Hunting with Flintlock

While I have shot percussion rifles for some years, I have never hunted with them or had any particular desire to do so. However, I got my first flintlock a few months ago and can't wait for deer season to get here. Can't explain the difference, but there it is. However, I do have one serious concern:

At the range, I can fairly consistently shoot under two inches at 50 yds, wiping one wet and one dry patch every two or three shots. BUT the first shot with a totally clean barrel is almost aways a flier, up to three or four inches out.

So my question is, do I fire a fouling shot before hunting with the rifle? I am a bit concerned about leaving the gun loaded for two or three days with a fouled barrel.

Or, do I hunt with a clean barrel and hope for the best (the first shot is not always a flier, just most of the time.)???

What do some of you more experienced BP hunters do?

Thanks for any advice and/or comments.

 

[Roy]

Might want to try a different ball/patch/powder combo.

 

[RickD]

I think what Roy said might work for you..I got a .50 cal from Roy and it shot great with the load and patch material he was using..I upped the powder charge to 60 grains of 3f and a .10 patch and it improved alot and I do mean alot..Play with the powder and patch combo and see if that makes a difference

 

[roundball]

IMO, the last thing in the world I want to do is "take a fouling shot" in a pristine clean barrel then go sit in the woods with it for hours.

Sight in for hunting with a clean cold barrel for every shot...if you're getting an occasional flyer, then fix that...read your patches...consider using an Oxyoke wonderwad over the powder, etc.

Your first shot at game should always be your most accurate...99.99% of the time it's the only shot you'll get...and is really the way you want it: one shot, one deer.

:thumbsup:

 

Thanks. I should have been a bit more specific, I guess. I am shooting a Lyman DeerStalker 50 cal with a fast twist for conicals. I have tried about a dozen different projectiles, sabots, etc. The most consistant and accurate are a 320 gr REAL and a 370 gr Maxiball from BlackJackHill. The powerbelt is also good, but kind of pricy. 90 grains of Graf BP works well with all three. With all three, the first shot from a clean barrel will be three or four inches off maybe three out of four times. Maybe it is just me; maybe I just need to shoot a lot between now and November.

BTW, none of the several plastic sabots that I tried were worth the powder to blow them out of the barrel.

Have not even tried a ball and patch, as I assume the 1 in 23 twist would not work well with a ball.

 

[Hamourkiller]

This seems to work for me.

The barrel starts out heavily oiled from the last cleaning.
1- Use rubbing alcohol on a patch and clean the barrel and dry it with another patch.
2- Use a patch saturated with your favorite lube (I like bore butter or hoppes 9 +) and coat the now dry bore,
3- Use dry patch to remove excess lube.
4-Pop 2 caps to clear breech area of any oil or lube.
5- Load rifle with hunting load and cap.

Your rifle should shoot to the same point every time.

When developing a hunting load I shoot my first shot as described and then reload with out cleaning.
Then clean back to first shot condition. That way I know what my rifle will do in the hunting field.

Hope this helps

 

[nchawkeye]

There's your problem..You're shooting a flintlock with a barrel rifled for those "other" projectiles..
:grin:

That just ain't right...

 

[BrownBear]

I'd sure put a lubed felt wad between the bullet and powder, in addition to cleaning any oil out of the bore before loading.

In all my guns, conicals shoot a lot more consistantly with the felt wad.

 

Thanks, Hamourkiller.

That looks like a routine worth trying, except for popping caps. Have not tried using alcohol but it does make sense. Good solvent and dries quickly.

 

[Halftail]

Thanks. I should have been a bit more specific, I guess. I am shooting a Lyman DeerStalker 50 cal with a fast twist for conicals.

Have not even tried a ball and patch, as I assume the 1 in 23 twist would not work well with a ball.

My Lyman Deerstalker has a 1:48 twist and shoots real accuratly with a .20 ticking patch and a .490 ball over top of 70 grains.I didn't know they made one in 1:28.Learn something everyday. :v

 

[ian45662]

:thumbsup: :v