Minimum caliber for deer.

[Matt Maier]

A while back I bought blueprints for a swivel breech flintlock. Being the machinist I am I am going to build one just as soon as I finish some other projects. When it is finished I would like to use it for hunting, but I have read that weight is an issue for rifles like this, so I am interested in maybe using a smaller caliber of barrel in the hopes that this will reduce weight. What is considered to be the minimum caliber needed for taking a deer with a muzzleloader? My guess is .40 or .45 but I am not 100% sure.

 

[mr.flintlock]

From a legal standpoint here in Ga. the minimum caliber for deer is 44 caliber. This can vary greatly from state to state. I have a 45 caliber flintlock and I have shot one deer with it and he dropped in his tracks. I prefer a little larger caliber though. 50 -54 calibers make fine deer rifles. I do most of my hunting with a 58 caliber.Since weight will be an issue with your swivel breach flintlock you may want to make the barrels short.

 

[Vaino]

To lessen bbl weight, why not go to a larger caliber...like a .50 or .54? Some fairly light bbls can be had in these calibers......Fred

 

[Matt Maier]

The short barrel is not a bad idea actually. Less steel means less weight. Also, who are some manufacturers who make light .50 barrels?

 

[mr.flintlock]

I have used Green Mountain barrels for years but unfortunately they are no longer making barrels for muzzleloaders. There is Rice, Colrain and several others out there. I'll bet if you google maunfactures of muzzleloading rifle barrels you will find more. If you pull up green mountain website they may still have a few in stock.

 

[54ball]

I do not know your skill set.

With that said I suggest you build at least one good standard 18th Century longrifle before you attempt the swivel breech.

All the skills you will lean in building a fine longrifle will be needed in building a swivel breech. You need to have that experience in what makes a fine rifle under your belt before you can make a fine swivel breech IMHO.

 

[Rusty_Nail]

Your profile doesn't mention which state. Here in Pa., for muzzleloader, minimum is 44 cal. for rifle, 50 cal. pistolo.

And as another on this forum pointed out to me a while back, a double barrel, fixed or swivel breach, is not allowed!

So while checking minimum caliber, you might want to check your states rules on singles or doubles!

 

[rafterob]

I would say .45. Plenty of anecdotal testemony here regarding its effectiveness. A .45 in 13/16 is a nice slim barrel. A gent in our club had one such beast that he recently traded back to the builder (who also happens to be a member). I believe he has sold it, but an awesome nice rifle.

 

[buford87]

For a swivel breech long arm I would want one barrel to be smooth bore. Maybe a twenty gauge or there abouts...................watch yer top knot.................

 

[Rifleman1776]

There are those who claim a .40 is good for deer. Those .40 fans are about as many as those who hunt elephants with a .22lr.
The .45 is an excellent deer caliber. The meat in my freezer is testimony to that.
But, as others have suggested, larger calibers for yer swivel gun will reduce carrying weight considerably.

 

[nchawkeye]

For a designated deer rifle, .45 is good, .50 is better, .54 is best!!! :thumbsup:

 

[Blackbruin]

Green mountain just sent barrels to a few suppliers i know, just got a brand new 15/16 .54 36". I think they were proccupied with military orders, maybe its just the swamped they discontinued?

 

[Matt Maier]

I work as a machinist and learned the trade on manual machines, so making the metal bits would be no trouble for me. It's the woodwork I don't have experience in and based on that it may be a good idea for me to make a traditional longrifle first.

 

[Matt Maier]

Just checked the regulations in Washington state where I live. minimum caliber for deer is .40. A rifle or shotgun can be single or double barrel and if using a shotgun both barrels may be loaded. A double rifle can only have one barrel loaded.

 

[necchi]

You seemed to have missed the point made by flehto.
The larger the caliber of a barrel, the lighter it is.
A 15/16" barrel in 40cal has more metal than a 15/16 barrel in 54cal, :idunno:

 

[Matt Maier]

My mistake then. Thanks for correcting my oversight.

 

[David Grout]

The state of Washington has a .40 caliber minimum for deer. It has a .45 caliber minimum for any other large game. Elk, Moose etc. You may want to go a little larger should you want to hunt larger game.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Minimum in NY is .44"

 

[Spikebuck]

You did not mention what projectile you plan to use. I know you said flintlock, but you could still be using an elongated REAL bullet vs a round ball. There have been some posts from people who have had excellent results with elongated bullets from 40 caliber.

Even with round ball, the effectiveness of smaller calibers may just be a matter of limiting the distance of the shot to ensure adequate energy and absolutely precise shot placement.

My personal minimum with a round ball would be 50 caliber on northern deer size animals, but the 45 is certainly a proven round ball caliber as well.

 

[54ball]

I work as a machinist and learned the trade on manual machines, so making the metal bits would be no trouble for me. It's the woodwork I don't have experience in and based on that it may be a good idea for me to make a traditional longrifle first.

I think that would be very wise. You need to know the architecture of a 18th century rifle. There is just so much too it, the art, the woodwork, the layout, the metal and wood treatment and finish that I can't to justice to it in this post.

You need to do lot of research and handle good contemporary and original longrifles if you can. Study study study. Buy books and take trips. Develop the "eye" and develop the "feel".

Let's take the maker Beck for instance, in photographs his rifles look robust; in hand his rifles are best described as dainty, almost fragile.

I suggest a parts set from Jim Chambers at flintlocks.com or David Keck at Knob Mountain Muzzleloading. If I went with Keck I would get the Beck or the 1780 Lancaster without the lock inlet. That's going to be a skill you'll need to master.

You may even consider getting the lock in kit form " Chambers gunbuilder's lock kit" since you aspire to build a swivel breech.

You may want to build a pistol like Chambers offers. Pistols are small and detailed and because of this hard to get right, much less forgiving than a rifle. That may help build up your skills as well.

Keep in mind a swivel was a very expensive and technical rifle to make. It was a way a master showed his talent. A modern one should reflect that IMHO.

P.S. Except for drill press on a few things, Power tools are of no advantage to you in just about every aspect of a longrifle build. Chisel, file, rasp and measuring tools.