-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Stupid Question
- Thread starter wright561
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Smoothbore is any barreled weapon that does not have rifling. Can fire a single ball or shot. Shotgun, cannon, mortor, most muskets (later ones were rifled).
Percussion is an ignition system which requires a seperate means of introducing a small expolsive charge to light the main charge. Usually, a small metal cup that rests on a nipple and is struck by a hammer. There are variations.
Flintlocks use a piece or fling to generate sparks when striking hardened metal to ignite a small powder charge.
Modern in-lines use a centerfire primer, and may or may not be considered percussion depending on who you talk to, as the mechanism often relies on a firing pin and not a hammer blow to ignite the primer.
Percussion is an ignition system which requires a seperate means of introducing a small expolsive charge to light the main charge. Usually, a small metal cup that rests on a nipple and is struck by a hammer. There are variations.
Flintlocks use a piece or fling to generate sparks when striking hardened metal to ignite a small powder charge.
Modern in-lines use a centerfire primer, and may or may not be considered percussion depending on who you talk to, as the mechanism often relies on a firing pin and not a hammer blow to ignite the primer.
Smoothbores are guns with no rifling, they have barrels that are similar to shotguns, some are long tubes, like the brown bess, some have short belled barrels, like the blunderbuss...
But all smoothbores have NO rifling engraved in the bore...
Percussion guns take percussion caps to set off the weapon instead of flint, musket caps are large caps that look like top hats...
The main reason I'm asking these questions is because I'm just getting starting into muzzleload hunting and I have recently bought a CVA Trapper (which has still yet to arrive). I bought the Trapper to primarily turkey hunt and possibly squirrel hunt too. I was just curious if you could deer hunt with a smoothbore using a ball or if the accuracy wasn't good enough for it.
I, believe it or not, thought I knew what a percussion gun was but I wasn't sure if I'd leave messages about a percussion smoothbore under the smoothbore or percussion category. :hmm:
Once again thanks for the help guys and I'm sure I'll have many, many more things to learn from you guys in the future so please bare with me on my rookie season.
I, believe it or not, thought I knew what a percussion gun was but I wasn't sure if I'd leave messages about a percussion smoothbore under the smoothbore or percussion category. :hmm:
Once again thanks for the help guys and I'm sure I'll have many, many more things to learn from you guys in the future so please bare with me on my rookie season.
Well, that's a tough one.
I live near a fellow who can put 13 round balls out of a flintlock smoothbore military musket in a single ragged hole 50 meters. That will win you Olympic gold (miquelet match). With my Bess, or my New Englander 12 ga., I am very happy when I can put 5 in 6" at 50 yards from a standing position.
Some flintlocks are known as "smooth rifles", everything about them is built like a rifle and they have front and rear sight - just no rifling, and they will do 3" or much less at 50 yards offhand. They will shoot with any rifle out that far, but then fall off considerably at longer ranges. As with any firearm, load development and practice make all the difference. 'Course, with a round ball, anything past 120 yards is bordering on optimistic even with a rifle.
The current Abrams tank uses a smoothbore barrel and shoots to minute-of-angle accuracy.
I live near a fellow who can put 13 round balls out of a flintlock smoothbore military musket in a single ragged hole 50 meters. That will win you Olympic gold (miquelet match). With my Bess, or my New Englander 12 ga., I am very happy when I can put 5 in 6" at 50 yards from a standing position.
Some flintlocks are known as "smooth rifles", everything about them is built like a rifle and they have front and rear sight - just no rifling, and they will do 3" or much less at 50 yards offhand. They will shoot with any rifle out that far, but then fall off considerably at longer ranges. As with any firearm, load development and practice make all the difference. 'Course, with a round ball, anything past 120 yards is bordering on optimistic even with a rifle.
The current Abrams tank uses a smoothbore barrel and shoots to minute-of-angle accuracy.
Sure you can hunt deer with it, many of us prefer to use a smoothbore for deer hunting...
Find out what your smoothbore can do before deer season, if you can hit a paper plate with it at 50 yards, you can hunt deer with it with confidences...
Again, don't expect rifle results from a smoothbore, in the hands of an experienced smoothbore shooter, 100+ yards shots are achievable...
Get to know your weapon, shoot it like a smoothbore and you will do fine...
Also be sure to check your state laws, some states have smoothbore restrictions imposed...
The rule of thumb, and it's a good one, is to deer hunt no farther than that range at which you can put every shot in a 10" circle under hunting conditions.
When I use a smoothbore with a ball, I hunt just as I would if I was using a bow; a little better even as I hold my bow shots to 30 yards. You have the great advantage that it requires less motion to make the shot, and you can hold motionless indefinately to wait for the right moment. With a rifle, I figure I have 4X my 30 yard bow range under ideal conditions.
A large caliber round ball (20 gauge & up), driven at 1,400 fps or so from the muzzle, will kill any deer in America cleanly out to 75 or 80 yards with no trouble at all . . . if you put it in their vitals.
When I use a smoothbore with a ball, I hunt just as I would if I was using a bow; a little better even as I hold my bow shots to 30 yards. You have the great advantage that it requires less motion to make the shot, and you can hold motionless indefinately to wait for the right moment. With a rifle, I figure I have 4X my 30 yard bow range under ideal conditions.
A large caliber round ball (20 gauge & up), driven at 1,400 fps or so from the muzzle, will kill any deer in America cleanly out to 75 or 80 yards with no trouble at all . . . if you put it in their vitals.
mike alexandre
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2005
- Messages
- 722
- Reaction score
- 0
And I think it fair to say that there are'nt any stupid questions - especialy when you are starting out - only stupid answers.
sherpadoug
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2005
- Messages
- 178
- Reaction score
- 0
I would say it depends on the question. If it is about loading powder, wadding, bullets, etc. or about accuracy or sighting I would post it to Smoothbore.
If the question is about ignition post it to Percussion.
If it about recreating an era post it to that era.
Kyhunter is good to go in Kentucky w/ his CVA Trapper. The only restrictions we have on deer hunting firearms are no rim-fire rounds. On muzzleloaders the statute sez:
"Muzzle-loading rifles or handguns of any caliber are permitted (for deer hunting). Muzzle-loading shotguns no larger than 10 ga. used with slugs only are permitted. A muzzle-loading firearm that can be fired more than once before reloading is permitted, as long as it meets the definition of a muzzle-loading firearm. In-line muzzle-loading rifles are permitted and using telescopic sights (scopes) on muzzleloaders is permitted." (pg. 10 of Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide - Fall 2004 & Spring 2005).
A caution on the in-line stuff though, one of the state's WMA's (wildlife management area) the Pioneer Weapons Hunting Area in the Daniel Boone N.F. is restricted to side-lock mz's only (or archery)and cap n. ball revolvers, both without optic sights, iron sights only.
"Muzzle-loading rifles or handguns of any caliber are permitted (for deer hunting). Muzzle-loading shotguns no larger than 10 ga. used with slugs only are permitted. A muzzle-loading firearm that can be fired more than once before reloading is permitted, as long as it meets the definition of a muzzle-loading firearm. In-line muzzle-loading rifles are permitted and using telescopic sights (scopes) on muzzleloaders is permitted." (pg. 10 of Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide - Fall 2004 & Spring 2005).
A caution on the in-line stuff though, one of the state's WMA's (wildlife management area) the Pioneer Weapons Hunting Area in the Daniel Boone N.F. is restricted to side-lock mz's only (or archery)and cap n. ball revolvers, both without optic sights, iron sights only.
Yes, a lot less. There are days I go out there and have the place to myself. Will not hear a shot all day. For a public land hunting plot in the eastern U.S. it is primo. Most people just don't want the handicap of a side-lock - no scope, no ATV or truck to be able to pull your deer out, terrian as steep as a mule's face and yes, the occasional Copperhead just to keep it interesting. Me, I love the place. I hunt almost exclusively black-powder anymore. I have not hunted anything except coyotes with a modern weapon in several years. I must say however, I am a lot more successful out there with the deer than with the turkeys. Most others are as well, I believe there are only 8 birds taken with muzzleloader so far this season in the two counties that the PWA occupies according to the KDFW web-sight. You got to scout that chunk of land before your hunts. I have meet several good ol' boys who come out of there swearing there is no game in there. They just have not done their home-work! Check with the Daniel Boone N.F. Field Office in Winchester, they have some quality maps of the area which help in scouting.
I've hunted there for 10 years now. It was tough when I first started hunting down there but I've finally figured the birds out down there. I've got a great map of the whole area that I bought online for $14.95. It's a pretty detailed map that shows all the horse/hiking trails, roads and elevations. I've only bowhunted on the primitive side for deer. I wouldn't attempt to deer hunt at Zilpo with a modern rifle for anything. I bet there's 5 times the hunters in there during deer season. Talk about a warzone. Can't wait to muzzleload in Pioneer are this fall.
kyhunter, questions such as your's are NEVER stupid. They are merely uninformed and have been asked at one time or another by everyone on this board.I demonstrate flintlock shooting at a major event each year in East Tennessee and talk to large numbers of people over a four day stretch.I have grouped the questions into four categories:
1.Serious questions by knowleagable people {not too common}
2.Uninformed questions such as your's which I use to educate
3.Children's questions,my favorites and often quite good
4."Smart ass" questions, designed to impress wives and/or
girl friends.I have fun with those.
No,your question isn't stupid it's uninformed and deserves
a serious answer and there are a lot of people on this board more than willing to help anyone who asks.
Take it from one who has asked his share of uninformed questions and will doubtless do so again.
Tom Patton :thumbsup:
1.Serious questions by knowleagable people {not too common}
2.Uninformed questions such as your's which I use to educate
3.Children's questions,my favorites and often quite good
4."Smart ass" questions, designed to impress wives and/or
girl friends.I have fun with those.
No,your question isn't stupid it's uninformed and deserves
a serious answer and there are a lot of people on this board more than willing to help anyone who asks.
Take it from one who has asked his share of uninformed questions and will doubtless do so again.
Tom Patton :thumbsup:
JackAubrey
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2004
- Messages
- 586
- Reaction score
- 5
Just remember mate,you will loose your immortal soul if you shoot inlines! :crackup:
Similar threads
