If You only had one flintlock?

[Loyalist Dave]

I also think the 20 gauge is the most versatile caliber for deer-sized game and smaller.

Gonna have to give a +1 :thumbsup: for the 20 gauge.

The OP mentions deer and squirrels. Sure you can do that with a .45 or even a .40 (in some states) providing you head shoot the squirrels. The problem is what if the OP's friend wants to add something new to the menu?

Well rabbits are not a problem for the riflemen. So turkey...some states allow rifles in the fall, some states don't allow rifles for turkey at all. How about grouse or pheasant? What about as age set in, and the shooter simply can't make those head shots with a rifle? :wink:

A fusil, neat has always been a very popular gun, for several good reasons.

LD

 

[MSW]

fools sulpher's post is well thought out, and he makes good points. if your friend is truly only going to have one flintlock, then I'd steer him toward a 20 gauge.

Of course, once the 20 gauge is in place, he (I assume it's a he) will need a .40, then a .54 or a .58, then perhaps a .36 or a .32 ...

c'mon - you don't have just one coathanger? how many woodworkers have just one hammer, or one handplane? how many mechanics have one screwdriver? how many foodies have just one knife?

to paraphrase the little green starwars guy: once rocks banged have you, forever will they dominate your range time.

Make Good Smoke!

 

[The Baron]

I'd vote for a nice .62 smooth rifle or fowler. Use PRB for deer and shot for squirrels. Plus the .62 has lots of horsepower in reserve if he wants to hunt hogs or up the shot charge and bag a turkey or two. The addition of the rear sight will help with accuracy with round ball vs. a front sight only fowler (of course, fowlers with rear sights also exist). The hard part will be finding one, whereas a .50 rifle will be a lot easier to find. It's just so tough to beat the versatility of a smoothie.

Tell him to be careful though... these old sparkers are addictive! :wink:

 

[MountainRanger]

I haven't hunted in a while, but I 'd say either a .45 or .50.

 

[White Oak]

Very easy for me as I have only one flintlock.
54 cal.

 

[Gene L]

Me, too. It's a .36 caliber and since I don't hunt deer, it's great for piercing paper and I suppose squirrels.

I'm not totally sure I'm sold on flintlocks (ack! Burn the non-believer!)

Whatever makes you happy, in whatever caliber.

 

[AZbpBurner]

I have flintlock rifles, muskets and pistols. All have specific applications, some of which overlap. The .54 rifle accuracy can reliably take out grapefruit up to 100 yards; the .62 musket is versatile for shot or ball, as is the pistol. Either rifle or musket can be used from Rocky to Bullwinkle sized food items. Barking a squirrel with a .62 roundball is more fun than messy headshots with tiny & more frugal calibers.

So, the question is a foolish adaptation of the question of which ONE would you be allowed to keep: rifle, arm, leg, eye, nut, vehicle, dog, woman. The answer is more complex than "pick one". After all, we don't live in a 3rd world society such as much of Europe or the UK, where someone may actually ask that question in seriousness to "allow" you only one.

But, if they tried to take all but one from me, I'd imagine they would be best dissuaded with the musket which could be used for either ball or shot, depending upon the type of game or 'threat'.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Currently I do only own one Flintlock rifle. It's a Pedersoli Kentucky model in .45 cal. It's a great rifle and is a hoot to shoot.

Seriously, only ONE? Obviously you don't realize how lonely that .45 is sitting there all alone without any .50, .54 or .62's to keep it company. You're a cruel and heartless flintlock owner, since flintlocks crave the company of other flintlocks.

On holiday Mondays, I get together with other members of the range where I shoot. Most bring their kids or grandkids along to shoot. 12 - 20 year old boys and girls all are fascinated with both the .54 cal rifle and .62 musket and all want a chance to shoot them. A couple of weekends ago a 16 year old girl fired my .54 cal - I showed her how to load, prime, and swab every few rounds. She ignored her Dad who was shooting some high dollar AR he "built for her". When they were leaving later that day, Dad came over to tell me she wanted a flintlock rifle for her upcoming birthday & wanted to know where to get one like mine - I gave him a list of on-line retailers. Betcha she has one next time I'm at the range.

Moral of the story: Do It For The Children :rotf:

 

[The Baron]

A couple of weekends ago a 16 year old girl fired my .54 cal - I showed her how to load, prime, and swab every few rounds. She ignored her Dad who was shooting some high dollar AR he "built for her". When they were leaving later that day, Dad came over to tell me she wanted a flintlock rifle for her upcoming birthday & wanted to know where to get one like mine ...

:thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[wattlebuster]

Since you said the one gun has to do it all then I would have to go 20/62 smooth rifle. 600 balls for mr whitetail an 4 or better yet #2 shot for the squirrels. Now before you say why the #2 for the tree rats, think about it. The weight of the #2s drive right through a squirrel an when you clean/fry/eat the squirrel an you have no shot in it. When I have shot them with #6s an 5s an even 4s I have always had to pick out the shot but not with the #2s :thumbsup:

 

[azmntman]

brilliant. Im gonna try that, I hate picking out shot so much I have stopped hunting squirrel with shot guns

 

[excess650]

I discovered that years ago with a more modern launcher. #2s went through and killed 'em right now!

Some states don't allow shot larger than #4, but I think I still have about 10# of #2s.

I managed to pick up several bags of copper plated #4s and #6s from a friend who quit reloading. The last time I checked, shot doesn't spoil. :wink:

 

[hanshi]

I've never cared much for using shot on squirrels. I'm a rifleman and prefer a twisty barrel. Squirrels, here, get shot with either a .32 or a .36. All mine are flintlocks except for one of my .45s and my .54.

 

[BrownBear]

...deer primarily, and maybe an occasional squirrel.
If you only had one, what caliber would it be?

Depends on the law of the land if he's looking for a rifle. If there's a minimum caliber for deer, that would be the way to go with squirrels on the agenda, too. That is, of course, if the smallest deer caliber isn't above any maximum legal caliber for squirrel. If there's no crossover in calibers, he's looking at two rifles and no way around it.

The one-gun alternative in that environment would have to be a smoothbore, gauge/caliber depending. A 12 would be potent all around, but I'd lean toward a 62 (20 gauge) or even a 58 caliber (24 gauge) or 54 caliber (28 gauge). The smaller ones would be easier on the shoulder and the loading budget, but at a sacrifice in performance.

I'm facing that sort of a dilemma at the moment, having a rifle built for both snowshoe hare and deer. Minimum legal caliber for deer in our muzzleloader season is 45, so that's what it will be even there's no restriction for snowshoe hare. Gonna be interesting, even if it won't be flint. It's a "baby Leman" built by my favorite smith. Yay! :thumbsup:

 

[nhmoose]

My .40, kills everything I have shot at including a 10 point 180+ pound whitetail.

That hunt was published in ML magazine many years ago.

 

[bender20]

We get hosed here in pa with that. I'd love to build a .40 or .45 and do both but deer is .45 and up and squirrel is .40 and less. So your forced to have two if you want to do both unless you use a smooth bore. To make matters worse if you want to shoot an elk with prb you need atleast a .54 because they require a projectile of 210 grains or larger. On the plus side I have good reasons for 3 guns now 😀

 

[azmntman]

Come to AZ and hunt elk with any ol caliber ya want :youcrazy: BUT do not plan to hunt any large game AT ALL with a revolver :idunno:

They would allow a .32 (or smaller) rifle for elk :shake:

Assume they expect ya to know better but with the daily increasing rate of the "idiot factor" (they vote ya know) they really should get a min caliber for at least Elk. A .32 would kill an elk but other than in the eyeball I'm doubting recovery of many animals would occur prior to waste of most the meat (the coyotes disagree)

 

[Treestalker]

In Arkansas the law says you can use a .40 cal for deer, minimum, and a .40 for squirrels maximum. So if one wanted an all-around rifle that's the way to go here. I have not used a .40 on either, have used .32 and .36 rifle on squirrels, plenty of gun. It's on my bucket list to harvest a deer with a flintlock rifle, but it will be a .50 or .54 because I already have a barrel in each caliber. If limited to one flintlock rifle for everything, I wouldn't hesitate to make it a .40 for Arkansas. In a shotgun I'd like a .54 smooth bore Indian trade gun for everything. Shot for small game and patched or towed ball for big stuff. One of the coolest original squirrel rifles I ever cuddled was a .32 x 7/8 barreled cap lock half stock in cherry wood from Missouri. I thought a .40 would be fine in that configuration in flint. George.

 

[Rick Boylan]

Currently I do only own one Flintlock rifle. It's a Pedersoli Kentucky model in .45 cal. It's a great rifle and is a hoot to shoot.

Seriously, only ONE? Obviously you don't realize how lonely that .45 is sitting there all alone without any .50, .54 or .62's to keep it company. You're a cruel and heartless flintlock owner, since flintlocks crave the company of other flintlocks.

Moral of the story: Do It For The Children :rotf:

Hey, I'm working on it. Someday I hope to add a Jaeger to my collection, but I've recently bought, what I consider the crown jewel of my gun collection. I won't mention it here because it's not in keeping with the subject matter of the forum. :v

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Hey does the OP's question omit the possibility of a single rifle with an extra barrel or two???
OR is that cheating? 'Cause something octagon to round in a Colerain .54 would be cool if it also had a matching, fitted octagon to round Colerain 20 gauge.

LD