Amusing/Ridiculous Muzzleloading Misconceptions...

[Grenadier1758]

All colonials had rifles (or smoothbores).

 

[billraby]

Young guy at the shooting range thought flintlock was just the coolest thing ever. Just amazed by the idea of a muzzleloader that did not need a 209 primer. He thought it was a new invention.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

I know what you mean. My dad is still alive but there's about a dozen stories I've heard from him many times each, some he tells me at least once a year. When he starts telling me, I swear I could recite the rest word for word. I just listen and pretend I've never heard it before.. I could imagine missing that when he's gone.

For various reasons I got really good at remembering stories as a kid. Someone would tell a story to me and 3-4 years later they would tell it again, half way through I'd stop them and say something like "no, your messing that up, it was Rocko, that blue tic with half an ear that caught the coon under the wood shed not Trigger"

It was really funny when they didn't remember telling me the 1st time. . . . .They would have this look on their face, like, how could this kid know that????
Now I'm getting older and can't even keep my own stories straight

 

[Tb54]

I resemble that remark.

 

[toot]

View attachment 60896

thank you for that bit of information, that apparently none of us people did not know!?

 

[Whitworth]

I resemble that remark.

"Soitainly"

 

[j.robert.martin.ii]

My only regret now about buying one - was not holding out for a flintlock model.
And these are not readily adaptable to a change - that darn snail crawling on the side would have to be dealt with.
I'm looking real hard at the new Pedersoli built one, just need a way to rationalize the expenditure.

Who suggested that buying a 1700's style trapper's pistol in 2021 ... might ever be rational ? Runs without primers. Powder can be made { if oxidizer can be found and charcoal or 'coal dust' can be made or found } IF you get one... you might want to get a spare lock, a spare frizzen 'or three' , some spare springs... and as many flints as you can lay hands on.

 

[Eric Krewson]

BB guns, that brings back memories; at 10 years old I had one that shot with a dogleg to the left, probably a foot at 20 yards. I shot it so much that I quit using the sights and shot instinctively, my brain calculated that dog leg into the trajectory, I never missed, I could head shoot a robin at 30 yards just about 100% of the time.

We would take an old Red Ryder bb gun, pound out a harpoon point on a straightened piece of clothes hanger, cram the harpoon down this BB guns barrel and go snorkeling in the rock quarry. We could kill a bluegill at two or three feet, not much further, we would spend hours stalking our prey, it was a fun time.

About accuracy of MLs; back when I lived in Stevenson Al in the mid 70s, the Bubba Red Neck capital of the world, ( I was one at that time as well), The locals had a shootin' match every year before deer season at the local chirt quarry.

Remington 742s were the rage at the time, everyone put some money in a collective pot and got one offhand shot at 100 yards with the winner taking the pot. There was a lot of drinking among the crowd so most of the competitors couldn't even hit the target, this would be a blow to their bubba ego and the pot was replenished over and over for another round.

After every of the bearded overall clad guy had taken their shot, a tall skinny nicely dressed man with a possible bag and a percussion long rifle he had built would step up to the line. As soon as he stepped up the bubba crowd would start knee slapping laughter and heckling this guy.

The guy would raise his rifle and hold rock steady for a very long time, so long it was a surprise when his rifle went off. A quick walk to the target confirmed a dead center bullseye shot. The man pocketed the money and stood back behind the line waiting for the next round.

The man repeated this amazing marksmanship 3 more times, taking the cash each time. About this time the bubba crowd was getting visibly agitated thinking some how the guy had been cheating. Drunk rednecks with guns can be a dangerous situation, sensing this the guy walked quietly to his car and left.

The annual chirt pit shooting match was never held again, the guy with his longrifle had permanently taken the wind out of the sails of all the other competitors.

 

[jimairwin]

Yup...lotsa ex-spurts out there!
Truth of projectile design development and experimentation is really quite interesting.

 

[jimairwin]

BB guns, that brings back memories; at 10 years old I had one that shot with a dogleg to the left, probably a foot at 20 yards. I shot it so much that I quit using the sights and shot instinctively, my brain calculated that dog leg into the trajectory, I never missed, I could head shoot a robin at 30 yards just about 100% of the time.

We would take an old Red Ryder bb gun, pound out a harpoon point on a straightened piece of clothes hanger, cram the harpoon down this BB guns barrel and go snorkeling in the rock quarry. We could kill a bluegill at two or three feet, not much further, we would spend hours stalking our prey, it was a fun time.

About accuracy of MLs; back when I lived in Stevenson Al in the mid 70s, the Bubba Red Neck capital of the world, ( I was one at that time as well), The locals had a shootin' match every year before deer season at the local chirt quarry.

Remington 742s were the rage at the time, everyone put some money in a collective pot and got one offhand shot at 100 yards with the winner taking the pot. There was a lot of drinking among the crowd so most competitors couldn't even hit the target, this would be a blow to their bubba ego and the pot was replenished over and over for another round.

After every of the bearded overall clad had taken their shot, a tall skinny nicely dressed guy with a possible bag and a percussion long rifle he had built would step up to the line. As soon as he stepped up the bubba crowd would start knee slapping laughter and heckling this guy.

The guy would raise his rifle and hold rock steady for a very long time, so long it was a surprise when his rifle went off. A quick walk to the target confirmed a dead center bullseye shot. The man pocketed the money and stood back behind the line waiting for the next round.

The man repeated this amazing marksmanship 3 more times, taking the cash each time. About this time the bubba crowd was getting visibly agitated thinking some how the guy was cheating. Drunk rednecks with guns can be a dangerous situation, sensing this the guy walked quietly to his car and left.

The annual chirt pit shooting match was never held again, the guy with his longrifle had permanently taken the wind out of the sails of all the other competitors.

A great story!

 

[DUNKS]

Thanks guys lots of laughs there. About accuracy, just read a report from an English cavalry officer viewing the US forces prior to an attack. He was standing just outside a treeline with a fellow officer and a bugler All holding their horses. The round fired from the enemy marksmans Pennsylvania rifle passed between the two officers and killed the buglers horse. They thought it best to get back in the trees. Paced out afterwards the range was 400 paces. The year was 1760

 

[biliff]

The year was 1760.

1760?

 

[Buck Conner]

...... "Oh when you said you shoot Muzzleloaders I thought you meant the real ones they sell at Walmart." Another time my boss insisted a round ball couldn't kill a deer or even hit a target past 50 yards...

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Lack of knowledge or not educated on the subject.


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[DUNKS]

1760 That's what the book says!

 

[Bob McBride]

@DUNKS Was it Canadian Rifles at Sainte Foy perhaps? I never read of such an account in 1760 regarding American Rifles. Interesting. I’d love to read it if you could post a pic of the page or link the reference.

 

[Buck Conner]

The US Forest Service has had a similar interpretation whenever fire restrictions are in place almost every summer now in Arizona. Muzzleloaders were prohibited from being fired during those periods..............

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A few years ago in Colorado the US Forest Service was pushing the same thing......


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[B P Arn]

thank you for that bit of information, that apparently none of us people did not know!?

Just one of the many services I gladly provide.

Here is another:

 

[Buck Conner]

One of the old ones from back in the UK, was that a clay -pipe bowl held "Just the right amount of shot", for your shotgun.
We used to find broken clay pipes on the fields, and I measured what some held.
they held from about 3/4 of an ounce, to two Ounces!

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When I was a kid living in Eastern Pennsylvania we would find broken clay pipes on the fields too. That's interesting about the amount those bowls held, never heard that before. Now I'll have to measure the bowls in our collection, thanks.


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[Buck Conner]

I know what you mean. My dad is still alive but there's about a dozen stories I've heard from him many times each, some he tells me at least once a year. When he starts telling me, I swear I could recite the rest word for word. I just listen and pretend I've never heard it before.. I could imagine missing that when he's gone.

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That's what we should all do for the seniors, show respect..... Thanks you Justin.


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[Hatchet-Jack]

Great stories on here!