Smoothbore hunting caliber ?

[kmeyer]

For those of you that do this, please post your caliber and what you hunt. I am looking for a musket that will hunt squirrel and rabbits as well as turkeys. Right now I am looking at a .69 and a .76. I am wondering if the .69 will pattern better.

 

[Rebel]

Either one of them will work as long as you work up a good patterning (is that a word?) load. Even a .20 ga/.62 cal. will work for the game you listed, as well as deer with a rd. ball.

 

[No Deer]

So far with my 20 ga. I have killed a couple of squrls, a deer (using a .60 prb) and 2 turkeys. Been rabbit huntin with it, but have not had the chance to bag one of those yet. I also have a 12 ga., have taken deer and turkey with that one too. I prefer the 20 ga. just cuz I like the gun better. Both will do a superb job on any game you will want to hunt. :imo:

 

[Wart]

20 guage 62 cal. - several deer, turkey, squirrel and one rabbit. Yep, only one rabbit - of course, I've only shot at one rabbit with it :thumbsup: Maybe its time to start concentrating on foxes.
:results:

 

[kmeyer]

I spoke to a guy today at a retail store that said a .76 in a muzzloader will be a horrible kick also. He said it will be much more than a modern 12 gauge. Anyone shot one that big here?

 

[Rebel]

Yep, and the guy don't know what he is talking about. Unless you really use heavy loads, they aren't bad at all. I shoot a .12ga/.72cal sxs. I use 95 grs of powder with up to 1 3/8oz of shot. I have used 100 grs of powder and .690 rd. balls. I would compare the recoil to a heavy .20 ga modern loading. But with BP you don't get the same KICK. More of a big shove. :m2c:

 

[Stumpkiller]

I spoke to a guy today at a retail store that said a .76 in a muzzloader will be a horrible kick also. He said it will be much more than a modern 12 gauge. Anyone shot one that big here?

Bollux! One and one quarter ounces of lead leaving an eight pound modern shotgun kicks no less than one and one quarter ounce of lead from a nine pound flintlock musket, the velocity being about the same for both. Newton proved that 200 plus years ago. A semi-auto shotgun uses up some to cycle the action in some cases. Stock design also causes some hurt if it's not shaped to yours. Shoot a single barreled 10 ga. break-open breechloader and tell me that puppy don't play rough.

He's likely flinching at the flash and thinking it was "kick". Or just passing rumors his nanny whispered in his ear as a toddler.

 

[Rebel]

I really would rather shoot 1 1/2 oz of lead or shot out of a BP gun than a modern smokeless gun. There is definately a difference in FELT recoil with BP. It doesn't bother me near as much to shoot 1 1/4 oz of shot over a charge of 95-100 grs of 2f as it does to shoot the same number of shots with my Mossberg pump shooting 1 1/4 oz of shot. And my double barrel .12 ga muzzleloader weighs less than my Mossberg does. :m2c:

 

[Runner]

In my case, my 12 guage does kick a lot worse, but it is about 4 pounds. It tries to kill on both ends with turkey loads. Try shooting a full magnum 12 guage turkey load out of a 4 pound gun tho to compare. Bet you would not like it very much either! If the clerk shot one of the light guns like mine, he really isn't making a valid comparison. Most of the smoothbore muzzleloaders will be a lot heavier than mine.

 

[Rebel]

What kind of .12 ga do you have that only weighs 4 lbs. That is a bit on the light side.

 

[Rat]

I shoot a .75 and kick is not bad in the 90-100 grains of powder zone. Get into the 110+ grain zone and you'll start to feel it. Even so I'd say my Mossberg 3" 12 gauge riot-gun with 3" slugs, shot off the bench kicks worse, and it has a rubber butt.

Beware of the man behind the counter!!

I hunt everything with my .75" smoothbore, grouse, Turk, deer, bear, deer and elk, couger too. (not saying I've shot all them things...but I try!) But now that I have my Jaeger the .75 will probably be used for grouse and Turk, and perhaps an occasional stroll through the thick stuff for black bear.

Rat