45 cal smoothbore good for hunting?

[William Joy]

Just picked up an old smoothbore flintlock approx 45 cal. I am asking myself if it would be usefull for small game with shot ? Could it also be used with a ball for deer in a pinch ( if it would be legal)

 

[BrownBear]

That's about a 50 or 51 gauge in shotgun terms, compared to roughly a 68 gauge, the true measure of a modern 410 according to this chart here at the site. So in terms of using shot, I'd say it would be as effective (or more), compared to a modern 410. That's a compliment to me, because I'm a sure fan of the little gauge for upland birds and small game.

For using a single patched ball, I doubt you give up anything to a rifled 45 cal inside 50 yards, provided you work to find a good accurate load. Lots of folks here are fans of 45's and take plenty of deer with them.

Sounds like a very interesting gun! Keep us posted on your load development and hunting exploits.

 

[PreglerD]

Hello from Germany!

I agree with BrownBear. A .45 smoothie with a good stout load is as good as a rifled .45 within .45. I have a .54 smoothie original longgun and it shoots a PRB as accurate as a rifle. Smoothies are good.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[William Joy]

Vielen Dank!
I have a good feeling about the 45 ball. But what kind of shot size would you recomend for small game if you could carry just one size. I am not considering modern game laws and rules - I think in 1700 most people would have shot "sitting" game if possible ...
I in fact "hunted" with some guy's in Angola and they used a single shot shotgun for everything but I can't remember the shot size....

 

[BrownBear]

My standard "big game" shot in both 410 and 28 gauge shotshells is #6. Anything smaller than pheasant or snowshoe hare I usually pop with 7 1/2's. If I had to pick one for all around, I'd probably stick with the #6's, even if the pattern was a little thinner. Just a whole lot more killing power in a 6, so fewer pellets are needed on target in the first place.

Then again, that's assuming the gun shot them equally well. If it showed a preference, that's what I'd go with.

 

[William Joy]

That;s what i was leaning to.... seems # 6 is the best choice

 

[Britsmoothy]

For small game over here out of my 410s I prefered 7s which I think is like your 6&1/2s. The distance you will use it at a pellet or two in the neck/head area of a rabbit or bird will be just fine even upto goose :thumbsup:

Britsmoothy.