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user 49399

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There’s an old saying ‘beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it’. This thread is not intended to be a percussion vs flintlock, smooth bore vs rifle or any kind of this vs that discussion.

I am wondering if anyone mainly shoots just one muzzleloader or one type of muzzleloader and what it is. I’ve been thinking about settling on just one muzzleloader or one type in order to get more proficient with it.

What say ye?

Thanks!
 
There’s an old saying ‘beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it’. This thread is not intended to be a percussion vs flintlock, smooth bore vs rifle or any kind of this vs that discussion.

I am wondering if anyone mainly shoots just one muzzleloader or one type of muzzleloader and what it is. I’ve been thinking about settling on just one muzzleloader or one type in order to get more proficient with it.

What say ye?

Thanks!
Cool idea! Go with what ye likes! Best of luck and enjoy!
 
There’s an old saying ‘beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it’. This thread is not intended to be a percussion vs flintlock, smooth bore vs rifle or any kind of this vs that discussion.

I am wondering if anyone mainly shoots just one muzzleloader or one type of muzzleloader and what it is. I’ve been thinking about settling on just one muzzleloader or one type in order to get more proficient with it.

What say ye?

Thanks!
Now, this is an interesting question. I'm with the crowd who have and shoot multiple muzzleloaders. Maybe I can blame my lousy shooting on that...

Anyway, just for fun and the sake of discussion, if I were limited to one muzzleloader, I think I would go with a flintlock. The lock itself is more complicated than percussion, but the basic system is very simple. And you don't have to worry about percussion cap shortages.

I would go with a 39"-40" barrel in a weight I could handle. I would pick a rifle over a smoothbore, and a fullstock. Just my preference. Probably a bore size in the .45-.50 caliber range. I think my hunting days are pretty much behind me, but a ball that size should be adequate for anything I would be likely to shoot if I should go after game again, while still yielding plenty of shots from a pound of lead. Also, pre-cast or swaged balls are available in a variety of diameters within that size range. Lots of shots from a pound of powder, too.

I would prefer a rifle with nice lines and wood, but no added ornamentation. I'm partial to plain, functional kit.

In the spirit of @Banjoman 's original post, I'm not trying to convince anybody to do it my way. These are just some thoughts offered for what they are worth.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
 
There’s an old saying ‘beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it’. This thread is not intended to be a percussion vs flintlock, smooth bore vs rifle or any kind of this vs that discussion.

I am wondering if anyone mainly shoots just one muzzleloader or one type of muzzleloader and what it is. I’ve been thinking about settling on just one muzzleloader or one type in order to get more proficient with it.

What say ye?

Thanks!
GASP! only one? just the thought makes me start to shake!
my go to is a .45 smr i just built. flintlock of course.
 
There’s an old saying ‘beware the man with one gun, he probably knows how to use it’. This thread is not intended to be a percussion vs flintlock, smooth bore vs rifle or any kind of this vs that discussion.

I am wondering if anyone mainly shoots just one muzzleloader or one type of muzzleloader and what it is. I’ve been thinking about settling on just one muzzleloader or one type in order to get more proficient with it.

What say ye?

Thanks!
The rifle that I shoot is a .40 cal. Southern mountain rifle.
 
Limiting oneself to only one gun limits the fun you can have because only a rifle/shotgun combo does two things - neither very well.

Gotta be ready for anything. Offhand, bench, woods walk, clay birds, real birds, deer, bear, elk, moose, buffalo, squirrels, rabbits, possums, armadillo, racoons, hostiles, Hessians, card sharks, and the dreaded dirt clod.

Lotsa guns, that's the ticket.
 
I have a number of production cap lock rifles and a few revolvers

mostly I just shoot my .56 TC Renegade smoothbore

if I pick up a pistol, I tend to almost always grab my 1851 fantasy .44 (I will say that if I had it in a .40 I would likely just shoot that, but that is an expensive custom job...)
 
Now, this is an interesting question. I'm with the crowd who have and shoot multiple muzzleloaders. Maybe I can blame my lousy shooting on that...

Anyway, just for fun and the sake of discussion, if I were limited to one muzzleloader, I think I would go with a flintlock. The lock itself is more complicated than percussion, but the basic system is very simple. And you don't have to worry about percussion cap shortages.

I would go with a 39"-40" barrel in a weight I could handle. I would pick a rifle over a smoothbore, and a fullstock. Just my preference. Probably a bore size in the .45-.50 caliber range. I think my hunting days are pretty much behind me, but a ball that size should be adequate for anything I would be likely to shoot if I should go after game again, while still yielding plenty of shots from a pound of lead. Also, pre-cast or swaged balls are available in a variety of diameters within that size range. Lots of shots from a pound of powder, too.

I would prefer a rifle with nice lines and wood, but no added ornamentation. I'm partial to plain, functional kit.

In the spirit of @Banjoman 's original post, I'm not trying to convince anybody to do it my way. These are just some thoughts offered for what they are worth.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
That’s what I was getting at. Perhaps I would be a better shooter if I settled on one type of muzzleloader. I like and shoot all types of muzzleloaders, rifles, pistols, smooth bores, flintlock, percussion and even in lines. (Yeah, I said it. 🤪)

I was just wondering if anybody shot only one type, such as all flintlock long rifle or all cap and ball revolvers or all percussion smooth bore, etc.?

These have been interesting comments so far.

Thanks
 
For the sake of discussion. For decades I used my flint longrifle for almost all of my shooting. But, when I went to larger events I would bring my 'half breed' target rifle. It is a TC 'hawken' fitted with a Douglas 42" barrel and Olympic sights. It is a very accurate rifle. I like to use it for light bench or regular bench matches. I have even won matches in bench shooting against the heavy weight big boomers. Due to health issues the longrifle is now a safe queen and my 'go to' rifle is the Little Fella flinter built by Dave Persons. Fun to handle and shoot.
 
I have a bunch. However, I am a Hawken fan, percussion, .50 and/or .54. I don't shoot a lot now but I caress 'em often. Polecat

As much as I like my other long guns, the Hawken just works better for me in every way. Maybe you can see where I’m headed?😉
 
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