I like a .50 Smooth Barrel.....

[Adam Helmer]

Our October ML deer season is coming soon. My first muzzleloader was a used .50 caliber flinter T/C Hawken for $155 in the early 1980s in NH. Included was a spare .50 caliber smooth barrel because MA did not then allow rifled MLs for deer.

My .50 smoothbore barrel is a nice Mansfield-make with brass ramrod thimbles and very decent sights. Over the years, I have come to like it more and more. It will launch patched roundball propelled by 75 grains of 2F Goex to point of aim consistently at 100 yards. With the same powder charge and 2 Bore Button wads of .50 caliber, it will hold a killing pattern with #6 shot to 40yards. I have set up a possibiles bag with ball and shot dedicated to "Woods Loafing" in October for both deer and small game with the "Almost" 28 gauge .50 smoothbore.

At my age, I am no longer a meat hunter. I prefer to cruise the October woods and recall events from the book, "Drums Along the Mohawk" as I cradle my .50 caliber flinter with my 'hawk in my belt.

Adam

[Johnny Reb]

Adam said:
I prefer to cruise the October woods and recall events from the book, "Drums Along the Mohawk" as I cradle my .50 caliber flinter with my 'hawk in my belt.

Sounds like good fun to me.


Adam what is the maximum diistance that you would take a deer using your 50 cal smoothie. I'm thinkin about getting a 50 or 54 smoothbore.

[Adam Helmer]

Johnny Reb,

I think 100 yards is the long side of my using a .50 smoothbore for deer. I would prefer more like 75 yards to be fairer to the deer because my 100 yards groups are about 5 inches. In the deer woods, 75 yards would be a long shot, in any case.

I would like to have a .54 T/C Hawken or T/C .54 Renegade smooth barrel. Shot loads in a rifled barrel never patterned well for me with #5 or #6 shot.

Adam

[popplecop]

Used to hunt with NW Trade Guns, had one in a 12 and the other in a 20, foolishly traded them off. The 20 was a great round ball gun.

[Gil Martin]

A fellow I know bought a .54 Green River smoothbore barrel for his T/C Hawken. After a few shooting sessions, he decided to sell the smoothbore barrel. I bought it and put it into a T/C stock and now have a 28 gauge flintlock shotgun. I have a rifled and rough .50 caliber Trade Rifle barrel at the local gunsmith waiting to be freshened up to a .54 smoothbore. When I get the barrel back, I will have a second flintlock shotgun. Using 28 gauge shotgun wads and bore buttons makes this easy and fun. All the best...
Gil

[Adam Helmer]

Gil,

Bring that .54 Green River T/C Hawken smoothbore barrel on your next visit and plan on leaving it here. I will toss a few trade goods your way to your satisfaction. I already have the 28 Gauge wads.

Adam