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Flintlock pistol for deer...Opinions/Comments?

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Rifleman1776 said:
Other posts have confirmed that a ml bp pistol will take a deer.

Pistols are not easy to shoot accurately.

Forget the sniper stuff, these are short range firearms.
Exactly! That's why I stated that I would keep my shots at 25 yds or less and preferably from a rest...BPS
 
I use Lyman Black Powder Handbook by Sam Fadala it has all kinds of loads for Rifles Shotguns and Pistols great book.
 
Thank's for the Info. on the Book, Midway USA has It In stock so I'll be placing my Order In on Pay Day,

:thumbsup:
 
The thing I don't fully understand is allowing the .38spl to be used on deer but not a .50 or .54 pistol. The pistol has much more whollop than even a .357.
 
I hunt in Pa. as well. Even though some of our laws are tough to get changed, one thing that you can actually hunt with on your rifle is, with a suppressor. Yup....a "silencer".

I know that seems really odd....but it's perfectly legal to do so.
 
I think many folks forget that there are some pistols that are totally unfit for rabbits and then some, a few that are really as powerful as the rifle loads some use for deer. For instance a 45 caliber CVA Lincoln Derringer vs a repro Harper's Ferry, or Springfield pistol.

Some of the modern unmentionable muzzle loading pistols have some incredible power (White Hawk eye, TC Scout pistol, Traditions Buckhunter pistol) Frankly there is no reason why a side lock can't be constructed for equal power and range.

I do agree that too many hunters will be out there who couldn't reliably hit a paper plate at 25 yards. But there are too many guys out there who can't hit a paper plate at 50 yds with a scoped rifle. I fear that the occasional muzzleloader hunter will buy what ever is cheap and blunder into the woods. (As too many do now)

With a 10 pound trigger and 9 inch barrel, so many of those cheaper guns are terrible prospects for the sunny day hunters.

A side lock gun constructed for big game hunting should not be prohibited from being in the woods.
 
Zimmer,

I won't disagree with you on any points that you made.

This year I finished my first "my build" 50 caliber flintlock. Nice pistol. Balances well for offhand shooting....and easy to place on a shooting stick for those shots where you need that.

These pistols are very accurate....but you do need to practice with 'em.

And the deer will go down when hit. Just ask the first one that I pulled the trigger on. :thumbsup:
 
Actually, there is a percussion for sale today that is the equal of a Zouave Rifle in power.

The 1855 Carbine/Pistol as sold by Dixie should git'r'done. It needs better sights, and probably a trigger job wouldn't hurt. But it was originally designed to shoot a 500gr minie over 60 gr. of 1F. The weakness of the design was the shoulder stock attachment would sometimes break using that charge, but used as a pistol it worked fine. Using 2F, it is only about 30-40 fps behind a 32" Zouave musket w/ the same charge. It should safely handle 80-90 gr of 2F behind a PRB.
 
Alan, about 20 years ago I had one of those Springfield pistols. Frankly, it weighed as much as some muzzleloader carbines. I could never hit a barn from the hay loft with it and swapped it off.
 
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