Large caliber carbines. Need advice

[Rachen]

I am recently looking at the Smith Carbine. Very good looking, almost like it was made during the WWII era instead of the 1860s. And Pietta is the only one who makes them.

I am curious if anyone here owns a Smith? These things got the best of both worlds, cartridge casing fired with musket cap.
I think every true Patriot who believes in freedom and the Constitution should own a rifle. I think the Pietta Smith Carbine would be an excellent weapon for both target work and hunting. Loaded with a 370 grain slug, it produces almost 2000 ft lbs of energy, good enough for any large game and enough kinetic energy to knock down those steel buffalo silhouettes. Its short enough to pack while traveling through heavy brush and hill country. And it loads quick too, but without eliminating the nice capping process.

What do you think?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

It's not a bad single shot rifle, but you will have to consider local hunting laws where you live or intend to hunt. In most states the "black powder hunting season" isn't, it's a muzzleloader season, so the Smith would be excluded, as would the Sharps, and even the flintlock Ferguson. In some states there is a minimum black powder (or black powder substitute) load for hunting deer with a muzzleloading rifle, so for example even if Maryland authorized the use of replica antique breech loading rifles, the Smith does not use the minimum 60 grain powder load, so again would be excluded. As the Smith is a breech loading rifle, in my state of Maryland, you cannot hunt deer with a breech loading rifle in any but two counties. Again, the Smith, Sharps, and Ferguson would be excluded from the modern season as well.

No, it doesn't make sense, that it's OK to use a .50 caliber Knight in-line launching a modern bullet with a 110 grain powder charge, yet exclude breech loading rifles.

A better choice for a single shot is an H&R handi-rifle in a modern caliber (imho). If you want heavy then choose the old .45-70. You can even find black powder factory loads for "cowboy" shooting if you want the smoke.

If you want the nostalgia, then of course the Smith or the Sharps are superior.

LD

 

[Rachen]

If you want the nostalgia, then of course the Smith or the Sharps are superior.

Yes indeed I want it for the nostalgia too. The Smith carbine is so beautiful, the first time I saw it in the Dixie catalog, I knew I had to have one. It looks contempory too. If I knew nothing about the Victorian Era, I would probably think that the rifle was built sometime around the 1920s-1940s. It has a proper "mechanical" look to it, yet it is beautiful.

 

[Mike OTDP]

The best place for info on the Smith, Sharps, and other percussion cartridge guns is the North-South Skirmish Association...try their bulletin board at www.n-ssa.org

 

[StrawHat]

I remember in the 60s and 70s, a buddy and I both had Smith carbines.

They were both fairly accurate and not all that bad to shoot. Back then supplies were a bit harder to get and eventually I sold mine to him.

Might be fun to get a replica.