Hunting rifle likes out of the herd

[BigBoreBLR]

I am curious what you guys prefer for hunting rifles. Let's say you got a few between 45 and 58 caliber or so. I'm also brainstorming my next build after the 45 cal early Virginia is done.

Do you tend to like to use the bigger bore better? The one that handles better, maybe shorter or lighter? Maybe it's the one that has a more waterproof lock?

What would you change about it? Maybe describe your dream hunting rifle.

For myself, I have a lyman GPR in 54 cal flintlock. I like the bigger bore, but who doesn't like the more is better. IT handles and points fine.

I wish the sights were easier to see in low light. Been tempted to put a lyman peep sight on it. It's not light, but not really heavy. I do like the shorter barrel I think it's 32 inches. The bluing does reflect light a good bit. I do wish it was browned, but I won't change it. The gun will be replaced, then sold.

I'm building a 45 cal Early Virginia with a large siler lock, 36" straight 13/16ths barrel. I'll definitely will harvest a deer with it.

However, I may build a dedicated hunting rifle and make the 45 cal Virginia a mostly woodswalk and target gun.

This would be a dedicated whitetail deer hunting rifle. However, it would go on a woodwalk target shoot from time to time. I tend to hunt often of foot instead of hunting from a treestand or blind. I hunt in large forests and end up going out all day long and travel 2-4 miles during my wanderings. I mostly hunt in NY and PA's flintlock season. Laws a pretty loose, 45 cal or larger, any ignition, any powder, and single projectile. I plan of using a flintlock with roundball.

 

[jethro224]

I've never killed a deer with a .45 but wouldn't hesitate to use one. I have killed deer with both cap and flintlocks in .50, .54, .62, and .75 calibers. None of the deer seemed to notice any difference, but my preference is my .54 flint rifle with a large Siler lock and a 42" octagon to round tapered and flared (swamped) barrel.

 

[longcruise]

I guess many preferences will be regional and depend on the game pursued. Minimum caliber for elk here in CO is .50 but I prefer a .54. Many take their elk with the .50 with no problems and I'm tempted to step down to it.

I have three rifles in various states of progress. All will be fullstock with single triggers. One is a .54 GPR kit gun that I rescued from a gun show. This is my fourth GPR build and will have some modifications including a single trigger. I'll sell it off when completed.

Then there is another .54 fullstock with 15/16th barrel that will not be true to any school, but will incorporate Lancaster like qualities. Also single trigger.

Next up and only on paper so far will be a .50 fullstock with 7/8 barrel, single trigger in a southern style.

I have a .45 that shoots very well with lightish loads and is a primary plinker, match gun and small game gun. It has set triggers which function very well and are ideal for target shooting.

I had a .58 at one time but really did not need a bore that large so it went DTR (down the road).

 

[BrownBear]

Gotta know what you're hunting and where. I have compelling reasons to like the 58 even more than the 54- not because I'm foolish enough to hunt brown bears, but I hunt around them. Heck, they even come into our yard now and then. Sure I can get a lot smaller than 58 for deer, but....

The more elk or moose you have on your agenda, the more the lean to at least 54 and maybe something bigger.

There's also the factor of just liking to launch a big old hunk of lead. Something to be said for liking, too.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

I may go on a once in a lifetime elk hunt to Colorado.

I may go with something under the modern category. If all I see is something at 200 yards or maybe longer when I have something that can do that, I will constantly kick myself over it.

Moose is close to once in a lifetime for me, but is much closer than elk country to my NY home.

 

[Bob J]

A .58 in either a British sporting rifle or in a jeager would make a shorter, well-balanced, nice handling hunting rifle.

 

[rodwha]

When I first became interested in buying a rifle to hunt with I figured my first rifle ought to be one that I can do most anything with. For that I wanted something handy and light enough to carry through the woods all weekend.

I settled on a Lyman Deerstalker with a 24" barrel and weighs 7.5 lbs.

I also looked at calibers and noted how common .50 cal stuff was over everything else. I found the .50 was also considered great for medium game and that some even used it for larger game with a ball. I figured if I ever got the chance to hunt something large like an elk I could always upgrade to a conical if need be.

Seeing that the availability of .50 cal gear isn'y quite the issue I thought it might be I might have went for a .54 cal instead. But I'm happy with my choice, though I do often wonder if I'd be happier with the Pedersoli Country Hunter instead.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I am curious what you guys prefer for hunting rifles.

What would you change about it? Maybe describe your dream hunting rifle.

Here in Idaho we have a 50 minimum caliber for some of our game. For others we have a 45 cal minimum. For a hunting rifle I like a sight that can be adjusted in the field. I have Lyman 57 SML's on all my guns. They also have globe front sights with Lee Shavers BPCR inserts.
My elk guns are all TC Renegades with Green Mountain fast twist barrels. They shoot Paper patched 460 gr bullets.
My 45 cal guns are for deer and Antelope. They use a paper Patched RCBS 11mm rifle bullet.
These guns are my "perfect" hunting rifles. I wouldn't change a thing about any of them. Ron

 

[hanshi]

My general thinking is, and always has been, to match the rifle/caliber to a gun's purpose. In other words, elk, moose, etc, need for a big rifle. Deer, not so big. When it comes to squirrels, rabbits and such all that's needed is a really small bore.

Most of my shooting is recreational and a .32, .36 or .40 all do as well. Big bores with big powder charges are fun to shoot from time to time but can become expensive when used on a regular basis. I like to rotate mine and get at least a few range sessions with all of them. But for regular practice, fun shooting, plinking I prefer to shoot my little guys. I get lots more shots from a pound of powder with 20 grains in a .32 than 80 grains in a .50 - .62. Simple frugality, okay, then, cheapness. I'm fessing up.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

I agree Hanshi,

That's why I built my 1st rifle in 45 cal. Cheaper to shoot, but yet still enough to legal hunt deer.

I can't tell where style is going. However, I will likely have 3 calibers. 36, 45, and 54.

I am left handed, but shoot right handed often as well. I may build a RH flintlock for the next one. Something I can lend out. I live a little over an hour from PA and have an woodstove fired outfitter tent, So I can go hunt in January with friends. Get them hooked on blackpowder shooting with my loaner.

I really want a 1803 harpers Ferry, so that might be my RH gun. It's impossible to build that LH without making a lock.

Ron,

I really like those rifles you got. Very tempted to put the 57 GPR on my GPR. I already own a speare 17 globe sight. I use peep sights mainly and enjoy the accuracy and quick sight picture of them.

 

[robert reed]

With my Renegade and Green Mountain 32" .58 1-70, if I can get within 75 yards it is dead. No matter what it is. Now I just need to find the right peep for it.

I can easily go through a pound of FFG in a single range session. :shocked2:

 

[satx78247]

In number of miles walked hunting with a rifle, I'd guess that my 1861 "Civil War Centennial" sort of a Zouave & "sort of a musketoon" in .58 caliber would have to be my favorite hunting rifles, as I don't worry bout taking it afield in snow, ice & driving rain. = My rifle is really a replica of NOTHING.

yours, satx

 

[William O.]

A few years ago I had my Lyman Trade rifle turned into a semi custom with the stock being made of cherry to my specifications; LOP, drop and cast-off all just for me. Since I'm left handed the breech plug was changed over and an L&R percussion lock in place of the Lyman piece was the only things that where new, everything else was reused. The short, .54 barrel makes the rifle well balanced and fairly light, and extremely easy for me to shoot off hand. Accurate enough to have won a few cold barrel matches and place as high as second overall. It is not a replica of anything historical really, just as the Lyman TR only sort of resembles it's namesake. The single trigger is quite nice as well, no doubt tuned by the person who built it in the first place. My point is that while I have other rifles that closely resemble the original ones, this one is my "go to". Off the bench or offhand, this Frankenstein is the best balanced and easiest to carry in the field. The .54 is able to take down anything that I am likely to hunt or be in the woods with but if I were to be hunting moose or sharing the terrain with brown bears, I would consider have one built just like this one in .58. That's improbable at best, at least for me.
Big Red as she's called, is just what I want in a hunting rifle.

 

[nchawkeye]

I prefer a .54 caliber early Lancaster, early Virginia, early North Carolina, whatever you want to call it!!! Either a 44-38 inch barrel with single or double set triggers, owner's preference on that...

Here is one I built in the '80s for that purpose...

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I went looking for a "good" rifle...my own parameters...

It had to be swamped, at least 38" barrel, with a good sparking and fast lock, simple exterior, brass hardware, and .50 or .54 caliber, full stocked. I was looking for a rifle to both hunt AND to do F&I and AWI living history. (Oh yeah and I had to be able to afford it :grin: )

Now, the minimum caliber for deer in my state is .40, so I might have gone as small as .45 or as large as .58. .40 was just too small (historically) for me at that time.

I got a .54 with a swamped Colerain barrel, and it shoots very very well, and hammers deer out to 100 yards. It has a single trigger...which I found, having only used set triggers prior to owning this rifle, worked very well when properly positioned. I would not trade nor sell this rifle.

LD

 

[Grimord]

If your renegade barrel has the blind screw in the breech plub, Skinner sights makes a really nice peep sight that uses this screw hole. It puts the peep right up close to your eye. I have one on my .36 renegade, and love it.

Fyrstyk

 

[hoochiepapa]

My preference is my late Lancaster with a Getz .54 in 42 inch. It shoots round balls better than me, and I wouldn't hesitate to take any game with it.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

Great pics of guns and game, Ron. :thumbsup:

 

[will5a1]

You mention you will be walking 2-4 miles when hunting, I'd keep the rifle's weight in mind whatever you decide on. Having to drag a deer 2-4 miles out the little known physics law of mass and weight increase takes effect, i.e. the further you have to carry the rifle and drag the deer, the more each will weigh the further you have to go.

 

[Ron LaClair]

I have three .54's, a .32, a .36, 2 20ga smoothies and a 12ga English fowler. My go to meat gun for big game is my .62 Jaeger built for me by Jud Brennan in 1979. In all the years I've hunted with it, it has never let me down. It has a 31" heavily swamped barrel. My standard deer load is 110gr 2ff behind a .600prb.

I like the short length and the efficiency of the big bore. It's usually a short trail or a bang, flop with this gun.

My first year hunting with "Ole Bull Knocker" in 1979