What to buy next???

[Ben Meyer]

How/why so? I cant see loading as being THAT easier, though I'm sure the post-range cleaning is.

One precaution though.... once you shoot a smoothie, your riffles will start to gather dust and rust due to non-use. Smoothies are just soooooo much more fun to shoot.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Cleaning takes about the same amount of time whether its a rifle or a smoothbore. With a smooth bore the jag doesn't loosen up as it often does in a rifle and you don't need to keep tightening the jag.

 

[michael mcghee]

been looking on gun broker found one i like.. bad thing i dont the money to buy it.. its based on a Isaac Haines.style.. the parts will cost more then gun itself. Colerain swamped 'B' profile barrel.. large Siler lock..

 

[No Deer]

How/why so? I cant see loading as being THAT easier, though I'm sure the post-range cleaning is.

Can't really explain it. Just my experience, and that of others I know, and have read about. Seems that once a smooth bore is shot, it just seems like more fun, and gets all the attention. Also smooth bore shooters don't seem to be so obsessed with cloverleaf patterns, so there is less pressure on the shooter. Just my opinion, ymmv.

 

[tenngun]

Can't really explain it. Just my experience, and that of others I know, and have read about. Seems that once a smooth bore is shot, it just seems like more fun, and gets all the attention. Also smooth bore shooters don't seem to be so obsessed with cloverleaf patterns, so there is less pressure on the shooter. Just my opinion, ymmv.

Ain’t it the truth. Just as so many of us find ml more fun to shoot then modern guns, so many of us find flinter more fun then percussions. Then you find smoothies more fun then rifles, it don’t make no sense but it’s true.
I’m afraid to try matchlocks.

 

[Silky921]

Can't really explain it. Just my experience, and that of others I know, and have read about. Seems that once a smooth bore is shot, it just seems like more fun, and gets all the attention. Also smooth bore shooters don't seem to be so obsessed with cloverleaf patterns, so there is less pressure on the shooter. Just my opinion, ymmv.

Man, I never thought of that, but looking back, I always seem to be less pressured when shooting my fowler. It's more for fun than anything else. Very good observation.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Man, I never thought of that, but looking back, I always seem to be less pressured when shooting my fowler. It's more for fun than anything else. Very good observation.

Something to be said for that. I normally hang 8 or 10" steel plates, As long as it goes "Boing" I am happy. Just don't spend a lot of time worrying about bugholes.

 

[No Deer]

I’m afraid to try matchlocks.

I have shot a matchlock. It was definitely different. Didn't shoot it very many times, so didn't get any desire to go get one.

 

[fourbore]

In the old days we would order a catalog and spend hours turning the pages. Today you can visit websites like Pedersoli. While I am not a Pedersoli fan, more a hater, they do offer an amazing variety. The guns that get my attention are the target models. I dont recall the model names. The images look good.

There is October country website for some massive big bore. No experience with that company, but; the OP can look for ideas.

For a shot gun, I prefer a single shot for carry and balance. For collecting a double all day long. To hunt , IMHO, get a single. I do have a Pedersoli double and the lock work is messed up and no warranty for 2nd owner and megabucks for parts. I used it to make my own Howdah. Those Howdah double pistols are pretty cool! That is where I give Pedersoli credit - variety.

I read good reviews on Lyman, but; the OP has that product line covered.

A gun I am considering is a 17xx (I forget exact date 77?) Charlesville French military musket. Or consider the same old, same old, Brown Bess. The Bess is an impressive long musket. Tuned up reproductions from India are available out of New Hampshire. The OP has no military guns. Those tended to be good strong guns back in the day. Found it: Middlesex Village Trading company. A great website to look for ideas.

 

[fourbore]

In a seperate theme, the OP could step up to a real antique. They are vastly under rated for shooting and pride of ownership. In that area, I recommend an M1855, 1861 or 1863 Springfield rifled musket. Those are affordable and good solid guns with all parts readily available. I found a so-called Bannerman, with barrel cut down to 24" barrel. Great shooter and less than 1/2 the cost of an I-Tie repro. A good clean origional will be a little more than a repro. Not a lot more more, but more. OP could try shooting mini balls for something different. I have not yet. Hickock did a good youtube video.

Before others complaining about wear out and breakage, consider the OP has 1/2 dozen muzzle loaders now and soon to be a dozen later. At that level none of them will see excessive use.

 

[Ben Meyer]

Keep em coming guys.

My son is gonna buy a Navy Arms Antonio Zoli built .58cal Zouave rifle next week. I've never shot a Civil War era replica/gun before so thatll be a new experience. That said, I'm mist interested in the Longhunter era and the Mountain Man era, so say 1760s-1840, with some F&I War interest. Whatever I get, I'd want it to be something based out if that 80yr period.

 

[hanshi]

No dilemma whatsoever! Just take a yellow legal pad, number each line, jot down any gun you don't have, start at #1 and keep buying until you hit #120.

 

[Col. Batguano]

After you get all the needs covered by the guns you think you want, consider getting (or building) something somewhat different than you can get from the "normal" places, like gun companies. How about custom LR? Or something a bit on the frivolous side, like a blunderbuss or cannon.

Once you start building, you won't be able to acquire guns as fast as when you buy them that's for sure.

 

[Realwarrior]

I agree with the above consensus on a smoothbore. You want a minimum of .62 which is 20 ga. Some of the smoothbore rifle barrels are made for round balls and undersized if shooting shot.

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

I had a Bess, and a Tulle. I'd taken deer, grouse, chuker, quail, pheasant, woodcock, rabbit, doves, squirrel with both, and a fox with the Tulle. I've sold them and build the sister, smooth rifle to my rifle. Early Lancaster .50 cal/28 ga. I haven't hunted turkey yet, due to several "being shot at" incidents when I was younger. I quit that game venture. With the smooth rifle, I've taken all the above except the fox and chucker. Yeah, it is a hoot of a rush over modern stuff. I was sick the other night watching an outdoor show where the guy was shooting a modern inline and mad and bragged about the 350 yd shot on steel. I felt from his talk, he has no stalking skill and needs to sniper to get his kill thrill.

 

[Realwarrior]

In some states 20ga is the minimum for hunting turkeys.

 

[tenngun]

Keep em coming guys.

My son is gonna buy a Navy Arms Antonio Zoli built .58cal Zouave rifle next week. I've never shot a Civil War era replica/gun before so thatll be a new experience. That said, I'm mist interested in the Longhunter era and the Mountain Man era, so say 1760s-1840, with some F&I War interest. Whatever I get, I'd want it to be something based out if that 80yr period.

A gun like the North West Gun is great, but a little late for F&I on time for MM. A Fusil de Chase is the opposite. Or a colonial style fowler. How ever FDC were found still in use in to the early twentieth century. Most of our museum pieces come from guns that were still in use just a century ago when they were a hundred and fifty years old.
So.... go early and it will be ok across that whole eighty year period, go later and you may have a gun that’s too late.

 

[hinamanra]

One precaution though.... once you shoot a smoothie, your riffles will start to gather dust and rust due to non-use. Smoothies are just soooooo much more fun to shoot.

Ain't that the truth. I got a .32 long rifle and a .58 Jaeger rifle after I been hunting and shooting my .62 Fusil de chasse for 5 years and shes still my go to gun. Don't get me wrong I love shooting the rifles, but man, that smoothie is light, easy to carry, load, clean and I've taken just about every game animal that I can hunt in PA except an elk and water fowel

 

[Carbon 6]

But, what to get? Im thinking either a small cal flintlock longrifle, like a .36cal. Something suitable for small game hunting. Or a smoothbore flintlock, like a Fusil or trade gun or Fowler I could use as a shotgun. Or maybe a .50cal Hawken type percussion pistol. Or???????? My mind is not made up! Help me spend money(in my head) that i dont even have yet!

Buy them all, and more.

 

[Ben Meyer]

So, Fusil de Chaisse it is. Thatll be my next BP gun, .62cal and smoothbore.

Who makes or made them? I wont be building it myself, and will not buy an Indian reproduction. Other than that, give me some recommendations.