A little backround.I have hunted deer for 46 years with a 30-30 and a .243.I attended a household auction and they had 3 muzzleloaders. 2 were percussion with rusty rifling.The other one was a Traditions flintlock Deerhunter in new condition.I bought the flintlock for 90 bucks.I would appreciate some advice as I may use it in Pennsylvania's October muzzleloader hunt.It is a 50 caliber.Thank You.
hello and welcome to the site from Ohio. Grandpa, I've hunted the Clearfield, Duboise area since 1974. While I archery hunt the rut during the first 9 days of November and follow that with late season flintlock hunting. I have not hunted ML in the early October season. I'm thinking you need to start some shooting to get used to the slight hesitation of a flintlock due to the pan firing the main charge is slightly slower than an in-line ml. You will need to get main charge powder in 3f , and also priming powder in 4f grandulation. I prefer real black powder for flintlocks and it might be messier to clean up I like the traditional part of using flintlocks and black powder. You're going to need to know what rate of barrel twist you have ie 1-28" for conical bullets, 1-48 for either a round ball or conical or 1-70" for patched round balls. I'd start with 80 grs of 3f powder and keep the priming pan filled only about 1/4 not to cover the touch hole inlet to the barrel. For round balls go with a 490 gr ball and a pre-lubed tc .010 patch. If your rifle shoots conicals then something like a Buffalo bullet or TC maxi-hunter for 50 cals would work. . As far as flints try TC sawed flints as they seem to strike a good shower of sparks and seem to last longer than black/yellow real flints. This is some random thoughts for now, ask anything you want and somebody will help you! Good hunting.
I have a 1 in 66 twist. I've been told round balls are inferior to powerbelts for killing deer. I've always tried to place my shots through the lungs with the 30-30 and ,243 so they bleed out.Would a round ball through the lungs do the job?
the problem is you can't stablize a conical or saboted bullet in a slow twist barrel having anything slower than a 1-48" twist. Round balls through the lungs will do the job just fine. There is one hybrid conical called the PA ballet. I've use them for several years with good flight results out of my TC PA hunter flintlock. They can be hard to find but an internet search should come up with some. They are made by Hornady and state that they are for a 1-66" twist. Weight is 240 gr. Watch the game laws regarding late season bullet requirements. PA is constantly changing their regs.
I made my second trip to the range with the flintlock.I worked my way through the various issues with a flintlock and got my best group with 70 grains of black powder behind a .50 cal. roundball.It was 3 shots in 5 inches at 50 yds.I don't know if 70 grains is enough powder for deerhunting.
should be fine for around 85 yards or so. I normally use 110gr 3f in my traditions flintlock with a .490 round ball and .018 " blue-white" patches for 100 yards but that 100 yards looks like a mile away when using a flinter LOL
90 grs of 3f in the 50 is what I use most times. With TC barrels I have found a pre-lubed TC .010 patch works best. You should be able to get that group down to half that size. My 54 hawken will shoot 1" groups at 50 yds. I agree that 100 yds with open sights using a flintlock is just about max for most. I can no longer take shots that long with out installing a rear peep sight.
I found a box of PA Ball-ets by Hornady at the local gunshop.I talked to the owner about my 24" barrel with 1 in 66 twist.He said the slow twist is not a problem,it's the short sighting plane.I won't have time to resight in with the Ball-ets so I'll go with the round balls for now.
That's true, I don't pre-prime the pan and do my best to keep the main charge dry. It's one of the tough parts of flintlock hunting. It's also one of the times when I think a portable blind would be the ticket!
The closest I came to a deer was hearing one running.There are bears there.One guy had 2 cubs up a tree near his car and the mother wouldn't let him leave for 2 hours.Another guy had a boar at 40 yards and said it was 3 feet tall at the shoulder.Thats a bear boar not a pig boar.
We've started seeing more bears last couple of years. Several years ago I have a 300-350 lb boar scent track me to my stand and raise up to about the third step on my ladder stand. I started talking to him and he simply dropped down and walked away. I don't mind bears just don't like sharing my stand with them. :surprised:
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