One Or Two Bores For Everything?

40, 54 and 62 (trade gun)…. And a 58 (trade gun or fowler). That is almost two bores right?

Walkabout said:

A thread from earlier this week got me thinking. Why not have just one or two bore sizes for all of my muzzleloaders. It would make range trips a lot less of a hassle. So I've settled on .54 caliber and 12 bore for everything. I already have both right now, I just want to add a flintlock. What do you think? This doesn't include revolvers, of course. Thanks

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You could cover all your bases with a fowling piece, a pea rifle and a large bore rifle. Actually, here in New England, a good smooth bore would do everything.

Also residing in the Northeast, a 62cal smoothbore could do a decent job done for most all forms of my hunting and shooting.. But, after five decades and many muzzleloaders later, I’m more of a “fit for purpose” shooter with a fairly wide selection of different styled/caliber ML’s.

Been shooting BP for a very long time, I have accumulated a few mls. Starts at .40 up to .72. I find the .54s are used most, flint mostly. For rondies the flint .54 rifle and pistol, and my Brown Bess, an ideal gun would be a swivel breach flinter in .62 cal, rifled and smooth, sized to take the same ball.

Walkabout said:

A thread from earlier this week got me thinking. Why not have just one or two bore sizes for all of my muzzleloaders. It would make range trips a lot less of a hassle. So I've settled on .54 caliber and 12 bore for everything. I already have both right now, I just want to add a flintlock. What do you think? This doesn't include revolvers, of course. Thanks

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A .40 rifle, a .54 rifle, and a smoothbore of .62 or larger will do anything you need to do.
According to most of the experts here, the .40 will get the most use by far.

Not a collector but a happen a cross guy Over the years I got all kinds

Well, a one or a two bore will take care of anything that I can think of.

deerstalkert said:

been thinking about more gun storage my self
View attachment 213233

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Is that where you live while storing your little ladies in the brick gun safe?

tenngun said:

Is that where you live while storing your little ladies in the brick gun safe?

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nope!
my most of the time abode.

For this ole boy its a .32 Squirrel Rifle for small game and plinking and a .54 for larger game. Both are round ball shooters.

I have a .50 that likes conicals.

That's all I need, well, for now anyway.

Walkabout said:

A thread from earlier this week got me thinking. Why not have just one or two bore sizes for all of my muzzleloaders. It would make range trips a lot less of a hassle. So I've settled on .54 caliber and 12 bore for everything. I already have both right now, I just want to add a flintlock. What do you think? This doesn't include revolvers, of course. Thanks

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Sounds good.
I go a little lighter. Since I don't have any really heavy animals, such as elk, to hunt here, I chose .50 caliber for my rifles and .62/20 ga. for my smoothbore fowler.

I spect that 2 would do for you. Now me its just not going to work well. Its a good thing i am poor, if not i would have so many you could not get into the room. I just love ML's, i don't even own a modern rifle.

Walkabout said:

A thread from earlier this week got me thinking. Why not have just one or two bore sizes for all of my muzzleloaders. It would make range trips a lot less of a hassle. So I've settled on .54 caliber and 12 bore for everything. I already have both right now, I just want to add a flintlock. What do you think? This doesn't include revolvers, of course. Thanks

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What we think isn't important. This is a 'do yer own thang' game. Choose what you like and to suit your needs. That said, .54 and 12 ga. are good all around choices but use more lead and powder than something like .45 and 20 ga.

I really want a .62/20 gauge double one barrel smooth one rifled.

Rancocas said:

Sounds good.
I go a little lighter. Since I don't have any really heavy animals, such as elk, to hunt here, I chose .50 caliber for my rifles and .62/20 ga. for my smoothbore fowler.

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Good choices.

Thats why I like smoothbore trade guns . Very versatile , can hunt anything in my neck of the country , squirrel to bear and anything in between ...you get ya a smoothbore and a rifle ....your good to go for all occasions

Hmmm... Food for thought in this thread. In thinking about it I'd say it depends on where you live, where you hunt and what you hunt. Most of my hunting has been in the Deep South where one could make do with just a 20 ga smoothbore; but that's no fun. I now live in New England where it would also do as well; both areas are heavily forested.

But I'm a member of the "group" that believes in a gun for each class of game. But unlike the South, NE has moose which the South doesn't have. So depending on what state you make smoke in a Smoothbore is always a good choice. Now leaving out anything larger than big mule and whitetail deer a .45 is generally all one needs. In my opinion the .40 is marginal though many make it work as an all around rifle. Of course the .50 and up will also work just fine. But the problem may arise at some point with small game and varmints when more reach than a smoothbore can muster is required. I'd suggest a .40 but to me the .36 makes more sense; either will do however. The choice can be either one or two guns but I really believe 3 should be the minimum.

.36 ball gun and 20-gauge trade gun would cover "need" in a lot of places. A .58 conical gun and 12- gauge double would be good for more open country.

Variety is the spice of life (doesn't work with women if you're married)

Two bores? A .36 for the little guys and a 62-20 for the bigger ones or birds. Percussion or flint whichever you prefer. Adequate but not really much fun as having a bunch of everything.