The Best Muzzleloading Movies

[Coinneach]

Tell me about the target size being used at long range for a scoped rifle. I bet the relative size between a target size through a magnified scope and a target size for a naked eye aren't much different. The "large" target size has more to do with being able to actually see the target with the naked eye (and line it up with iron sights) than improving the score just by having a larger target. No different than asking a shooter with a modern sniper scope to use a target smaller than be seen through his scope.

I don't think anyone's arguing that the string of movie shots at the bucket is realistic (that's pure Hollywood). But, muzzleloaders and BP cartridge rifles can indeed be accurate at long ranges (where the shooter can see the target with the naked eye). The British proved that at Crimea against the Russians. The biggest and obvious issue is dealing with the massive arc of the trajectory of the bullet. As to the heft of the rifle, a shooter would overcome that with training - no different than English archers training to shoot bows with draw weights much heavier than bows used by current archers.

Our Sniper targets were the standard Army Figure 11, of course zeroing was done with standard competition Bulls Eye targets.

Unlike the average Sharps rifle shooter, English Longbow archers were trained from an early age (around their Teens) as specialist Archers village by village and by Law (even as late as Henry 8th reign) rather then whoever volunteered to compete as in the Quigley scenario.

 

[Coinneach]

750 yard target was 36". Schutzen targets vary a bit, 17" X 17" being common for 200 yard offhand.

Not sure why you bring up target size, when the contention seems to be you guys don't eat your Wheaties.

"dont eat your Wheaties" where did that come from ?

If youre introducing some kind of personal pissing contest take it elsewhere.

 

[COTNTOP]

Don't eat those Wheaties for God's sake, look what they did to Bruce Jenner.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Our Sniper targets were the standard Army Figure 11, of course zeroing was done with standard competition Bulls Eye targets.

Unlike the average Sharps rifle shooter, English Longbow archers were trained from an early age (around their Teens) as specialist Archers village by village and by Law (even as late as Henry 8th reign) rather then whoever volunteered to compete as in the Quigley scenario.

Agree with all the above except... we're not talking about average Sharps shooters or average bowmen, just as the military doesn't incorporate average shooters into it's sniper teams. The Hollywood Quigley character was supposed to be an exceptional shooter, a 1/10 of 1 percent marksman. There are examples to be found of exceptional marksmen who could hit the bullseye at 100 yards with a short barreled revolver - with iron sights. Way beyond my abilities, but that is why they are considered to be exceptional shooters. Billy Dixon was one of these shooters who had the gift.

 

[waksupi]

"dont eat your Wheaties" where did that come from ?

If youre introducing some kind of personal pissing contest take it elsewhere.

You made it sound like a person couldn't shoot off hand at long range, while we do it regularly.

 

[user 53891]

You made it sound like a person couldn't shoot off hand at long range, while we do it regularly.

Sounds like someone got their feelings hurt....oh well. Only shooting matches here....no pissing matches....at this age it ain't the distance it used to be....MERRY CHRISTMAS - BE FRIENDS

 

[Tanglefoot]

Been thinkin' about La Veta. Doc and Dee Carlson were there and I believe they're still around. So is Jon Bower ("Nightsinger") - the minstrel who was carried around the camp in a sedan chair. Tom "Badger" Kelly is still kicking too. Art Ressel was there, is still alive, but out of the ML business. Betty Walker and her husband "No Feather" were there and I traded one of Betty's outstanding beaded tobacco pouches from her, but I don't know if they're still around now. Here's a few photos for those who still care about long-long-ago.

 

[Coinneach]

You made it sound like a person couldn't shoot off hand at long range, while we do it regularly.

No you misquote me, I specifically mentioned a heavy SHARPS rifle in the Quigley scenario initially.
"Long range" can be 400 to 1000 yards plus depending on the shooter and the Rifle or Carbine; and I wont dispute guys regularly shoot off hand at long range; I use to do it myself.

The question is how long can the average guy hold a full length Sharps rifle steady enough to be accurately firing at a standard range bullseye target out to 1000 plus yards ? Now theres a hell of a lot of variables in this and we can debate it for the rest of our lives.

 

[Coinneach]

Sounds like someone got their feelings hurt....oh well. Only shooting matches here....no pissing matches....at this age it ain't the distance it used to be....MERRY CHRISTMAS - BE FRIENDS

Been thinkin' about La Veta. Doc and Dee Carlson were there and I believe they're still around. So is Jon Bower ("Nightsinger") - the minstrel who was carried around the camp in a sedan chair. Tom "Badger" Kelly is still kicking too. Art Ressel was there, is still alive, but out of the ML business. Betty Walker and her husband "No Feather" were there and I traded one of Betty's outstanding beaded tobacco pouches from her, but I don't know if they're still around now. Here's a few photos for those who still care about long-long-ago.

Thanks for the images, wish I could have been there.

 

[waksupi]

No you misquote me, I specifically mentioned a heavy SHARPS rifle in the Quigley scenario initially.
"Long range" can be 400 to 1000 yards plus depending on the shooter and the Rifle or Carbine; and I wont dispute guys regularly shoot off hand at long range; I use to do it myself.

The question is how long can the average guy hold a full length Sharps rifle steady enough to be accurately firing at a standard range bullseye target out to 1000 plus yards ? Now theres a hell of a lot of variables in this and we can debate it for the rest of our lives.

Sharps rifles are used, among others.

 

[user 53891]

Been thinkin' about La Veta. Doc and Dee Carlson were there and I believe they're still around. So is Jon Bower ("Nightsinger") - the minstrel who was carried around the camp in a sedan chair. Tom "Badger" Kelly is still kicking too. Art Ressel was there, is still alive, but out of the ML business. Betty Walker and her husband "No Feather" were there and I traded one of Betty's outstanding beaded tobacco pouches from her, but I don't know if they're still around now. Here's a few photos for those who still care about long-long-ago.

I live about 35 miles east of La Veta. Hit the La Veta Oktoberfest every year. Had on helluva car show this year.

 

[tenngun]

We made mention of Master and Commandeer. And the Hornblower series. I would add the original Hornblower with Gregory Peck as the good Captian. It does show realistic battle tactics for the age of sail and an experienced frigate captain taking on an inexperienced ship of the line crew.
Later a realistic though very lucky strategic victory
Billy Budd with Peter Ustinov and Damn the Defiant with Sir Alic Guinness were also first rate.

 

[thomasgunn]

I live about 35 miles east of La Veta. Hit the La Veta Oktoberfest every year. Had on helluva car show this year.

I lived a large part of my life in La Veta and still own a home there (summer there during the warmer months). Parts of a few movies have been filmed close by, “Conagher”with Sam Elliot, “Wind in the Wire”with Randy Travis , “Flashback” with Dennis Hopper (got to spend a few hours [between takes] talking and hanging out him, great guy). Of course, Heston had lunch at The Covered Wagon restaurant in La Veta, Chatted with him (and got an autograph). Michael Martin Murphey performed there. Remember the very first Oktoberfest! Wild!

 

[Coinneach]

We made mention of Master and Commandeer. And the Hornblower series. I would add the original Hornblower with Gregory Peck as the good Captian. It does show realistic battle tactics for the age of sail and an experienced frigate captain taking on an inexperienced ship of the line crew.
Later a realistic though very lucky strategic victory
Billy Budd with Peter Ustinov and Damn the Defiant with Sir Alic Guinness were also first rate.

All good movies I've managed to collect over the years, I'm not a Netflix guy prefer to own and re-watch the movies I like from time to time, thats when you know a movie has some quality about it.

 

[Grenadier1758]

With all the chatter about "Treasure Island", I did a search for it and found a 2011 version with Elijah Woods as Jim Hawkins and Eddie Izzard as Long John Silver. As a typical British production, the exterior scenes were spot on, they used real flint locks in the shooting scenes and the interior scenes had good representation of the material culture. Some back story was added, but once into the story this movie is following the book.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...2AA94759365DBAB500792AA94759365DBAB&FORM=VIRE
Whoops that's not the same movie. Jack Palance is Long John Silver. The story goes all awry at the end and not at all in accordance with the original story. Well, the shooting sequences are correct. That movie gets 2 stars. Take that one off the list.

The other version with Elijah Woods and Eddie Izzard is still out there to be found and reviewed.

 

[Frontier's]

Almost heroes
Centennial

 

[COTNTOP]

The battle at Bunker Hill in "Sons of Liberty" had some good flintlock action

 

[BozoMiller]

Frontier on Netflix, pretty good

 

[ORBushman]

Almost heroes

 

[longun]

Hatfields & McCoys tv mini series with Costner & Paxton?