Starting Deer Hunting With a Flintlock

[Wes/Tex]

Oh and another question I have that isn't quite as immediate, do the traditional musket balls (sorry for the lack of proper terms here) do enough damage to a deer and are accurate enough, or is it a wiser decision to use the more modern bullets that are shaped more like a regular rifle round?

Round balls have taken every species of game on this continent at one time or another. Know of 3 bull bison knocked into hump ribs with .62's and 90 grains black powder. .54 and up will usually deliver teh goods. Shooting way over yonder is about the only justification I can see for conicals, and the largest part of that depends on skill and ability to read distance and wind drift...long story! :wink: :rotf:

 

[Carl Fowler III]

Beckums videos are a good first step, another would be to find a club or member here that you can go to for hands on learning. The patch and round ball are the way to go and kill extremely well...you will have no problem killing deer and hogs down yer way with em! Hunted down yer way a couple years back near Waverly...took 2 hogs with the longbow. Was the first time hunting in the deep south and I loved it! :v

 

[azmntman]

how much research should I do before purchasing one?

Just ask Alden he will tell you. I had a .45 blue ridge from pedersoli and it was very reliable and accurate. Also some production guns like Lymans are reliable. I own a traditions flintlock :redface: that has always went off with a good flint. VERY Accurate too for the $249.00 I spent on it in the late 80's or early 90's. Was busting clay pigeons every shot at 90 yds last time out. Since I joined here I have learned alot and will be getting out again and see if I can "fine tune it". It seemed to need a new flint about every 20 shots but I had no idea about how to knapp em etc. Just stay here and read and ask and you'll gain A LOT of knowledge. Read too. Good luck, pics of yer decision please!

 

[DavyCrockett]

Right now I'm considering the Pedersoli Blue Ridge (Probably 50. cal) from Cabela's but I'm a college student with no job except during the summer so it may be a while before I have the money, and I doubt my mother will feel quite so generous to get me a $650 present for my upcoming birthday haha, and I can't blame her if she says no when I ask. Might have to wait a few months before I get my flintlock, but at least I ought to know plenty enough to get started by then.

 

[azmntman]

Go for a gov't grant to study how flintlocks and your major intertwine....maybe you luck out and get enough for a wonderful custom or even a shootable original! Hell with some of the studys I see my tax dollars supporting you have decent chance....all in the way you submit it! :slap:

 

[DavyCrockett]

Hahaha that just might work. Also the 45.cal Blue Ridge rifle is on sale right now, and I'm wondering, for deer hunting I've heard the 45. cal can take them down, but would it be worth it to wait for the 50. cal? How big of a difference is it?

 

[Pierre du Plessis]

Kudos to you for heading down the flintlock-hunting road :grin: !! Nothing is nearly as rewarding as harvesting meat for the table in this manner.

I would go with round-balls for two reasons. First, due to the fact that most traditionally-styled flintlock rifles have a slower rifling twist rate - typically 1 in 48" designed for round balls - the chances of stabilizing a conical bullet are pretty slim (modern muzzleloaders typically have a faster twist rate - 1 in 24" - in order to stabilize the heavier conicals... this faster twist rate will send round balls every which way). Second, it's the traditional method and well-proven to harvest game. It's also cheaper .

Before you head to the field get rid of that instinctive flinch that comes with shooting a "firelock" for the first time - I myself had a hard time overcoming this nasty habit. It helps to dry-fire the weapon with a flint-shaped piece of wood in the cock in order to save on flints. While you're dry firing hold the rifle on target and concentrate on not watching the lock out of the corner of your eye, but instead focusing solely on the target/sight picture. Next step is to replace the wood with a real flint, prime the pan, and practice shooting off priming powder - not flinching. This is probably common sense, but whenever doing any of these exercises DO keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction - don't ever point it at anything you wouldn't want to shoot.

Test various loads in your rifle, and settle on one load that you stay with no matter what range you're shooting at - learn where to hold your sights in order to hit your target. I use 75 grains of ffg in my .50 with a .49 round ball - seems to be a pretty near perfect load. But this is all personal preference - you find something that works for you.

When out in the deer woods, don't prime until last minute - instead, use a feather to seal the touch-hole, keeping your main-charge nice and dry.

And always make sure that your flint is sharp and correctly aligned - nothing as bad as having your gun misfire due to a bad flint, knowing that you could have prevented it :redface: .

All the best to you, and I look forward to reading about your successful hunts, Mr. Davy Crockett !

 

[Spikebuck]

I'm wondering, for deer hunting I've heard the 45. cal can take them down,

As someone else pointed out, know the limitations. But if you look through this seasons deer picture posts here there are two absolutely bruiser bucks...one from Indiana and another from Iowa...that went down in their tracks from .45's.

Mike

 

[hanshi]

:thumbsup: