What Single Gun Would You Choose?

[bwhoffman]

.40 0r .45 capper IF I had to choose only one!

I can do birds with a PRB if I need to!

 

[nkbj]

No 2nd thoughts on that one. If my loved ones depended on it and me, then it oughta have two barrels, two locks.

But for the choice of barrels...big'uns, same bore, one rifled.

 

[Swampman]

Probably my .45 T/C

 

[jethro224]

10 lbs of lead would be over 100 balls for my Bess. Or @ 300 for my .54 rifle. 400+ shots worth of powder either way. :hmm:
How long are we campin'?

 

[roundball]

10 lbs of lead would be over 100 balls for my Bess. Or @ 300 for my .54 rifle. 400+ shots worth of powder either way. :hmm:
How long are we campin'?

That was one of the reasons I went with the .45cal...550 balls from 10lbs of lead

 

[ozark57]

10 lbs of lead would be over 100 balls for my Bess. Or @ 300 for my .54 rifle. 400+ shots worth of powder either way. :hmm:
How long are we campin'?

1 year, sorry I missed that. Important perimeter!

 

[ebiggs1]

TC Hawkens weren't built before 1850 :haha: I'd go with a .40 cal,with about 36" barrel. Half or full stock, percussion or flint depending on time period. That bow and arrow would be a nice addition also :thumbsup:

I doubt any of the guns mentioned in the replies were "built before 1850" :haha:

 

[ebiggs1]

OK, Here is where you are at:

Survival situation. You are in the US somewhere between Southern Michigan and North Texas. You have the bare minimums of shelter, 2LBS. of salt, good knife, clothes to fit the weather.
No food. Game available includes squirrel, rabbit, whitetail, hogs.
No bears.
Some human threat.

For your gun you have 10LBS. lead, mold, 5 LBS. powder. 1000 percussion caps, or 100 good flints as the case may be. Horn and bag with accessories as needed.

What gun ( must be pre 1865 ML ) would you pick?
Remember,your life depends on it. :hmm:

“Some human threat.”

What does this mean? If there is one of you and two, or more, of them, you may be in trouble with any muzzleloader. Particularly if you encounter both, or more, at the same time and they are bent on taking your goods.
Remember,your life depends on it. :hmm:

 

[jethro224]

10 lbs of lead would be over 100 balls for my Bess. Or @ 300 for my .54 rifle. 400+ shots worth of powder either way. :hmm:
How long are we campin'?

1 year, sorry I missed that. Important perimeter!

That long... :hmm: I guess I'd take the .54 rifle. That gives me one shot a day if I take Sundays off and don't find any used balls. Should be plenty.
Snares and deadfalls would keep me fed mostly. I'd try and save balls by not shooting every day and I'd try to avoid any human threats as much as possible.
In today's world, it should be fairly easy to scrounge up more lead if necessary but I doubt I'd need to.

 

[roundball]

For deer, maybe mild powder charges could be used to improve the odds of the balls stopping inside / being recovered

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

I would think that a turn barrel flinter with a 45/24 caliber/gauge would do just find for that situation.

 

[Dave K]

For me, I would go with a 36-40cal. It will take all that you mentioned that could threaten me, plus feed me. I would have allot of shooting out of the amount of powder and lead I had available. Of course you need to remember. I am kind of a guy that leans toward small bores anyhow. I have been a bowhunter for years, so getting close, is something that I have done often. :surrender:

 

[tg]

I see a flawed scenario, no offense, but one would not go into the wilds with no ready made balls or shot, it is not realistic thus a realistic answer is difficult and one would take what one needed if going for a predetermined length of time and knowing of the situations to be incountered, and not be limited to a list of goods not sufficient to the task, if one found themselves stuck with this equipage due to misshap a beline to the first civilized place would be the obvious plan not a years stay, again no offense but the situation is whismical and any answer would be the same.Time period is very important to this situation,a common horn and 5 lb of powder but a 10lb lead bar? I could make a long list of accesories needed, crossbow and bolts, steel jaw traps, good horse, if going to 1865 who would pick a ML? a Henry or Spencer would be a logical pick, with a brace of '51 colts as a back up. and on and on, not a logical scenario but have fun anyway.

 

[ozark57]

I see a flawed scenario, no offense, but one would not go into the wilds with no ready made balls or shot, it is not realistic thus a realistic answer is difficult and one would take what one needed if going for a predetermined length of time and knowing of the situations to be incountered, and not be limited to a list of goods not sufficient to the task, if one found themselves stuck with this equipage due to misshap a beline to the first civilized place would be the obvious plan not a years stay, again no offense but the situation is whismical and any answer would be the same.Time period is very important to this situation,a common horn and 5 lb of powder but a 10lb lead bar? I could make a long list of accesories needed, crossbow and bolts, steel jaw traps, good horse, if going to 1865 who would pick a ML? a Henry or Spencer would be a logical pick, with a brace of '51 colts as a back up. and on and on, not a logical scenario but have fun anyway.

This just for fun TG. We get some really good takes on what guns members would like/ find most useful. Keeps us thinking and we get to see some nice gun pics. along the way. The 1865 date and ML's only complies with forum rules. We all share a common interest in historic arms and imagening ways they could be used is part of the fun.

That being said, I would take my .36 caplock. Kill a squirrel or rabbit with 15gr. powder or a deer with 42gr. Lots of .350 balls in 10 lbs.

 

[BadHorse]

Nice looking long rifle. How long is that barrel?
Thanks OB

sorry it took me so long to get back to you on this OB. the barrel on Savannah is 38"

 

[OB OBrien]

Wow !.... It looks a lot longer than that.
Thanks
OB

 

[BadHorse]

its the angle of the dangle in that pic! :rotf:

 

[ebiggs1]

I know you said what “single” gun would I take but the “human” conflict thingy is bothering me. So I am changing my one gun to my 50 cal TC Hawken in cap lock form and pretty please let me also take my 1st or 2nd Model Colt’s Dragoon.

 

[rwiliff]

Buzz Kill

Robert

 

[Zonie]

To those interested:

From a historical standpoint the 5 pounds of powder and the 10 pounds of lead allowed is generous with the powder allotment.

In 1629 a pamphlet was written in England describing the necessary provisions to be taken to the new world by each person.
It lists, among other things:

"One long piece (musket) five feet or five and a half long.
One Sword. One bandoleer. One belt. Twenty pounds of powder.
Sixty pounds of shot or lead, pistol and Goose-shot..."

That's one pound of powder for every 3 pounds of lead while the OP is giving 1 pound of powder for every 2 pounds of lead. Most generous if I do say so myself. :grin: