Northwest Trade Musket Vs. Fusil?

[JeffS]

Russ and Moose Meat, thanks for the comments. I dont do any serious reenacting really, so I probably am thinking too hard on the subject. I'll make sure the 20g barrel is on it for rendezvous. For my club's monthly target shooting, I know nobody will care about the rifling. I could even try the smoothbore for a lot of it, but we sometimes shoot gongs up on the hill that are 75 to 200 yards.

Moose meat, you have me wanting to try a bit of hunting with it. I may have to hit you up for some loads. My work would mostly be rabbit, squirrel, and grouse. Might even try deer or elk someday. I havent hunted in a long time. Sounds like great fun with a smoothie. The idea of building another gun around the rifle barrel is interesting, btw. Im going to kick that around a little.

Thanks, Jeff

 

[akapennypincher]

I know nobody will care about the rifling. I could even try the smoothbore for a lot of it, but we sometimes shoot gongs up on the hill that are 75 to 200 yards.



Thanks, Jeff

200 Yards is a Long Way to Reach Out and Ring a Gong Offhand be it Smoothebore, or Rifled Barrel. Think you might be pushing your limit of SKILL UNLESS you are a Rock Solid Offhand Shooter.... :m2c:

 

[eat moose meat]

70 grs. of 3f with an equal measure of number 6 shot. It'll roll them pat'ridges. Good on snowshoe hare too. Same 70grs of 3f with a patched .600 ball will work on anything bigger like deer, black bear,I even know someone that killed a moose with that load. Probably the first smoothbore moose killed in maine in a very long time.

 

[JeffS]

Pennypincher, Im not THAT rock solid. :: Thats what I meant to say above. The majority of our target shooting is 25 or 50 yards, and the smoothbore should do ok, especially on the 25yard stuff I think, and Ive read that 50yards is still pretty good accuracy, but Ive never tried it. For the gongs, Im thinking rifle is the way to go.

Moose Meat, thanks for the loads, I will try them out. Gotta go get a small game license.

Jeff

 

[akapennypincher]

Pennypincher, Im not THAT rock solid. :: Thats what I meant to say above. The majority of our target shooting is 25 or 50 yards, and the smoothbore should do ok, especially on the 25yard stuff I think, and Ive read that 50yards is still pretty good accuracy, but Ive never tried it. For the gongs, Im thinking rifle is the way to go.

Moose Meat, thanks for the loads, I will try them out. Gotta go get a small game license.

Jeff

Well I too am not that Rock Solid but can it Paper at Two hundred Yard with a Pistol. 7 out of 10 Shots. That Paper being about 4 x 5 Foot Target Frame. The one thing about shooting is the Further out the Target is, the More EACH MISTATE, or FLINCH is Modified. Thus you Shot goes off target. eace:

 

[RussB]

Pennypincher, Im not THAT rock solid. :: Thats what I meant to say above. The majority of our target shooting is 25 or 50 yards, and the smoothbore should do ok, especially on the 25yard stuff I think, and Ive read that 50yards is still pretty good accuracy, but Ive never tried it. For the gongs, Im thinking rifle is the way to go.

Moose Meat, thanks for the loads, I will try them out. Gotta go get a small game license.

Jeff

Well I too am not that Rock Solid but can it Paper at Two hundred Yard with a Pistol. 7 out of 10 Shots. That Paper being about 4 x 5 Foot Target Frame. The one thing about shooting is the Further out the Target is, the More EACH MISTATE, or FLINCH is Modified. Thus you Shot goes off target. eace:

I guess this is a FWIW....and that ain't much, And I hope it is still on subject.

Anyway, I have a particlular round ball rifle set up just for the 200 yd. gonger on my home range. The "gonger" is a 48" steel "sprocket wheel", from...God only knows what, and it's suspended on a logging chain of equally impressive size, this combination makes a very nice, very audible, "gong sound" when struck by a round ball.

The vast majority, by far, of our shooting is done at 25 & 50 yds, but every once in a while we have a "Who's buying Beer & Pizza" shoot amoungst some of us older retired folks on some Friday afternoon.
And, I learned a couple of years ago....I am very good! Some may even consider me a legacy, when it comes to the buying part. :redface:

Of course the rifles that I use for this, and the other fellows too, are all rifled, and as far as I know, it has only been hit a few times with someone using a smoothie.

I have even "nicked" it a few times myself, using a smoothie from the bench.

All of this babble only means you just don't know for sure what you can do, until you give it a try. At first, I actually laughed at the idea, now I find that I enjoy it immensely...go figure.

Russ

 

[JeffS]

all right Russ, Im your Huckleberry... :: I promise to give the gongs a good effort with the smoothie before I spout off about needing a rifle for them. Sounds like fun!

Jeff

 

[swank]

Thanks everybody for all the responses I do not have any plans on re-enacting at this time, although I love the time period and used to do C.W.

I was thinking of going the TOW route, but I think I have decided to go with a Wilson's Chief through Caywood as this gun seems to combine the characteristics of the two somewhat. My main desire is to have a versatile, well balanced, and easy to carry smoothie that would give me an excuse to hunt with a flinter beyond deer season.

In regards to the Scottish Thistle, my Irish buddies always ride me that my heritage's emblem is fitting for me. They keep mentioning something about the thistle and the whole prick thing, I don't know what they are reffering to:hmm: Gorgeous bag anyway though Staggerin Buff

Swank

 

Rusty, I just bought a Caywood NW trade gun from a guy in our club. I havent handled a lot of muzzleloaders, mostly my GPR .54 . I couldnt believe how light and nice to handle the trade gun was. AS far as my persona, it might not be the greatest choice, "rocky mountain fur trade" but I know they were purchased for employees of some of the companies, and had to be pretty easily available.


(btw, not trying to justify by saying "they could have, so my persona did..." They COULD have wore plate armor, and rode war elephants. That doesnt make it acceptable. :: )

Jeff

What, are you KIDDING?? That was THE gun of the rocky mountain fur trade!! You'd be more likely to pack one of those than you would Hatchet Jack's Hawken! There were more NW trade guns running around than probably any other gun. There were 79 companies making those things, they went cheap (no more than 20-24 pelts at the height of the market, the companies bought them for $4.98 each, and that was way up in the 1840's!) and very reliable. You got the right gun for your persona, my friend, trust me.

:redthumb: :thumbsup: :redthumb: :thumbsup: :redthumb: :thumbsup:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I really wish that these Northwest trade guns were used here in the East. There is something so appealing about their simple, honest looks and their light weight and handiness. And they are useful and versatile to boot. For them to have been in active use for such an extended period,
I guess the oldtimers felt the same way.

 

I really wish that these Northwest trade guns were used here in the East. There is something so appealing about their simple, honest looks and their light weight and handiness. And they are useful and versatile to boot. For them to have been in active use for such an extended period,
I guess the oldtimers felt the same way.

Where in the East are you? Remember, they were the standard gun of the NWC and HBC, so, anywhere near the Lakes and you're probably in good shape.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I really wish that these Northwest trade guns were used here in the East

How East?

You do realize that the Northwest Territory was Ohio? The N.W. trade guns and Hudson Bay trade guns were used in the Northeast all around the Great Lakes and Canada.

 

And as a side note, Vaquero, I shot a squirrel with a .600 prb this deer season at about 35 yards, a possum at about 40, and I hit a 20lb LP Tank with fair regularity at about 90yards out on the junk heap.

A smoothie is a gun like any other...learn what it wants, and it will give you what you want.

:imo:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Stumpy and Stumblin- I did know about the Northwest Territory and the Canadian connection. I'm far to the east of there. I'm even east of you Stumpy. I'm in the Connecticut River Valley and all the research I've done doesn't come up with a single NW trade gun. French and Dutch,yes. Truth is, I'll probably just forget about historical accuracy or regional accuracy or whatever, and just build me one.

 

[eat moose meat]

The HBC had a trade post just across the border in quebec. im only an hour from there .Granted most early guns in the north east were french. After the french and indian war everything turned english. Trade guns were not only brought to Hudson bay they were also brought up the St. Lawrence. Why I think not many trade guns have been found is basically they were used up. I have seen originals here in maine. I have a friend that just competed in the primitive biatholon in New hampshire with an original northwest gun he found here in maine in an estate sale. He placed in the top 10.