Blackpowder hunting in Oregon

[Smilin Jack]

Took a week off work in October and hunted near Hood River for deer with my draw deer tag. No shots fired at deer, but had a great time.

John got a grouse with his 20ga flintlock.

I used the Lyman Great Plains 50 cal for that deer hunt. Had a nice black bear run across the dirt road near camp, but too fast for a shot. He was about 40 yards away.

In November, took a week off work and chased deer and elk in the McKenzie unit. Saw elk, but too far for a shot. I got a nice 3 pt buck in the middle of the week, using my Navy Arms Hawken Hunter (58cal with 120gr 3FFF and 577611 Lyman Minnie). My buck was pushed off the ledge by the impact and landed a few yards at the bottom, near the creek. It was about a 140 paces from where I shot to the deer. Bullet went clean through.

My partner got a spike the last day with his homemade 54cal and 100gr of 1F and a Thompson Maxi-hunter slug. John’s buck was hit in the front left shoulder and the slug was found in the right rear knee joint when we skinned it. Lot’s of power in a big, slow moving bullet. His deer was knocked over, got up and ran a few yards and dropped.

Dave

 

[Smilin Jack]

John got a grouse

John got his grouse with his homemade 20 ga flintlock rifle. We cooked it on the BBQ and enjoyed it. He was very proud of the shot.

Had a nice week long hunt near Hood River, Oregon, chasing mule deer.

Dave

 

[Smilin Jack]

Checking sights

Here's John checking his sights with the homemade 54 cal caplock. He was shooting 1F behind a maxi-hunter slug.

Dave

 

[Smilin Jack]

Here's the 3x3 buck

Here's the 3x3 buck that I took with the Navy Arms Hawkin hunter, using the Lyman 577611 minnie ball at about 850 f/sec.

It was just getting into the rut and was about 3700 ft elevation in western Oregon McKenzie hunting unit. Didn't have to drag it too far to the truck.

Dave

 

[arcticap]

Wonderful photos and stories.
The flushing grouse must have been a fine shot.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[madcratebuilder]

That was a great hunt. I used to hunt that McKenzie unit every year when I still had legs. It produced a lot of Elk.

 

[Smilin Jack]

McKenzie unit elk

That was a great hunt. I used to hunt that McKenzie unit every year when I still had legs. It produced a lot of Elk.

Yes, it's a good elk location. There are lots of locked gate roads to hunt by mountain bike, on foot, or maybe wheelchair? Something to check out.

Thanks for serving. I belong to my local Legion Post.

Dave

 

[Hellgate]

Smilin Jack,

Let's see a picture of the Hawken Hunter. Is it anything like the St. Louis Hawken?

Love that tracking snow.

I too, am a fan of the 577611 minie which loves heavy loads. See attached photo of young cow elk from the Trask Unit ML hunt taken a few years ago with the Musketoon and 90grs FFg goex under the 530gr minie. The minie went all the way through too. I sight my .58s to hit 5" high @50yds so they are right on at 100.

Are you sure the minie is only going 850fps? Seems slow for 120gr powder. My 2nd ed. Lyman manual (mileage varies) shows that minie going about 1300 fps in a 24" barrel with 2F (you are using 3F).

 

[mickdk2]

I would like to know more about the Musketoon. How does it handle, weight, accuracy, recoil, barrel length. It looks mighty handy. Thanks.

 

[Smilin Jack]

Navy Arms Hawkin Hunter

Yep, it's a 58 cal caplock using musket caps. Notice in the picture, the inner tube cow's knee to keep rain off the lock. Also place an empty 45acp brass over the capped nipple while hunting in the rain, using the hammer to hold it in place.

The best shooting load so far is the Lyman minnie 577611 with bore butter in the grooves and filling the base.
Order of loading:
120 gr of 3FFF, knock on wood to settle powder in the side drum
over powder felt wad lightly lubed with bore butter
greased minnie ball
card wad made from corn flakes box
electrician tape over muzzle to keep rain out.
It does rain hard in Oregon.

My old Lyman book (1975 on page 38) tells about the rifle.
cal 58
barrel 26"
twist 1/60"
designed to handle the heaviest loads safely and accurately
on p. 130 is says:
577611 bullet is 530 grs
26" barrel using 120 2FF = 1076 ft/sec
muzzle energy 1361 ft/lbs
100 yd energy 1054 ft/lbs
Hellgate, my memory was wrong... it's faster than 850 with 2FF. I use 3FFF, so faster yet. It does really "bark" when fired.

I have it sighted about 2" high at 100 yards, so is about 8" to 10" low at 150 yards (page 232),and 4" high at 50.

 

[Smilin Jack]

58 cal Navy Arms with peep sight

Here's a picture of the Williams peep sight(made for flat top lever action) that my local gunsmith installed.

He was able to sight it in perfectly, using a laser and the existing iron sights that were dead on.

I took it to a range and fired lots of shots and all hit about 2" high at 100 yards.

Got the gun as a kit for $75 back in the early 1970's, put it together but didn't finish it. Found a local gunsmith to hot blue it and finish the gun for $50. Each year after hunting season, it gets a few coats of Birchwood Casey stock finish (boiled linseed oil with some stain). Been a good rifle for me.

Dave

 

[Smilin Jack]

Penetration test

Here's a picture of the 577611 Lyman cast bullet, after being shot into a wet piece of firewood. The block of wood flew back about 5 foot at the impact.

The charge was 120 gr of 3FFF shot from the Navy Arms 58 cal Hawkin Hunter.

Dave

 

[Hellgate]

Hey Jack, great info on the gun. Yup, I dug out my old Lyman book and read the BP safari story. You really do have a meat gun. For the rain, I put a baggie over the capped nipple held down by a rubber band. I just cut the bottom out of a plastic baggie and slide it over to the action but leave the hammer exposed.

Mick, As to the Musketoon. It has a 24" barrel, is very light weight, has a high stock with wide shotgun style butt.
Pros: short and easily handled in & around vehicles, is light weight and easy to carry. The short barrel surprisingly does not cause a lot of lost velocity when I checked the ballistics tables. It must be 2 lbs lighter than similar guns.
Cons: Needs the front sight raised up about 1/4" as they shoot high for military use. Because they are so nice & light to carry they recoil considerably FROM THE BENCH when working up a load. When shooting at game it is not a problem but note: there is a slip on shotgun recoil pad on the gun. That does two things: less felt recoil and makes a longer stock to move your head back a bit for a better sight picture. The high stock makes you have to lay your head down on the comb when shooting to get down on the sights so your cheek can get whacked. A narrow comb with a narrow curved but plate would be a lot worse. Talk to the English about less drop in the stock! At the shooting bench I place a sand bag between me and the gun butt when shooting so I don't develop a flinch. Works great.

 

[mickdk2]

Thanks a bunch Hellgate. I would like to try one of those 58's sometime. I'm currently BP rifle free but I have had a couple of 50's many years ago.

Smilin Jack, that's a fine lookin Hawken you have. You guys are giving me the wants BAD!