# Black Powder Rifle Hunting



## ricc9 (Mar 12, 2008)

Are there any that use BP for there primary hunting gun? 
I use a 50 cal Hawken for all my big game and love the old girl. She even has a name, as used to be traditional, she is Rachael. It's a joy to hunt with and keeps me in touch with my great great grandfather.

Mine...









His...









He and a brother hunted wolves and cats in PA, WV and TN. in the 1880's, plus he was a farmer. They raised 11 kids in a one room cabin in Sullivan Co, PA.


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

I don't hunt exclusively BP only but usually use one for deer in Ohio even if the shotty is available. I'd rather use it than the shotgun. Its either a pistol or the BP for me. I do not feel at a disadvantage with it thats for sure. I prefer it actually.


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

I don't have any modern weapons except for my .380 auto that I carry concealed. I hunt/shoot/plink exclusively with BP weapons. I use either a .40 caliber flintlock long rifle, or I have a SxS percussion 12 gauge for everything else. The Wife has a .45 flintlock kentucky rifle. I also have a couple of cap-n-ball pistols. With this combination of guns I can use either real BP or the substitute's like pyrodex. 
I don't know why but I just never really got into modern firearms much. I guess maybe it's because I like fiddling around with my own loads. 
Ohio Rusty ><>


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## hfwarner3 (Feb 19, 2008)

My cousin not only ONLY hunts with a Kentucky rifle hit built from a kit, he also only uses powder he mixed himself and bullets that he molds himself. He even makes his own charcoal with willow wood. Not sure why it has to be willow, but he insists that is the way to do it.


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## Paul72 (Mar 13, 2005)

I have hunted deer with Blackpowder only for the last 7 years, Both inline and traditional caplock and flintlock. I have harvested about 8 deer in Wisconsin and 3 in Alabama and have not lost one yet. I am the most partial to a Traditions Kentucky rifle kit that I put together myself.


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

we always hunt big game with a 50 cal flintlock and small game with a 12 ga. percussion.
other than barking tree rats with the 50 cal for fun and to get supper.
our problem now is keep ing powder, the state says we can have just 5 pounds inour possion and with the hasmat fee of 20 bucks for 5 or 25 pounds, it is costly.. even pyrodex is off the shelf at wally world.


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## Homesteadwi5 (Mar 16, 2008)

CVA .50 cal used for both deer and bear.


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## Kevin and Laura (Jun 23, 2002)

I have an old .32 rock lock that is the most accurate rifle I own (bar none). It's old and plain jane (no fancy brass or ornaments) but it's a squirrel killer extraordinare!

I would hunt squirrel over any other animal though...maybe I am biased.


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## MTplainsman (Oct 12, 2007)

I hunt with a .62 English trade gun right now (smooth bore flintlock) I want to buy a Henry Trade rifle or something to that extent sometime in a .50 or .54 though. I only use flintlocks, never got into the percussion business. I pick up my own flints off the prairie here, and many flint chips left over from when the indians made thier arrow heads and spears can be found to use. Makes it more special for me. I always carry a flint and steel kit along with me to, and never any matches or lighters. Sometimes I get carried away with traditions


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

MTplainsman said:


> I hunt with a .62 English trade gun right now (smooth bore flintlock) I want to buy a Henry Trade rifle or something to that extent sometime in a .50 or .54 though. I only use flintlocks, never got into the percussion business. I pick up my own flints off the prairie here, and many flint chips left over from when the indians made thier arrow heads and spears can be found to use. Makes it more special for me. I always carry a flint and steel kit along with me to, and never any matches or lighters. Sometimes I get carried away with traditions


Nothing wrong with that.
Old mountain man saying,"The more you know the less you have to carry".

I once dug up a piece of flint while digging a fire pit, used it the start the camps fire.
Where else can you dig up your "matches"?
My next one will a be a rock gun.


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

I have a .40 and a .32 that I love to just pickup and roam the woods with. I have taken all types of big game but these days I like to just get a rabbit or squirrel with the old replicas.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

wilded said:


> I have a .40 and a .32 that I love to just pickup and roam the woods with. I have taken all types of big game but these days I like to just get a rabbit or squirrel with the old replicas.


Tell me about that 32. I never did get a 32 rifle but had a 32 Colt Pocket Revolver, I think. That was a long time ago. I remember I bought buckshot in a 5 pound bag and that was a cheap shooter for cottontails in an old car junkyard. 

What load do you use and how many shots before it fouls? I only shoot black powder.


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

I have one of the old Thompson Center .32 Cherokee Percussion rifles and it is a dream to shoot. I shoot both 0 buck shot with a thick patch and 00 with a thin patch and tap it down. It shoots best with a .310 ball and tight patch but there is not a buckshot that size. I can shoot it with as little as 15 grains of 3F or as much as 40 grains. It is super accurate and I have killed all sorts of small game with it. It is light weight and a joy to shoot. I would love to someday get a flinter in .32


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Just remember to "run up thru the smoke" after your shot, so as to see what ya got!


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## Tom Bombadil (Mar 25, 2008)

I have thought about a .50 black powder for deer hunting from time to time but have never bought one. I have seen some nice looking ones used at gun shows and thought, "Hey, that's cheap. I should buy it," but alas...

Anytime I start getting serious about possibly buying one, I end up looking at the TC Omega again and thinking, "Yeah, its a muzzleloader, but otherwise it is a single shot modern rifle." And off I go to look at the .308 section again...


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

Ed Norman said:


> Tell me about that 32. I never did get a 32 rifle but had a 32 Colt Pocket Revolver, I think. That was a long time ago. I remember I bought buckshot in a 5 pound bag and that was a cheap shooter for cottontails in an old car junkyard.
> 
> What load do you use and how many shots before it fouls? I only shoot black powder.


I use windex as a lube when target shooting and wipe between shots so I can shoot for an hour or more without cleaning. When hunting I use a mixture of olive oil and beeswax on my patches so it will not dry out. My favorite load for squirrels and rabbits is 20 grains of 3F as I do not need a lot of range or power. Works great and cheap to shoot. ET


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## MTplainsman (Oct 12, 2007)

I started out with a little Traditions .50 Hawken style flinter, and for $150 the little gun was a good shooter. I refinished it to a dark aged walnut and decked it out with brass tacks and rawhide. Little thing looked like a $350 outfit after all that, LOL! I love Fur Trade history, and enjoy the popular types of smooth bores and rifle they had over West here. Can anyone suggest a flintlock style such as a Henry Trade rifle? I am in the search mode for a good rifle, thanks. 

Hunter63, I love traditional ways, and I love touching my gun off with a rock, yea I'm weird, but what an honor to kill your food with a buffalo horn off the hip, and a sparking rock atop your favorite rifle! I find most of my flint chips outside of the teepee rings, more then I find on the inside. A lot of the chips left over from tool making hundreds of years ago, seem to be the perfect size for my lock hammer. Little knapping is necassary, and they come in all colors too! I roam around with my striker and pick up anything that looks like it will spark and test it. If it showers at least two seconds, I'll put it in my pocket.

There is a man that moved up in this country on the South East corner of the Fort Peck Reservation, who's business is making flintlocks completely from scratch. I mean forges the barrels, bores my hand, carves out the stock from a blank, and makes his own locks I beleive to. Boy oh boy would that be sweet to own one of them babies, but I bet the time and price would be shocking. I wanna go watch the process, but I'll still look around for a "homesteader" type rig.


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

you guys might like to see some flint I knapped. Of course it is a lttle big for clamping in a lock!


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

I have a pedersoli frontier rifle that I would like to convert from percussion to flinter. Has anyone every done this? ET


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

wilded said:


> I have a pedersoli frontier rifle that I would like to convert from percussion to flinter. Has anyone every done this? ET


Never heard of it, but you can try Dixie Gun Works, don't have the site handy, if any one has parts, for a conversion, they might.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

MTplainsman said:


> There is a man that moved up in this country on the South East corner of the Fort Peck Reservation, who's business is making flintlocks completely from scratch. I mean forges the barrels, bores my hand, carves out the stock from a blank, and makes his own locks I beleive to. Boy oh boy would that be sweet to own one of them babies, but I bet the time and price would be shocking. I wanna go watch the process, but I'll still look around for a "homesteader" type rig.


Back in the early 1980's, we were into rendezvous pretty big, we attended the Big River rendezvous at Prairie du Chien, WI, on the Mississippi River.

There was a guy from Kentucky, gun smith, that used to come every year.
He would take orders for a "Bedford County" flintier. Looked like a Kentucky long rifle, but a little stouter.

Deal was, you got measured, picked out the wood, furniture, (lock, trigger ass., patch box, etc) barrel size, cal, length, twist etc.
You would give him $100 bucks, withyour order, then send hin a $100 bucks every month.
You would get it from him, with all the stuff, Horn, bag, flints, mold, patch knife, etc. the following year.

They had a range, so he would shoot it with you, and if you were satisifed, you gave him the final $100 bucks.
Man, back then I didn't have squat, so never did it, could kick my self.................................


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Note, one word of caution, Black powder guns are VERY addicting.
One day your just shopping for a rifle,so you can take part in the extended deer season or get one as a gift, kit or whatever.
Just your nornal guy/family, then you buy one, start shooting it and* volia*, you just got time traveled back in time to the late 1700/early 1800's............











You have been warned!


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

hunter63 said:


> Just remember to "run up thru the smoke" after your shot, so as to see what ya got!


Right after sunup on a wet misty morning I shot at a mulie 125 yards away with a 54 flintlock. I aimed for ribs and never saw a solid wall of smoke form so fast. I heard the ball go plunk and heard little hoofbeats, but it took me 20 seconds to find my way out of that cloud. He didn't go far.


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## MTplainsman (Oct 12, 2007)

wilded, those are near perfect! ...but, thier too pointed and would gouge my frizzen  Beautiful work!

It's good to see others interested in black powder shooting on here and some with an interest in the history too. Does anyone collect any fur trade artifacts or repos? I have started collecting several years ago, and have some good origonals. Always searching though. I don't have a camera to show what i have so far, but I have a couple pics of the two common styles of beaver traps from the late 1700s to about 1840. They are in exellent shape. I love collecting these old things :shrug:


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

Flinters are awesome in the hands of a man or woman who know em. I have a Lyman Great Plains Rifle in a flinter. A properly tuned and set up flinter is a sight to behold and shoot. I am still learnin mine. I have not shot it near enough. I had 4 traditions flinters I bought on close out for 35.00 a piece a few years back. I gave em all away NIB. I was gonna keep a couple of em but thought it better to bless a few folks and get them started in the sickness  

They have a nice rendezvous not far from me every year. I like to go and look at all the stuff and they have a group that makes ML's as they used to all by hand. I try to not stay long- I don't need more projects... or ANOTHER hobby...

From the guys I know that are into flintlocks, a custom gun set up by a guy that knows what he is doing is definitely the way to go. All the production guns seem to need some tweaking or upgrades to be "right" It seems to chase away newbies in frustration. If ya are new to flinters I would suggest that ya find a club and they will likely willingly help you.


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

When I was in college(many years ago) I had a full set of buckskins and hand made mocs. I had a fur hat made out of red fox but here in Texas I could only wear the outfit when it was really cold, it was just to hot. I learned to trap, shoot black powder, and take care of my furs. I read and watched everything I could get on mountain men and joined a local club. I have a custom .40 that won many a shoot. One of the most unusual I shoot is a short barreled 12 gauge sxs like those carried by Terrys Rangers in the Civil War. You can shoot buck, ball or shot and it flat makes a cloud of smoke. Now I just shoot em for fun and wear my normal clothes but they still hold a special place in my heart. :rock:


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

This is my favorite mail order black powder supply house. The catalog is worth the money. ET 
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(zkd2dx45xnejnl55vkuktrua))/index.aspx


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## tallpaul (Sep 5, 2004)

log cabin sports shop is a place I goto... its about 45 minutes from here and a great source of quality BP items... I am still kickin myself for not grabbin 2 shiloh sharps Long Range Express I saw years ago... I was not into rifles other than BP back then. I have a coupe sharps now but they were alot more money and years waiting. Black powder cartridge is another great sport and offshoot of black powder shooting. 

Track of the wolf has a great rep though...


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## wilded (May 10, 2002)

I have some black powder cartridge news back issues on ebay if anyone is interested.


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