Guest
From time to time questions have been asked about the use of bird shot in a rifled barrel. Generally we say "don't do it". But apparently at least some old timers did. I was reading a hunting story in the Turnbo papers (a collection of stories and recollections of early Ozark pioneers) that took place in the early 1800s that referred to this. The fellow had loaded his flintlock rifle with shot for squirrels and encountered a black bear. Being a typical Ozarker, he shot it anyway and his (ever present in the Ozarks) dogs jumped the enraged bruin. The fellow quickly reloaded with a ball and killed the beast. So, I guess it was done at times, whether ideal or not. If you like hunting tales you ought to read the Turnbo papers--many are available online and some have been collected into a book called the White River Chronicles. I especially like the bear stories--southern MO and north Ark were full of bears in the early 1800s and they were treated like vermin to be wiped out, but the many of the tales are interesting reading and informative as to early hunting techiniques.
