Panzerschwein
member
Wanting to burn some powder today guys, but it's really cold here. Not sure why. Thought it was supposed to warm up?
so why no 45 caliber rifles?? I shoot a flintlock 45 caliber rifle with roundballs and it does very well, looks like to me the 45 caliber rifles could perform at 100 yards??What is accurate? What is in accurate? It will vary with barrels and shooters. Accurate to me is a rifle and shooter who can shoot off hand on a standard NMLRA paper target. The shooter can keep 5 balls in the 9 and 10 ring off hand at 100 yards.
I have never seen this accomplished with "whimp" loads in any caliber. The .50 caliber is the most popular caliber with the .54 at a very close second. The main consideration with heavy loads is the column length of the load. There must be an adequate flame path through the powder column. This decides? Do we use 2F or 3F? This can be determined by shooting over snow or an old sheet. The amount 0f unburned powder is the factor. It is common for serious shooters to use 2F in both the .50 and .54. calibers.
I use a lock boot cover on mine!!an other good lock is the L&R that RMC uses on their rifles. if a frizzen is too soft the flint digges in and does not produce the sparks of hot steel and if to hard the flint breaks producing no sparks of hot steel. the just right frizzen with good qualty flints will produce a shower of sparks and the flints will last for many shots. adjusting the flints to strike on the upper surface of the frizzen is a thing to do as the flint rides down the frizzen it rolles it forward allowing sparks to fall into the pan powder. also the flint should be adjusted so it is not againt the frizzen at safe rest. my rmc was carried in blowing snow and i use a baggie over the lock keep the lock dry and it worked as no misfires were encountered. eastbank.
There is nothing wrong with the .40 or .45 caliber rifles. I won the State Squirrel Rifle Match with a .40 Caliber in 2007 .The rifle was a Matt Avance South Carolina flinter. These are 25 yard matches. The heavy calibers provide insurance against wind and weather changes at 100 yard events.so why no 45 caliber rifles?? I shoot a flintlock 45 caliber rifle with roundballs and it does very well, looks like to me the 45 caliber rifles could perform at 100 yards??
have you ever tried a 32 caliber bp rifle??There is nothing wrong with the .40 or .45 caliber rifles. I won the State Squirrel Rifle Match with a .40 Caliber in 2007 .The rifle was a Matt Avance South Carolina flinter. These are 25 yard matches. The heavy calibers provide insurance against wind and weather changes at 100 yard events.
Yes I met Matt at the Big Fort Bridger shoot over the years. He did a smooth bore for me some years ago. I was not satisfied with the barrel bedding. I called Matt, to discuss a remedy. He immediately said, ship the gun back I will build you another one.Matt Avance!!! TVM, they offer some great rifles.
http://www.tennesseevalleymuzzleloading.com/tennessee-rifle
Great picture. I have been wanting to shoot a flintier for some time. The Chinooks are blowing and burning off the snow. Maybe soon?
There is nothing like knocking a Fox Squirrel out of tall tree with a custom flint lock or cap lock. I love the smell of black powder in the morning.
You can use your .54 for small game. Reduce the loads down to a 25 yard target. You may find 25 or 30 grs of 3/F to be adequate. This load will not damage small game properly hit any more than a .22 HP. The people on the frontier could not afford 2 rifled guns.
so I was also looking at a 36 caliber so how would you describe them, would it be better than a 32 caliber for the reasons described??Yes I have a .32 caliber Tennessee rifle. They were the ,22 rifle of the frontier days. The only negative is the ram rods. These rods are so small they are whippy and break easily. My choice for a small bore is defiantly the .40 caliber.
The .40 caliber is the 22-250 of muzzle loaders. It is a fast flat shooter. It can be loaded for squirrels or white tail deer. It seems to have been a choice of hunters during the late post Buffalo frontier.
okay so there is quite a difference between the 40 caliber and the 36 caliber? as I was looking hard at the 32 caliber but I have had people tell me the 36 caliber dosen't foul as bad as the 32 caliber and if that's the case then the 40 caliber should be even better! and I bet the those ramrods for the 32 calibers are flimsy and so a heavy duty fiberglass for hunting only purposes would be better...No, but lead is hardly an issue today. Back on the frontier it was an issue but then so was starvation. It is interesting to find out how versatile BP firearms are. Today we can own any caliber we choose. As I posted the .40 caliber is my small bore choice.
I used an original .36 caliber J. Henry & Sons half stock cap lock. When I was a teenager. It was an Indian Rez government issue with the U.S. stamp behind the trigger guard. The Fed issued rifles to the tribes for hunting.
The .36 does not differ from any other caliber as damage is concerned. That depends on the powder charge. when the rifle produces a loud "Crack" it is above 1,000 fps. It will likely damage game regardless.