Muzzleloading Pistol Barrel Length. What's your preference?

[pacanis]

Sorry for the new guy question. Googling and searching is not telling me what I want to know. Or maybe someone has a specific thread they can link for me? But my questions are typically too specific to me, yet too vague for others, lol.

If I were to get a muzzleloading pistol for hunting in PA I am told it has to be a 50cal. There is no minimum barrel length. But obviously there would be a difference in balance, ease of use (weight, sighting), enough barrel length to burn powder sufficiently, recoil management... Not that I'm overly recoil sensitive, but I've never shot a pistol that style before. The curved grip always has me thinking it would roll back in your hand when shot. Or maybe it's supposed to. Is there much of a difference between an 8" barrel and a 12" barrel? Besides the 12" barrel having a longer sight radius and being heavier?

I didn't even know they came as short as 8" until I saw one.

So what is your preference for shooting at the range for fun... or if you had a 30ft shot at a deer and could not bring your rifle into play? Not to be confused with the needing a second shot thread, my rifle will be my second shot if needed, but like I said, if you looked over and there was one right on top of you. Would the 4" difference even matter that close?

I think I included all the info.

 

[Phil Coffins]

More is more, any pistol will be less powerful than a rifle. I prefer large calibre and long barrel for plinking or target. Pistol use is for small game for me.

 

[pacanis]

More is more, any pistol will be less powerful than a rifle.

Yes. A given.

I prefer large calibre and long barrel for plinking or target.

Thanks for the input.
I have to ask, why a large caliber for plinking or target?
Bigger ball, better chance to cut the 10 ring?

This is the first I've heard of someone preferring a larger caliber for plinking over a smaller one in pistol. Although if you shoot longer distances I can understand wanting a heavier projectile. I think.
The extra recoil isn't a factor shooting a heavier ball?

I'm not that well informed about barrel length differences in ML pistols, which is why I asked.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Larger calibers are inherently more accurate and allow for more power if needed. A large caliber can be loaded down for very light loads but a light caliber cannot be loaded up to equal the larger ones. A 30 grain load is light recoil and a days shooting is not that expensive with a single shot.

 

[pacanis]

Larger calibers are inherently more accurate and allow for more power if needed. A large caliber can be loaded down for very light loads but a light caliber cannot be loaded up to equal the larger ones. A 30 grain load is light recoil and a days shooting is not that expensive with a single shot.

Good info.
Thanks.

Is this true of all muzzleloaders? Or just pistols?

 

[Ballshooter]

I picked up a traditions kentucky pistol reshaped the trigger guard and stock. The 10in barrel shoots well with 250 grain LEE R.E.A.L's

 

[Phil Coffins]

When I toured the USS Missouri they said the 16” guns could place a shell on a ball field at 24 miles away. Seems a big calibre is quite accurate.

 

[Eutycus]

I'm pretty sure the OP was referring to the length of the barrel instead of width of the bore.

 

[morehops52]

Well everybody does their own thing. You want to carry a rifle for backup while making a pistol your 1st shot choice? I think that most experienced hunters would always consider their rifle to be the first shot, and backup. As discussed on another thread recently the majority of hunters who carry a rifle consider a pistol to be too much more weight to carry as well as just kind of being in the way especially if you're dragging a deer.
Now to answer your question I love the accuracy of my ROA which has a 7-1/2" barrel. At a max charge of 40g I personally consider that too light for deer. With a single shot I would consider 8" comfortable to carry and shoot to maybe 25 yds if I could get it to group with 60g of powder and if that was safe for that pistol. 12" would be better but at that point why not just carry a carbine style rifle?

 

[Hawk54]

A Lyman Great Plains or a CVA Mountain pistol in .50 or .54. The Lyman has a 9 3/4 inch barrel and the CVA has a 9 inch barrel. Both are plenty accurate to 25 yards.

 

[SOLANCO]

I would opt for the longer barrels. But that is because I would not carry a muzzle loading handgun anywhere but to a bench at the range.

 

[Hawk54]

I would opt for the longer barrels. But that is because I would not carry a muzzle loading handgun anywhere but to a bench at the range.

Agree. If hunting with a black powder single shot pistol I would limit my shots to less than twenty five. I shoot bow out to 80 yards but would not shoot at an animal at that distance not because of my ability but because of the limitations of the weapon.

 

[pacanis]

I would opt for the longer barrels. But that is because I would not carry a muzzle loading handgun anywhere but to a bench at the range.

Exactly what I'm leaning towards.

I just got all excited because I saw an 8" flintlock pistol in .50 that was made by the same maker as my current hunting rifle. A matched set (other than caliber) called to me.

That's why I wanted comparisons between shorter barrels and longer barrels.
Is there a black powder site similar to ballistics by inch?

 

[Relic shooter]

Some 45 years ago I was buck hunting with members of the Pocatello, Idaho ML club.
One member wasn't feeling well so stayed in camp. When the rest of us arrived back in camp that evening
he had a nice a nice buck hanging that he had brought down with one well placed shot at about 30 yds. with his Colt Dragoon.

However I'm siding with Phil Coffins,, a bigger bore pistol with fast twist rifling is great way to go for precise target shooting & hunting
relic shooter

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Kinda depends on what you like and what you plan to use the pistol for. There may be laws that dictate a minimum length requirement for hunting. If that is the case, you are restricted to a minimum length for hunting anyway.

I personally do not care for handguns that have a barrel length longer than ten inches or so, and my favorite for a revolver is 5 1/2"... percussion or unmentionable. Longer barreled pistols are more difficult to holster comfortably, though they are more accurate and more powerful.

I am not really a fan of pistols any larger than maybe .45 caliber. You start getting above .50 caliber and recoil starts to become unmanageable... though there are tougher men out there than me. My joints give me enough trouble as it is. That said, if you are hunting deer/elk/bear, size matters.

 

[deermanok]

I have a vintage CVA Mountain Pistol, 50 caliber, 9 inch barrel, I believe.
45 grains of 3f Swiss by volume and a Hornady PA conical bullet 240 grains, will put them in the bullseye at 25 yards nearly every shot.
I haven't but would try to take a deer with it at close range.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

That is the pistol I fired with approximately a triple charge in it. Gun held up fine, my wrist was sore for a week. You only make a mistake like that once.

 

[pacanis]

I'm kind of leaning towards the 50cal. It seems like a nice compromise between 45 (which can't be used for hunting here) and 54. With the only limit being the range muzzle energy is retained. Which like I said, I'm talking extremely close range. 10yds is close range to me anyway.

But I'm also leaning towards a longer barrel than 8". I think when it comes down to it I'd rather have something in the 10-12 range than a stubbier looking pistol. At this time anyway. That's the main reason that prompted my question, but there doesn't seem to be much being said regarding foot lbs energy for what length barrel.

I was looking hard at the KY Pedersolis, but can't for the life of me see the 300buck difference between walnut and maple. A good reason the settle on the cheaper one IMO.

And then I talked to a friend today and he said he had built a KY Pedersoli a couple years back because someone gave him a kit for Christmas. And he never shot it (like most of the guns he builds except BR rifles)... and it's a .50

Plus he has another ML I've asked him about, so we are in the come up with a price phase. He's the one that brought up a package deal. But I can sense he's having a hard time letting go. Like most of us.

 

[Relic shooter]

Kinda depends on what you like and what you plan to use the pistol for. There may be laws that dictate a minimum length requirement for hunting. If that is the case, you are restricted to a minimum length for hunting anyway.

I personally do not care for handguns that have a barrel length longer than ten inches or so, and my favorite for a revolver is 5 1/2"... percussion or unmentionable. Longer barreled pistols are more difficult to holster comfortably, though they are more accurate and more powerful.

I am not really a fan of pistols any larger than maybe .45 caliber. You start getting above .50 caliber and recoil starts to become unmanageable... though there are tougher men out there than me. My joints give me enough trouble as it is. That said, if you are hunting deer/elk/bear, size matters.

I agree & points well taken, handguns are not favored by all.

I've always lived & hunted in the West with mostly my orig. .70 cal. Jaeger where big predator varmints also hang out along with our deer & elk so packing a side arm was essential to me..

Due to the deep rifling & one turn in 30" twist on the Jaeger, recoil was tolerable with 80gr. 2f.. When my left shoulder joint wore out about seven years ago I lost ability to lift that arm & support the forearm of any rifle & sadly ended big game rifle hunting & competition.

At 80 thankfully I can still enjoy shooting my collection of BP handguns. The faster twists in my black powder revolvers & bigger bore single shot pistols up to .70 cal. allows me to continue shooting comfortably.
Appropriate faster rate of twist rifling in pistols allows use of smaller powder charges with low recoil & precision accuracy with prb or slugs.
HISTORY IS OUR BEST TEACHER;
I learned about rifling & accuracy 50 + years ago when I started studying, collecting & shooting original American & European mfg. pistols & rifles built by master gun makers dating from the early 1800s through the 1860s.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

With black powder barrel length is speed, speed is life.
I like the 8 inches, wont turn down a 10.