Huntin' deer with a matchlock

I just picked up the latest issue (July 2004) of GUNS magazine. It has an article about a guy that hunts deer with a 17th century matchlock, and small game and birds when loaded with shot. He also dresses the part, no "GenuineTree LifeLike Bushman Barkhide ThemCrittersAin'tGotAChance HumanStinkBlocker" camo. Just old clothes and an old gun. And one dead deer. ::

King of the squirrel dinosaurs,
I met a man last August at an invitational shoot in south central PA, called himself Juniata Jack. He built a very nice matchlock with a Yergen Kreckel lock and a 12 gauge barrel. He let me and anyone who wanted to, shoot it. Neighbors stopped over when the shooting started and were also encouraged to shoot the variety of ignition systems we had. The matchlock is a positive ignition system. Once the match touches the powder the shot is goooone! It is simpler than even a flinter. You do have to pull the pan cover aside to fire, but that is akin to a safety or pulling the cock back on a flinter or pulling the dog down onto the pan cover on a wheellock. If I had one I'd hunt deer with it. I don't know how much match it would take to burn all day, but I think a couple of feet would do it. I don't think the burning match would spook the deer, it is not as strong as a cigarette or cigar. My uncle Mart said a cigar masked human oder and recomended it. Go for it!
God bless y'all.
Leon

King of the squirrel dinosaurs...

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Ah, it's a nice feeling when people recognize authority... ::

I'm looking forward to getting my matchlock soon. Ron's going to let me know the exact caliber when he finishes the barrel (he makes the barrel and lock himself). The one in the article is a .62 caliver. Mine will be a 12 gauge with a 48" barrel. I'd like to try hunting with it, but it might be like hunting with a bazooka, so I probably won't.

King of the squirrel dinosaurs...

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I'd like to try hunting with it, but it might be like hunting with a bazooka, so I probably won't.

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Bazookas are breech loaders, so use the matchlock and enjoy yourself... ::

Hi Leon!
How have you been doing?My mom says Hi to you!I havent got to take the match lock hunting yet.I hope to this fall.I just have to be real careful not to set the woods on fire.One guy on here said about that happening.I sure dont want to cause a fire.I hope to get to talk with you at Dixon's.I never made it there yet.
God bless you and your family,
Juniata Jack

Hi Jack,
I have been sneaking around on the internet. I felt kinda lost since Muzmag discussion page went down. I found a few sites to view and talk at. Email Audie and get an invite to join longhunters_hivernauts. I am thinking about reinventing the wheel(lock) and making something wild and crazy to shoot with it, something really big bore, maybe a a four gauge blunderbluss. I wish I could afford the brass barrel. I plan to be at Dixon's in july, I hope you make it. You will not be disappointed. Tell squirrelsaurusrex how long a foot of match will burn.
God bless y'all, mom too.
Leon

Tell squirrelsaurusrex how long a foot of match will burn.

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I'm not sure what you're referring to. I don't recall asking how slowly match burns. Maybe you're thinking of someone else...? ::

Leonredbeard...I am curious about your mention of "longhunter-hivernant" site and your mention of "Audie".....please elaborate.

. . . how long a foot of match will burn.

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12 inches, that's how long. ::

. . . how long a foot of match will burn.

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12 inches, that's how long. ::

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I was under the impression that slow match burns ~1 inch/hour, a foot then should last 12 hours, if that rate is true...

Squirrelsuarusrex,
I assumed (pardon me) that you might be concerned about how long a match would burn and how much you would have to take along for a day's hunt. My mind tends to leap at all the conclusions and I tend to take any thread out to its utmost terminal.
God blessy'all.
Leon

two shadows,
I don't think there is any reason why I can't give out the site. So go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/longhunter_hivernauts/ and register. All posts are emailed to the whole group, which currently numbers seven. Sue Stone, 'Sparks' wife is the moderator. We are currently swapping a lot of li..ahem, hunting and shooting yarns.

By the way, it is spelled hivernauts in the address. I thought it was hivernants. Do you know which is it?
God bless y'all.
Leon

Leon,
I just talked to Audie on the phone today.I am going to buy his brown bess from him.I have been interested in it since last last august.I didnt get to ask him about the website yet.
I am putting the lock into a 4 bore blunderbuss that I am building.If you happen to pass thru Breezewood, Pa. in your travels please let me know.You are welcome to shoot the blunderbuss.
I will go onto the new website to talk to you guys.
J.J.

jack,
Thanks for the invite. A Four bore blunderbuss. I was just talking with a friend about doing this with the new wheellock I am designing. But I think I might just go with a short swamped round barrel with a straight smoothbore inside. I would love to shoot the BB when you have it done.
God bless y'all.
Leon

we will load her up and have a good time! I am still amazed at your wheel-lock!I was always used to when the hammer drops- the gun goes off.I never saw a gun before that the hammer is down and the wheel goes round- then the gun goes off!It was just more than I could figure out for awhile.I love builin and shootin em.Good people and good times!!God bless you friend,Have a good night!
j.J.

48" isn't bad. There was a famous(regional)young fellow on the frontier who had a double flint shotgun that had 48" Tubes. That's 2 of them as in side-by-side double shotgun Not only did he hunt with it, but was rather a very successful & famous hunter at that. At 75yds., it would put 4 holes in a 4" square card with a single discharge of approximately #3 or #4 shot. That's pretty good for a cylinder bored gun, but it might have had a constriction in the middle as was common in those days.(1820's)
: The point being, that 48" isn't too long to hunt with. They were common way back when.
Daryl

The longer the better...

Greater sight radius...

I agree with the longer sight radius, and it does make a difference, but there are limits when weight overcomes good handling. A musket with a 48" bl. is fine with me, just can't handle the extra weight out front with my back, the way it is. Maxiball has somewhat the same type of limitations & I know how he feels. Being in good shape like you other young'uns, I'd be clamoring all over a long gun like that.
: Long barrels in shotguns do help with the swing, something very much needed with slower ignition, or ignition that takes place slower than the instantaneous type with modern firearms.
: My double 10 bore AYA side by each was beautiful to shoot- weighing 10 lbs., I couldn't stop the swing if I'd wanted to and the resulting follow through, turned the gun into a most murderous weapon on ducks and geese. A bit of modification of the chokes,(grinding and patterning & I had it shootng 94% left and 96% with 2ounces of shot from #2's to #5's at over 1,300fps. A duck silouette received 184 hits at 40 yds. using the #5 shot, showing this was drastically too short a range for this gun, however that size shot was about done at 60yds. for pellet energy - lead, I'm referring to. With lead #2's, it was good right to around 80/90yds. but required 40 to 60ft. leads for that range - difficult to do without the weight maintaining the swing. Long or heavy barrels are a great help on running or flying game with muzzleloaders, especially with flint or that type of slower ignition. With the matchlock, there is the lag of pressing the trigger, bringing the match into contact with the pan- follow through will certainly be a help.

I don't plan to use my matchlock on birds. It's the big and heavy sort, requires a rest.