.45, .50 or .54?

[Stumpkiller]

Here's one to get the juices flowing. If you were limiting yourself to one flintlock longrifle and wanted to use it for everything from paper targets to whitetail deer, with squirrels and bunnies on the menu, which caliber would you choose.

I have been struggling with this and it's time to get some fresh logs on the fire.

My current small game rifle is a cap-gun T/C Renegade in .54 that shoots one hole with a charge of 42 grs of FFg (God, in His infinate wisdom, made empty .45 Colt brass hold exactly that amount). If I don't get my glove snagged on the set-trigger and have a premature liberation it will, in fact, headshoot squirrels offhand at 30 yards. Firing a warning shot is entirely too sporting for me. This next gun will have a well built single trigger.

And don't be sneaking in no skullduggery like "Get a smoothbore and use shot for the small game." Bah! Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. I'm sick of biting down on #6 pellets, and it takes too many squirrels to make a pot-pie if I happen to have a .65 ball in the fusil when one comes along.

What makes your favorite rifle . . . your favorite rifle?

 

[Darkhorse]

I think you have already answered you own question.
I have 2 .54 Calibers and have used them for everything including a couple of Turkey Gobblers.

That said, I don't think one caliber will really do a proper job at anything. The need for a .36 or so, is a good excuse to get another gun.

 

what Darkhorse said....I have two 54's and a 36. I'm a happy charcoal burner!

Vic

 

[Zonie]

If I was into meat getting and could only have one gun it would most likely be a 20 gauge shotgun or a .69 cal smooth bore.
I could take deer with a ball or buck and small game with the shot.
That's probably why so many of the original guns ended up being smooth bores. (In fact some of the "Experts" actually have a catagory called a "smooth bore rifle" but I have yet to hear what the difference between that and a bored out shot out rifle really is).If I had to choose only a rifle it would be a .45.

At the risk of upsetting some of you I once owned a German Shorthair Pointer which is supposed to be good at pointing and (with his webbed feet) retreving. He wasn't worth a damn for either. (I've known others with similar stories with "multi purpose" dogs so let's not say my dog was just dumb like his owner.) So much for the "one thing does it all" theory.

Aside from being a "sitting around the campfire" or "stove talk" subject I don't see a good reason for the question anyway. After all, having a gun which is really good for each task should be giving you a good reason to go out and buy Another Gun!!! What more could you ask??? (Aside from a understanding wife and asking for one of those is like asking for one gun which will do everything well).

 

[Stumpkiller]

I got one of the best (or worst) reasons of modern man's behavior. Money. I've having one made and, not having bought a bunch of Microsoft for $6 a share in 1980, I can't but choose one good rifle. Nothing more frustrating than a poorly made flintlock.

And, when I walk out the back door and up the hill behind the house I can expect to see bunnies, squirrels, coyotes, whitetail and any number of tree fungus and other targets of opportunity. My gun bearers have all run off so I am limited to the one I am carrying.

For the last ten years or so I've been using a 60# recurve and cedar arrows for the same critters. If one bow can do it shouldn't one gun?

 

[TwoShadows]

I gots to agree with "Zonie. One gun for all seasons would be a hard one to figger. Smooth rifles are much like a smoothbore, but has rifle sights....much to be said for that too...I have one and use it quite a bit.

However, I have taken just under 400 squirrels in a 3 year period with a 32 flinter...and find that even with squib loads they still wreak havoc unless u stick to head shots. Therefore it doesnt bother me to hunt with a 54, which is my favorite caliber even though I run the gamut in calibers. I have heard that he who dies with the most toys wins....trying to do my part to make it be true I guess.

 

[tg]

The smooth rifle is generaly considered to be a gun that has the architecture of a rifle, cheek piece, griprail and rear sight, basicaly a gun that is made to be aimed and not pointed...a rifle without the grooves, and a heavier barrel than a trade gun of fowler. there are mentions of smoothrifles in period documents and estate records and such along side rifles and smoothbore guns.

 

[Haggis]

Not so many years ago, when times were hard and I had five hungry kids and a wife with an iron skillet and a good throwing arm, we lived in a cabin in the hills of Kentucky. I was limited by proverty to only one gun and it was a .40. I could head shoot squirrels farther than I dare say for fear of being stoned (in the Biblical sense) at the next Ron-day-vu.

I'd just whistle at a deer and when it looked my way, crack it between the eyes. Best calibre I ever had and I've had most.

Limited to one muzzleloader it would be a .40 caliber Kentucky Poorboy's rifle, one inch across the flats, 44 inches of barrel, flintlock, cheap walnut stock, no trimmings.

 

[gordy]

Iwould have to go with Haggis for the most part!I'd probably have some steel furniture and a german silver patch box,and might go for .45 cal. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[roundball]

.54cal Flintlock

 

[cayugad]

I would go with a .54 caliber with 1:60 or slower twist for round ball only. I have squirrel, bunny, deer, you name it, hunted with my .54 caliber T/C Renegade (even though it does not have the slow twist).

 

[Ohio Joe]

.45 Dickert fullstock flintlock is my favorite with 7/8 x 42 inch barrel and fixed sights... I like it for small game, and deer size game... I shoot several calibers and both percussion and flint, but I do like my flint.

 

[musketman]

The smoothbore (perferably flintlock)

You can take anything that comes your way with it...

The trick is to be loaded with the heavy round ball when ol' griz comes along, and not 1 ounce of #6 shot...

Or, to have a heavy ball in the barrel when that squirrel starts a barking, what the heck, shoot the squirrel with the round ball... :winking: :haha:

Of the .45, .50 or .54, I will choose the .54 because you get less wind drift with the larger diameter projectiles...

 

[jtmattison]

Bigger is alway's better, right?
I have two .50's and one .54.
I like the .54 better than the .50's
I plan on going even bigger one day and getting a .58, then who know's what's next?
Smoothbore perhaps.

Huntin

 

[Herb]

Ohio Joe- Happy Birthday. Is the Museum of Fur Trade still in Chadron?
Back to the question. What are your state hunting regulations re muzzleloaders for deer? Is there a restriction that rules out the small calibers? Can you legally shoot any other small game with a ML rifle? You are going to shoot a lot more shelf fungi and small things than (Probably or hopefully) one deer a year. Maybe when that season is open, put aside thoughts of hunting anything but deer, and go prepared for that. I've shot deer and antelope with my Green River Leman .54, but it is just too big and heavy for me to want to pack it for casual plinking or small game. .40's, .45's and .50's are[url] nice.......In[/url] fact, when I find a conical slug that works well in my .40's (would have to weight at least 150 grains here in Utah for deer and antelope), I think that will have a lot of merit. Am building a custom .40 FL fullstock for a woman friend, and when she shoots that all year, as she will, she won't want to put it aside and reach for her TC .50 (much too big, heavy and too long a trigger reach for her). I prefer big calibers for deer, but it is all in where you hit them, and I can tell you a story about that which will leave you shaking your head. I like Haggis who whistled at the deer and shot it in the brain. I've seen buffalo shot like that with a 75 grain .244.

 

[Deadeye]

The one and only "all around" caliber, why .54, of course.
Also it would be a full stock round ball swamped barrel flinter.

 

[Ohio Joe]

Herb, thanks! The muzzle loading season runs from Dec. 1 thru Dec.31, and you are allowed two permits a year... (This last year because of the C.W.D., folks were issued extra doe permits if you wanted them), but the muzzle loading permit(s) are either sex... The minimum caliber is .45, and you can use front stuffers during the modern firearm season if you like... Muzzle loading "Antelope", is in September, and this is a point system - luck of the draw,,, again, .45 cal. minimum... There are no restrictions on using your muzzle loader for small game unless there have been some changes made in the last few months that I'm not aware of? I like the .45 and perfer it as my all around patched ball hunting and target rifle, but I admit, I do use the .50, and .54 at times... The Fur Trade Museum is still in, Chadron. They are renovating it over the next couple of years... If you'd like some info on hunting in, Nebraska, I believe their web site is; www.nebraskagameandparkscommission.com...

 

[Ohio Joe]

Herb,,, I gave you the wrong web site. It has changed to; www.ngpc.state.ne.us (sorry about that)

 

[Stumpkiller]

Somebody dug up an old nut here.

Since I started this I've since ordered an iron & brass mounted Lehigh style flintlock with a 44" swamped barrel in .54 cal, single trigger w/some carving and an engraved patchbox & German silver thumb-piece inlay with my initials.

Puttin all my eggs in one basket, so to speak.