Do you shoot full charges through originals?

I have recently gotten my first real deal! An 1842 model made in 1845 I am looking forward to taking it out and shooting it. I am wondering if you guys that have these shoot reduced loads or give them the whole military charge. Going over the gun everything seems to be in order and it was proofed once upon a time but I figured I would ask my forum buddies what they do as well to compare notes.

Also I suppose I am trespassing as its a smoothbore so if I gotta move the thread kick me out!

Military guns I will shoot a regulation load in if the bore is in good shape, they were mostly overbuilt. A original pistol I will shoot if in ok condition, a twist shotgun I don’t shoot at all, you never know when a 200 year old barrel may let go.

I shoot and try to hunt with all of my originals, rifles and shotguns.
All are in good condition and nearly all are British..

52Bore said:

I shoot and try to hunt with all of my originals, rifles and shotguns.
All are in good condition and nearly all are British..

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thats a nice piece!

52Bore said:

I shoot and try to hunt with all of my originals, rifles and shotguns.
All are in good condition and nearly all are British..

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That is a wonderful rifle. British, I presume?
I wish Kibler offered a copy of that gun. I personally think that is a much better-looking gun than any Hawken.

No.

The danger often isn’t so much the barrel, but the stock.

We’re talking wood that’s far older than a century for originals. Sometimes SEVERAL centuries depending.

Full charges can induce cracking that can render the arm unsafe to shoot, regardless of the strength of its metallic components.

Another myth that continually needs dispelled is the danger of shooting firearms with twist barrels, they are no more or less dangerous than any other old gun.
If the bore is good in either I shoot them with the black powder they were intended for and enjoy the experience.

My personal opinion is when smokeless powder came out and know nothings tried to magnumize grandpa's old black powder gun some of them let go, the know nothings now proclaimed the guns to be unsafe and not their wrong headed thinking.

Although I own several 19th century muskets and rifle muskets I don't shoot them. It's just my feeling - I have absolutely no quarrel or disagreement with those who do. None at all. But every piece of machinery; from a Rolex watch to a Rolls Royce has a finite life. Eventually every thing mechanical gets worn out and used up. So I choose - again, just for myself - not to fire them. I know there are spare parts available but that source is slowly drying up. I have modern made replicas that I shoot and enjoy instead. And once again, this is just my choice and I have no problem with those folks who do live fire originals. None at all.

What post #4 said

If in good condition, yup, BUT as with repops, best accuracy doesn't occur at full charge levels. So reduce the charge a bit, get better accuracy, less stress on an original. Win Win Win.

I have several originals in smoothbore and rifled. I'm pretty sure they could handle a full load but I don't just out of respect for their age.

dave951 said:

If in good condition, yup, BUT as with repops, best accuracy doesn't occur at full charge levels. So reduce the charge a bit, get better accuracy, less stress on an original. Win Win Win.

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This seems like a good point to me I will do some experimenting and I appreciate everyones insight

dave951 said:

If in good condition, yup, BUT as with repops, best accuracy doesn't occur at full charge levels. So reduce the charge a bit, get better accuracy, less stress on an original. Win Win Win.

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Yessir.. I find a 47 - 50 grain charge of FFg works well in a .58 Rifle Musket at 50 yards. I use a little more in. my Bess but stay at about 65% of the original load. No need to max it out for accuracy at that range.

Unless there is something obviously wrong with an old antique, I would just fire away with a normal service load. I shoot and hunt with several original muskets, including a rifled M1842 and a 1862 mfg. Colt Special Musket. Never have fired anything in them but the service charge. Thousands of rounds later, they are fine. Also do all my shotgun shooting with a 13 Gauge SxS made in Birmingham by Robert Chaplain, around the 1850's. It has "London Fine Twyst" barrels, and my standard load is 1 and 1/8 oz. of shot over 70 grains of Swiss 3f. I proofed it, remotely with a string from behind a tree, using 2 oz. of shot and 110 grains of powder. Held up fine. That might seem excessive, which it is, but I have the firm assurance my regular load will be just fine in that old gun.

th1840 said:

View attachment 389689View attachment 389690View attachment 389692View attachment 389693View attachment 389694

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Halfstock I saved which had broken wrist (fixed) with sheet rock screws holding it together, kind of. Beautiful bore 60cal. 1 1/8 to 1" 32" length

jrweis1997 said:

I have recently gotten my first real deal! An 1842 model made in 1845 I am looking forward to taking it out and shooting it. I am wondering if you guys that have these shoot reduced loads or give them the whole military charge. Going over the gun everything seems to be in order and it was proofed once upon a time but I figured I would ask my forum buddies what they do as well to compare notes.

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Congratulations on that acquisition. My M1842 is also dated 1845 on both the lock and barrel. That makes it a Mexican War dated musket, which tends to command a premium over those dated late 1840s to early 1850s. What I found when I received mine is that it also has 3 kill marks on it, which war I do not know. As a Civil War collector I have a number of original muskets, carbines, and revolvers from the Civil War period or earlier, as well as a M1855 pistol carbine dated 1855. I've stated this several times on here before, I never shoot the originals. To me each is unique. Each has its own unique wear, dings in the stock from use, pitting in the nipple area, etc. For example, I currently have 5 Enfields and to me each is unique. If someone wishes to fire an original that is their choice, and each person will have to make that choice. I decided many, many years ago it would be easier and cheaper to replace a replica than an original if it were to be damaged or stolen. Years back there was an older guy in our club who had a collection of military originals. He would bring one to our club matches each month to shoot. I always cringed when he did so. One time he had a percussion Hall carbine he was tinkering with before the match when he seared the hammer 90% off cocking it. That was the last time he brought an original to shoot. I've always told myself that is why they make replicas. I know most originals are safe to shoot, but I let the old warriors remain in retirement. We collectors agree among us we're only temporary caretakers of what we collect. Someday we pass them down to the next generation of collectors to care for them.

Smokey Plainsman said:

No.

The danger often isn’t so much the barrel, but the stock.

We’re talking wood that’s far older than a century for originals. Sometimes SEVERAL centuries depending.

Full charges can induce cracking that can render the arm unsafe to shoot, regardless of the strength of its metallic components.

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A broken or cracked stock is nowhere near as likely to cause serious injury as a barrel letting go.
The exception would be if a bursting barrel’s escaping gasses splintered part of the stock and sent pieces flying hard enough that they penetrated the skin or an eye.