.62 smoothbore as an all around gun?

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I'm in the smoothie camp as well. Trade guns, fowlers, civilian or military.
Ball or shot they are all purpose arms.
 

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I love my two smoothbore fusils, I have a half dozen custom flintlock rifles that are great shooters, the reason I don't shoot them as much as I do my smoothbore flinters is because they are getting too heavy, age and health have taken their toll on this old man.
However, fair discloser, while good quality smoothbore fusils, muskets, and trade guns are accurate at shorter ranges one, shouldn't expect 100 yd. rifle accuracy from a smoothbore using patched round balls, both of my fusils will virtually stack balls at 25 yds, shoot within 4" at 50 yds., and will keep all shots within an 8" paper plate at 100 yds.
Shot patterns when properly loaded can be as close to modern shotguns out to 40 yds. which makes a smoothbore an excellent hunting gun IMHO.
 
I've seen those but my biggest concern is with the experience that I have with cap lock firearms isn't good, the caps have always been loose fitting and easily fall off, and I'd be hunting squirrels and rabbits in the extremely thick cherry laurels in which I'd be crawling on my hands and knees, caps can easily fall off in all those branches, that's a big concern with cap lock firearms
Pinch the cap oval before placing it on nipple. It will stay put.
 
I have been hunting since I was young lad of 14 Never used a modern fire arm for hunting Started out with Belgian made 28 gauge Flintlock long tom fowler 51 inch barrel 58 years ago have several now they have excellent range with shot and very accurate with unpatched ball to70 yards though some crude in fit and finish they are reliable though some what clumsy.How ever I learned young how to use them swing them and hit what I shoot At .flintlocks and matchlocks work very well thats all I use .It takes learned skills and understanding of this technology Forget the modern approach In loading them they are what they are .In the day
 
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