Everything .40 Cal. Muzzleloader

[BigAl52]

I believe the original Hawken shop never made flintlocks; this is a really nice looking gun!

Thanks Springfield appreciate the compliment

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Quote on the early Hawkens:

“Jacob Hawken started his formal gunsmithing career as an armorer at Harpers Ferry National Armory, then part of Virginia, in 1808. The armory pay rolls place him on staff there until February of 1818. The first track of Jacob out west in Missouri is a deed for land in New Madrid, also in 1818. By 1825, he had set up a shop in St. Louis, right next to the Mississippi River.”

I’d say, based on the historical dates, Early Hawken Rifles were Flintlocks…The Samual Hawken Rifles, of the 1850’s were most likely percussion as no Flintlock Hawken from that time period has been recovered…However, of the Known Samual Hawken Rifles, a couple “could have been converted to percussion”…wouldn’t it be awesome if a Flintlock Hawken were to come to light?

https://www.nrablog.com/articles/20...ontribution-to-the-evolution-of-american-arms
Kind of nice how this thread is progressing by the way…

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Lived in Nigeria ,

Oz a few times as flights are only £525 return quite often , barren land not any thing only a few Roos to hunt need to go out of Darwin , no muzzle loading allowed for hunting in WA

nothing to shoot in Nigeria “ master we ate everything in Biafra times ,

Loads of motor home trips to France £199 on ferry loads of last minute holidays in Cannaries

done the Florida bit with kids

Tommy up in Maine wants me to visit. Did not like cost of flights to Maine

got a buddy in Florida and my cousin lives in Machanicsvill So yes a great place but I got kidney cancer in 2009. Treatment all free in uk that’s the key to living in uk health care.

We were happy for years hunting on miles of national trust land. Mainly pigeons foxes and the odd deer all with .22 and 12 g shotguns. And flint locks. Police never bothered us there Happy days. Sitting with cans of cold beer in a cornfield making farmers happy great days. Then the new manager of Polesdon Lacy refused to renew our long 1930s lease. gripe. And then plod confiscated my shotguns

France is big like Florida but I did not see the famous French hogs for my compound bow. Fantastic country. If I want to hunt and don’t mind paying a lot plenty of hunting from Norway to Spain Oh well happy with my bsa Scorpio pcp. .22 & 177 out to 70 yards and no o haven’t got a rocking chair on the patio.
Love to hunt a bear to make a lovely coat, maybe two

it was $AU8000 a few years back to hunt water buff out of Darwin. Oz

Then there’s the castles everywhere in France , some tumble down some you can buy to renovate. Ewan 73? Lives on french west coast He struggles to get lead and BP

The french are not all pleasant but they were lovely and kind all down to Beritz takes all sort. Did not like us on the med coast. The hills and mountains are scattered with castles photo of Forages 8 th century castle below. So yo see. Glad we are not in EU. But they banned like Varget and R15 etc. gun laws better than UK. I have hunted with Italians and have had shot gun slugs wiz past my head. And in France don’t go out in hunting season. Around 150 people shot dead every year. They don’t seem to care .,,,shooting a french neighbour once is an accident twice it’s prison

Sorry to ramble on but as an old fart what else is there to do. Ha ha. May your god be with you Gordon

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Bears uk

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Sorry thats the 300 ft sand dune nr Arcachon getting bigger and bigger. There’s a village under it …….son David and mum in Arcachon. Could not find any gun shops in France many closed down with new gun laws. No licence needed for black powder guns but you need a licence to carry

 

[oldwood]

Sorry Mustang 65...........We have no cell service where I live , thus no need for cell phones for photos.

 

[nkbj]

In our state deer won't die unless shot with a .44 or larger muzzleloader.
But if the lead is backed by a brass cartridge case then a .40 would be OK.
I know better than to argue with bureaucrats but will post a picture in case a know-it-all from Indiana might be watching.

 

[user 53891]

Sorry Mustang 65...........We have no cell service where I live , thus no need for cell phones for photos.

oldwood, if you have a good internet service, your can get a cell phone that will work at your place like a charm. The phone has to have "wifi calling" ability. If it does you could through the land line away.

 

[Coinneach]

FYI- deer, massive hogs, cattle, horses, ALL can be DROPPED in their tracks with a .22.
Even a .40 roundball shot with real BP with a velocity of 1400-1600fps with good shot placement can easily drop a deer inside 100yds. Sooooo that rule is 100% BS
Out to 50yds even a .32 roundball will drop the biggest deer with a head, neck, or high shoulder shot.

Here in Aussie land when I was a young fella we used to drop wild Pigs with a .22 Rifle, you had to be close in, down wind and quiet though to put a round just behind their Ear to do the job....and close to an easily shinnied up tree if there was a miss.

To be honest I wouldnt try it nowadays, my 45.70 Winchester is my tool of choice.

 

[Coinneach]

I believe the original Hawken shop never made flintlocks; this is a really nice looking gun!

The Hawken shop did make full stock Flintlock Rifles early in the piece, but once they introduced their masterpiece the Half stock Percussion Rifle with patent breech then the demand for FL rifles faded out fairly fast.

 

[woodsnwater]

In our state deer won't die unless shot with a .44 or larger muzzleloader.
But if the lead is backed by a brass cartridge case then a .40 would be OK.
I know better than to argue with bureaucrats but will post a picture in case a know-it-all from Indiana might be watching.
View attachment 152235

What was the recoil like with this load? Do you know the velocity? I'd hate to damage my thin wristed Southern mountain rifle.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Here in Aussie land when I was a young fella we used to drop wild Pigs with a .22 Rifle, you had to be close in, down wind and quiet though to put a round just behind their Ear to do the job....and close to an easily shinnied up tree if there was a miss.

To be honest I wouldnt try it nowadays, my 45.70 Winchester is my tool of choice.

They got a great shooting range at Jondelup just north of Perth Been north to Exmouth and south to cold wet Bumbry to feed the massive rays they said there were wild dogs and goats needing culling around Carnarvon but I never saw any Marraki is the guy for hunting buff up north lives in Darwin cousins kids lived there nice but the crocs ate a few children so they came back to Perth. Yes love Perth beautiful city but the 23 hour flights are just to long for me now yes love to live there and the sailing on perth and Fremantle water is great. But then Florida would be even better ha ha.

 

[springfield art]

I absolutely love my .40. I got it off GunBroker a few months ago, and it is just a good solid rifle. Good ignition, good accuracy, just a joy to shoot. I use all my guns, no safe queens, so I wasn't looking for a pristine example. It's got a small siler lock, and thats about all I know. If ya'll can identify the kit, or the barrel, just holler it out!
View attachment 151330View attachment 151331View attachment 151332View attachment 151333View attachment 151334View attachment 151335View attachment 151336View attachment 151337

Your photos are excellent, it's obviously a real "user" as you've stated.

 

[springfield art]

I don't think anyone hates any caliber. As long as it makes smoke and makes you happy.

It's kind of neat when guys "adopt" a particular caliber and wring all the good things out of it;

 

[rkg1]

When you're squirrel huntin with your .40, do you try & head shoot them or " Bark " them? Are you using PRB's or conicals?

Patched round ball and try to head shoot.

 

[gemmertrapdoor]

Pa requires a minimum 44 cal and I agree. A 40 to me is a little small be like using a 22 hornet. This is my opinion and is up for discussion.

Well I have used a 40 cal. for at least 40 years and I have killed more deer than I can remember . You just have to know it's limits , most deer are killed at 50 yards are less and at that range my 40 can put one right through an eye ball . She can be loaded down to 25 grains and I can squirrel hunt with her . I have owned every thing from .36 cal. to a .75 cal. I think the .40 is the best all a round cal. You can shoot a deer in a lower leg with a cannon and still wont get the deer .

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Your photos are excellent, it's obviously a real "user" as you've stated.

Thank you Art.

 

[springfield art]

They got a great shooting range at Jondelup just north of Perth Been north to Exmouth and south to cold wet Bumbry to feed the massive rays they said there were wild dogs and goats needing culling around Carnarvon but I never saw any Marraki is the guy for hunting buff up north lives in Darwin cousins kids lived there nice but the crocs ate a few children so they came back to Perth. Yes love Perth beautiful city but the 23 hour flights are just to long for me now yes love to live there and the sailing on perth and Fremantle water is great. But then Florida would be even better ha ha.

I need a Passport just to imagine all these exotic places!

 

[Mulebrain]

Has been my go to .40 for awhile now. I don't know who made the barrel, cannot tell, but it will shoot. She aint the purtiest rifle, but she was cheap 340.00 dollars. I shoot 40 grains fff, and .395 ball 018 pillow ticking. It is my primary competition gun. I have had others try to shoot it, and they cannot stand the stock profile and lop. I don't know it just fits me

Shot my best 110yd off hand with it.

When I shot this target at our club match, a strictly flintlock shooter picked it up and said nice target. He asked me what I shot it with, and when I showed him he just rolled his eyes and walked away. LOL Our club president watched me shoot it through my spotting scope.

 

[Rod Man]

Has been my go to .40 for awhile now. I don't know who made the barrel, cannot tell, but it will shoot. She aint the purtiest rifle, but she was cheap 340.00 dollars. I shoot 40 grains fff, and .395 ball 018 pillow ticking. It is my primary competition gun. I have had others try to shoot it, and they cannot stand the stock profile and lop. I don't know it just fits me

View attachment 152439

Shot my best 110yd off hand with it.

View attachment 152440

When I shot this target at our club match, a strictly flintlock shooter picked it up and said nice target. He asked me what I shot it with, and when I showed him he just rolled his eyes and walked away. LOL Our club president watched me shoot it through my spotting scope.

Looks jus fine to me!

RM