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Short and light

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Does your state allow you to quarter a deer for transport? I do enjoy hunting in the snow but we rarely get snow during deer season but the few times we did I would track deer like you are saying it's easy to see them against the white background.
 
Does your state allow you to quarter a deer for transport? I do enjoy hunting in the snow but we rarely get snow during deer season but the few times we did I would track deer like you are saying it's easy to see them against the white background.
Yes we can quarter them.
 
When you hunt an area with less than 1 deer per square mile you have to cover a lot of ground just to find a track and that’s when the hunt starts.
I hunted Hamilton County town of Arietta for 30 years. Same deer population. Guys who hunt deer rich areas don't get that you can sit for days and not see a deer. My hunting was drivers/watchers, but I agree with short and light approach when logging miles in the woods.

That said, I do have a 20ga flintlock fowler that is amazingly light. But, it wouldn't be handy in thick brush.
 
I owned and killed deer for more than 20 years with a Traditions DeerHunter. Mine was percussion and was accurate, reliable and weighed next to nothing. I can't vouch for the flint locks but the cap locks are great. I eventually traded the little .50 in on a similar, but hand built, .45 with a 25" barrel - the Traditions was 24".
 
This is my first post here been lurking/reading for a while but I’m having a lot of trouble finding what I’m looking for.

I hunt the Adirondack mountains in New York. I never sit in a stand and walk all day. I want to kill a buck with a flintlock still hunting or tracking on snow. I’ve Hunted with a flintlock a few times in Pennsylvania with a borrowed modern flintlock and it was fun but not what I’m looking for.
I want a short barreled light weight gun. It’s common for me to walk 8-10 miles a day so it will be carried a lot and shot a little. I think I want a single trigger because it seems like it would be faster and less hassle for close range hunting when things happen quick. How short can I go with the barrel? I need it to balance well when carried 1 handed but want it as compact as possible for getting through the thick stuff. I don’t want anything fancy or shiny. I’m also left handed so I’m sure that limits my options.

I appreciate any and all insight!
Macular degeneration has rendered me legally blind in the right eye. I find shooting my RH flintlocks left handed is not bad. Better than not shooting and a lot easier than a RH bolt action.
 
Short and light works when you can use smokeless powder with more predictable pressure curves, but with modern BP and substitutes they just can't reach those sorts of pressures you need to generate the velocities you need. So to compensate, and put more energy down range, you have to go up in caliber. Using a heavier bullet like a Mini or Maxi can help some, but the vertical column of powder and surface area of the burn will limit you. A bigger caliber expands the surface area for the burn. That's a big part of the reason German Jaegers are so large bored. Velocities of course are lower, but you're throwing a bigger chunk of lead at the same time.
 
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Macular degeneration has rendered me legally blind in the right eye. I find shooting my RH flintlocks left handed is not bad. Better than not shooting and a lot easier than a RH bolt action.

An option for you could be a custom gun with an enormous amount of cast-off. That could let you shoot right handed but aim with your left eye. I have seen pictures of them. They're odd looking, but I guess they work.
 
I think the OP was looking for a flintlock, so sharps and Smith carbines are out. And they don't qualify for New Yorks muzzleloadwr season if that's what he's focused on. White mountain carbine is a nice gun but I've never seen one in flintlock, only Caprock. Tc did make a renegade carbine at one time, but I don't know if it was flintlock or just percussion.

You could look for a TC renegade flint 54cal and have the barrel shortened. Depends on what the bank account allows.
 
What kind of velocities should I expect for a 24” barrel? I’ve killed a few deer with a 45 colt handgun with a muzzle velocity of just over 800fps. That did a fine job. It’s very rare for me to have a shot over 50yds. And if I need to am willing to limit it around there if need be.
Short and light works when you can use smokeless powder with more predictable pressure curves, but with modern BP and substitutes they just can't reach those sorts of pressures you need to generate the velocities you need. So to compensate, and put more energy down range, you have to go up in caliber. Using a heavier bullet like a Mini or Maxi can help some, but the vertical column of powder and surface area of the burn will limit you. A bigger caliber expands the surface area for the burn. That's a big part of the reason German Jaegers are so large bored. Velocities of course are lower, but you're throwing a bigger chunk of lead at the same time.
 
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Don't worry too much about velocities. In a 50 cal with a 7/8" barrel about 24 to 26" long you will be light and deadly. Look around the Pecatonica site for a parts kit and cut the barrel down. This one is a good candidate. Also available in a half stock. Leman Fullstock Rifle, Pecatonica River Long Rifle Supply

You have seen the references here to the traditons deer hunter with 24" barrel. I killed a deer with one 8n 50 cal with round ball and 60 grains of 3f at 80 yards. It was a quick and clean kill. You might want to go heavier charge if you concentrate on big bucks.
 
At 24" you will be fine. Do an advanced search here to look up the Davenport formula which references the maximum efficient load you can shoot and still expect all the powder to be consumed within the bore. Going much past that load and a lot of it will be burned past the muzzle. I THINK the formula was written for 2Fg, so obviously with 3Fg more can be efficiently burned.

I'm not sure if the formula was derived at for a flint lock, or a cap lock. But if a cap gun then you can up the optimal number by about 10% due to the gas loss through the touch hole.

I suppose (in theory) a guy COULD stack his powder charge load so that his pressures didn't get out of control on him; Cannon, 1Fg, 2Fg, 3Fg, 4Fg, Null-B, but that seems like a chance to court disaster to me, along with being a lot of futzing around. When I was much much younger I once filled a single shot pistol barrel right up to the muzzle (no ball), pointed it straight up over my head (at night) and pulled the trigger. Very impressive fireball that followed!
 
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I'd have needed a nap after that. Back to the OP - I'd be inclined to build a 24" flint or percussion in .54 or .58 with sling swivels.

no sling swivels for me, any suggestion on a kit? Or a place to get the parts? I’ve never built one but I’m relatively handy and am sure I could figure it out.
 
no sling swivels for me, any suggestion on a kit? Or a place to get the parts? I’ve never built one but I’m relatively handy and am sure I could figure it out.
I have been impressed with the quality of my last two stocks from Pecatonica. The inletting has been excellent. Have not noticed a significant difference in barrels other than Colerain seems to be bored a couple of thousandths tighter. TOW has a good selection of parts. Most suppliers should be able to cut and re-crown.
 
Suggestion on the long drag. get one of those roll up plastic type sleds, keep it rolled up and sling it with a rope over your shoulder they weigh next to nothing, then if you get a deer lash it to the sheet and easy drag snow or no snow. Since I hunt bye myself a good bit, the area I hunt I just let the deer lay and go get the truck drive in on the old logging road right to the deer, ( short drag to the edge of the trail) the problem is getting it in the bed of the truck, Shot a big 7 this past year had a hard time getting him in the truck bed. But I also have that figured out 1/2 sheet of plywood with some holes bored along the sides, and a come along, some rope, lay the deer on the plywood tie him fast lift the edge of the plywood on to the tail gate tie off the come along to the front inside of the truck bed and winch him in. I do not know if anyone has tried to wrestle a limp deer into the bed of a ford f-250 but let me tell you it aint a easy thing to accomplish. Kicked my butt. As too a short light gun I would suggest a .62 cal canoe gun preferably rifled I like the big bores, big holes and lots of blood loss equals quick kills and short tracking if needed. Never had one go over 50 yards. Mostly DRT if shot under 50 -75 yards.
 
OP...nobody has asked the average distance you take a shot?

I have a 28” barreled Wilson Chiefs trade gun (.62 cal smooth with a rear sight) that I can group inside the palm of my hand at 60 yards. It weighs 5.75 pounds.

80 grains of 3F makes meat out of deer and big Texas hogs.

That said I like rifles better. 2” groups at 75 make me happier. A 30” .58 would be very handy and light.

I have a Pedersoli Kentucky (percussion) in .50 with a 15/16” barrel that is 38” long and it’s very easy to carry.

Should be plenty of options for you and plenty of power at 26” for 75 yard and in shooting.
 

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