns and Flasks went Out with the introduction of percussion cap
Just HollywoodI reckon my great-great grandfather did not get the memo on that. He was born in East Tennessee in 1816, and I still have his old cow horn powder horn.

261718

[1hole]

I was just wondering how many shots did they take with them in the 1700's?...I just want a guestimate for my personal curiosity is all...

I haven't a guess but I'm certain there was no more a standard answer then than now.

[megasupermagnum]

http://www.lewis-clark.org/article/1495

Lead Powder Kegs
Lead Cannister

1

In Philadelphia in May of 1803, Lewis ordered 52 lead canisters specially made to carry and protect the expedition's gunpowder. None of the original canisters is known to exist. The replica pictured here was created for the Travelers' Rest chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. The cork plug is sealed with wax.

At Fort Clatsop on February 1, 1806, Lewis wrote:

Today we opened and examined all our ammunition, which had been secured in leaden cannesters. We found twenty seven of the best rifle powder, 4 of common rifle, three of glaized and one of the musqut powder in good order, perfectly as dry as when first put in the canesters, although the whole of it from various accedents has been for hours under the water. These cannesters contain four lbs of powder each and . . . 8 of lead. Had it not have been for that happy expedient which I devised of securing the powder by means of the lead, we should not have had a single charge of powder at this time. Three of the canesters which had been accedentally bruized and cracked, one which was carelessly stoped, and a fifth that had been penetrated with a nail, were a little dammaged; these we gave to the men to make . . . dry; however exclusive of those five we have an abundant stock to last us back; and we always take care to put a proportion of it in each canoe, to the end that should one canoe or more be lost we should still not be entirely bereft of ammunition, which is now our only hope for subsistence and defence in a rout of 4000 miles through a country exclusively inhabited by savages.

As it turned out, they had more than enough to get them home. Lewis could even afford to give a couple of pounds of powder and some lead to two trappers he met coming up the Missouri River six months later, on August 12.

In addition to powder and lead, Lewis bought a supply of "fixed ammunition"—prefabricated paper cartridges each containing a lead ball and enough powder to fire it. These were intended for use in the smooth-bore muskets, but they were hard to keep dry; the paper often soaked up moisture and dampened the powder inside

That's pretty much exactly how that played out in my head. But hey, they obviously sealed well. And as we know, they retuned to tell about it, so it can't be the worst way in the world to transport powder.

[Newtire]

I had a horn my great grandpa had. It looked just like the one that Joe James just posted. I think that post was posted by someone trying to be sarcastic.

As for lead not being found, our scout troup used to have our "Jamborees" in a little town just a little ways north of us named Galena, Illinois. You could buy pure lead crystals in the souvenir shops there. The town was founded around 1690 by the French.

Wonder where they came up with the name Galena..?..hmm...

[curdog007]

For many years I hunted squirrels with a .25 caliber flintlock. A small handful of balls dumped in my hunting bag and a small powder horn of 3F would last all season. I had a really good dog, so we would get quite a few.
The balls were #4 buckshot weighing 19 grains, and 16 1/2 grains of powder would send one right through a squirrel's body at 40 yards. Wish I could still see to shoot like that!

[JoeJames]

For many years I hunted squirrels with a .25 caliber flintlock. A small handful of balls dumped in my hunting bag and a small powder horn of 3F would last all season. I had a really good dog, so we would get quite a few.
The balls were #4 buckshot weighing 19 grains, and 16 1/2 grains of powder would send one right through a squirrel's body at 40 yards. Wish I could still see to shoot like that!Now that is cool! And from what I've read back East the usual squirrel rifles were not really much larger than that - maybe around 32 caliber. Even early Plains rifles were not much larger. I've seen one Plains rifle - walnut stock, iron furniture and it was about 42 caliber.

[mooman76]

I would imagine that like todays hunters, they take what they feel would be right for the situation. If they felt that 20 would be more than enough, then that's what they take. If they only took ten and run out, the next time would take more. The military was quite frugal and would often limit their men so they wouldn't waist what they had.

I have an old original piece, 32 cal estimated from the mid 1800. Just a plain Jane gun sometimes called a hardware store gun. It seen many changes over the years but still in good shape for it's age. It also weighs a ton. 39" barrel 1 1/8 flats but first time I shot it, it clover leafed at 50 yards.

[scattershot]

WOW! 1 1/8” barrel, 39”, in .32 caliber. Sounds like a crew served weapon. Most of the antique rifles I have seen were heavy like that. Musta been some tough guys back in the day.

[KCSO]

Check out Madison Grants book for many old original powder horns and their use and documentation.

As to how good horns are to store powder. In the 2019 flood a lot of the town of Verdigre was under water, my partner had his bag and horn on the Office and it was under water for over 24 hours before being rescued. The powder was still dry and shootable with no damage or clumping. That's good enough for me. I have carried and used a horn for onto 60 years now and have several old documented horns that are dated.

[Brassduck]

Joe James, I have a horn that looks just like that, grandpa used it to call his dogs in when hunting.

[Eddie Southgate]

If all of the rifles in the east were of such small caliber (.40 or less ) why is it that most of the old (pre 1830) Pennsylvania , Ohio , Virginia and Carolina rifles I have seen down through the years seem to be of calibers over .40 and most a good bit over ?

[megasupermagnum]

If all of the rifles in the east were of such small caliber (.40 or less ) why is it that most of the old (pre 1830) Pennsylvania , Ohio , Virginia and Carolina rifles I have seen down through the years seem to be of calibers over .40 and most a good bit over ?

Likely for the same reason people love the long rifle. Yet just like the long rifle, they were not all that common. From what I can tell, smooth bores were more common, and in large calibers.

[Stephen Cohen]

In the book Undaunted Courage (Lewis and Clark) they have the provisions list for their trip. Granted this was a much larger scale trip but it might give you some idea. One cool tidbit was that the powder was purchased in lead barrels. The lead barrel being of sufficient weight to provide enough shots for the quantity of powder.
Now that’s some crafty thinking.
That is one of the finest books I have ever read and one I will never lend. The hardships that Lewis and Clark, and the men they lead would make anyone proud to be an American. Sadly they never really got the recognition or monetary gain they so rightly deserved. Regards Stephen

[M-Tecs]

If all of the rifles in the east were of such small caliber (.40 or less ) why is it that most of the old (pre 1830) Pennsylvania , Ohio , Virginia and Carolina rifles I have seen down through the years seem to be of calibers over .40 and most a good bit over ?

I have read that it was very common to refresh the bores so they may have started as a smaller caliber???

[1hole]

If all of the rifles in the east were of such small caliber (.40 or less ) why is it that most of the old (pre 1830) Pennsylvania , Ohio , Virginia and Carolina rifles I have seen down through the years seem to be of calibers over .40 and most a good bit over ?

Well, no one has made me an expert on the old days but we know rifles were expensive and so was lead and powder; few people would have had a locked gun safe full of special purpose rifles. It makes sense that most men would want something that would shoot economically but flexible enough to work against small both game and large, including, when necessary, against two legged goblins. I suspect a .40 to .45 cal round ball would do it all, nicely.

--------------------------

As a side issue, the 2nds "well regulated militia" didn't mean a group bound up by today's thick books of government rules. History is so poorly taught that anti-gun "liberals" can't grasp that common regulations of the time required the militia to bring their own firearms and ammo when needed. Thus, the 2nd's "well regulated militia" simply means that common "regulations" for a citizen militia - not the state's uniformed National Guard - had to bring their own arms, ammo and a few days rations when called. Our founders knew that free men have a God given right to self defense and knew it was important for the defense of the country from all enemies, foreign or domestic (including Democrats), that the citizen militia could never (rightly) be disarmed by our government.

Modern "liberals", with their political lusting for total life and death regulatory power over "deplorable little people" like us, really don't like such Constitutional limitations!

[gunther]

As most of the replies suggest, "it all depends...". For a day's hunt, a small pocket horn and a dozen balls would get the job done. Boone left home for months at a time and most likely made sure he was well supplied. The engraved horns from the French and Indian war period held a pound or more. They were called war horns for a reason. The Revolutionary War also spawned large horns to carry the powder to match 50 to 100 balls militia men (and occasionally , their wives or sweethearts) were required to carry. Lewis & Clark used 54 caliber Harpers Ferry rifles that couldn't handle enough powder to handle a grizzly. The Hawken brothers settled on 52 caliber, 12-15 pound slow twist rifles that could handle 200 grains of powder . Enough to take grizzly, buffalo, and elk.

[hondo1892]

A guy named Meshach Browning hunted in western Maryland and started his career in the late 18th century. One of his rifles used a one once ball that is not a small caliber rifle! He market hunted bear and deer and sold the meat in towns. Rebecca Boone once killed something like 27 deer from one stand to feed her family while old Dan was out west in Kaintuck. Read the account about Rebecca Boone from some of the Draper papers. If horns weren't used in real life why is Tom Tobin and other old mountain men shown wearing them while holding their percussion rifles. No you pour powder from the horn into the barrel of a gun like hollywood shows. They had powder measures they filled then poured down the barrel. Plenty of old measures out there too.

[LawrenceA]

I have read that most hunters would take considerably more powder than they carried lead for as they would recover lead from their kills. That was the story anyway.
I believe Benjamin Franklin was the one who came up with lead lined containers for Powder as it was often lost to moisture.

[Wayne Smith]

Realize that market hunting was so common that, in the Southern Colonies at least, a buckskin was literally currency. 27 deer skinned and tanned was 27 bucks.

[rfd]

since the OP was specific about the 18th century, i do believe the colonial long gun of choice for the average man/farmer was the fowler/musket for its hunting versatility and military speed of loading. rifles were not the norm, nor were wanted for military use. so how many "shots" were taken during hunting? in terms of shot or balls, as little or as many as was preferred for the quarry hunted ... and maybe a few more if they were on the hostile "frontier".

[Wayne Smith]

Look at the New England Militia pattern musket - Men in New England were required to have one and ammunition. I think rifles were much more common the further west you went - into Pennsylvania and western Virginia and western North Carolina. Indians mostly preferred smoothbores because of their versatility.

[Conditor22]

http://www.westernexplorers.us/Powder_Canisters_of_Lewis_and_Clark.pdf