Pedersoli Bounty Hunter

[beagles5]

Haven't posted in years, so here we go...
I have a Pedersoli bounty hunter in .50 cal., Flintlock. It is legal to hunt deer w/it in our Pennsylvania late season. I have had this gun for near 10 years and got the itch to carry it sometimes about 4 years ago.

I made peep sight and added fiber front. Great for my no longer young eyes. Judicious stoning and tuning got trigger and lock time exceptional. 50 gr 3f, .010 patch and .490 ball is my bestest load.

A real joy to cart around the woods, compared to any rifle.

Finally got a chance to take a nice doe this year at 30 yds. Unseen hemlock branches sent ball into ground in front of her feet...

Few days later, 2 deer come sneaking along. Front one was decent size. At 35 yards, I felt very confident with my aim and squeezed her off.
Definate hit and off side front wheel was'nt working! 50 yards and piled up!

Would like to hear from others who hunt w/flintlock pistol...Loads, type gun, etc.

Thanks......Bill

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Congrats on your hunt! :hatsoff:

For the folks that don't know, the Bounty Hunter comes in either flintlock, or new fangled caplock, and sports a 16" barrel.

This was the pistol that I mentioned in another thread that I thought would be a good candidate for a shoulder stock in some sort of Hollywood scene, a la The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly, 18th century style. :grin:

LD

 

[Britsmoothy]

Thanks Dave, I had Pedersoli country hunter in my head!

Well done with that long pistol friend, no camera?.

B.

 

[rushlake1]

That's Outstanding!

Just love a close hunt!....Congratulations!

Will build a flint pistol with a grip big enough..the kits and factory ones aren't big enough..

Going to eye up the Chambers kit first.

When l can no longer pull back my traditional bow this'll be the

next best thing..

Enjoy the back straps. Good. Shooting.

Tell us about the ball recovery please.

Think it would be very interesting to chrono your loads.

 

[beagles5]

I recovered the ball under hide of off shoulder.

Was mostly all still round except for 2 small "chunks" taken out of it. No where near smashed flat like you'd find w/rifle.

Did catch some heart and forward part of lungs. Chest cavity was swamped in blood.

I practiced a LOT with the pistol and I draw the line at 40 yds. Very much like hunting w/bow. Turned down quite a few shots early on in my "pistoli career". One day last summer, it just clicked in my head how to best hold and shoot that pistol, and now it comes so easy. Confidence level went up by 500%, now making me wish I had some of those early opportunities back.

Have a couple production rock locks and a TVM early Lancaster.

A couple of my hunting buddies told me to "get serious" and hunt w/rifle. I finally just only carried the pistol every day I could hunt in late season. Told them it probably won't kill any deer left home or locked in truck.

7-30 Waters is fun in contender, but Flintlock pistol brings it to whole 'nother level!

Can't wait to "get serious" next year!

 

[Britsmoothy]

How do you hold it please?

B.

 

[beagles5]

Mornin' Brit,

I turn my left hand palm up. Grip forearm like minnie rifle. Pistol rests on underside of wrist and part of arm.

Unlike scoped pistol, eye relief to peep sight is infinate.

Find this to be really solid.

Tune out any thoughts of flash/recoil and concentrate on aiming as if life depends on it!!

This seems to be the best method for me and ensures consistent follow-through. A key to accuracy carried over from bow-hunting days.

The 16 1/4 inch barrel really shines in stability and has it all in the velocity dept, as compared to anything shorter.

To simply just 2 hand hold and try to aim this very front heavy pistol is dam near impossible. A nice walking stick is also very helpful.

This pistol is extremely accurate from bench rest, a neccesity for good sight in.

Pedersoli lists max load for this pistol at 35 gr fffg. This is very light for this gun. Have no fears in loading to 60 gr. I just found 50 gr to be the best accuracy. It is built using all of thier rifle components, just in pistol form.

Bill

 

[Britsmoothy]

Thanks Bill, that's just how I imagined :hatsoff:

B.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Funny that the Pedersoli load says 35 grains and to be legal here in Maryland you'd have to go up to 40 at least.

LD

 

[beagles5]

LD,

One can never cease to be amazed at who comes up with all these funky rules, so much different from state-to-state??

You would be allowed to use a flintlock pistol in Maryland then?

Bill

 

[G.smith]

I was interested to see that Pedersoli lists 35 gr as max load in any of their pistols. The following is a response email I got from them when inquiring about my "Used .54 Kentucky Flintlock pistol" I have shot this weapon with 60gr FFF once and only once. I worked up to that personal max load 5 gr at a time. "Respectable Recoil" wold be putting it mildly. My go to all around load is 45 gr. With 530 ball and .015 patch w spit lube.

"The Kentucky pistol was produced and shipped to Dixie Gun Works on 2007.

We obtained good accuracy with the following loads: Target load 30 grs. of 3 Fg with round ball. .535" with patch .010", Hunting load 50 grs. of 3 Fg with the same ball and patch.

Best regards,
Customer Service
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Davide-Pedersoli-C/198648030179957

DAVIDE PEDERSOLI & C.
Via Artigiani, 57
I-25063 GARDONE VALTROMPIA
(Brescia) Italy
ph. +39 030 8915000
fax +39 030 8911019 www.davide-pedersoli.com"
_________

 

[Loyalist Dave]

LD,

One can never cease to be amazed at who comes up with all these funky rules, so much different from state-to-state??

You would be allowed to use a flintlock pistol in Maryland then?

Yes indeed. This state has minimum powder requirements. 60 grains for a long gun for deer, and 40 grains for a handgun for deer. .40 caliber minimum. (If I did put a stock on the Bounty Hunter, I'd have to up the load to 60 grains)

The folks in Annapolis don't really know or want to know about firearms, and simply put stuff on the books to satisfy their voters, without actually paying attention to anybody who knows about hunting and such.

For example one can hunt in many counties using a revolver in .357 or .44 mag or .45 Colt, BUT one cannot in most places, use a rifle chambered in any of those calibers on deer. They think it's a "safety issue". Yet they allow folks with muzzleloaders, traditional or otherwise, to launch projectiles with loads that are equal or greater than say a .45-70 or .444 Marlin. :youcrazy:

LD