black powder

[coxy]

does any have as much fun as I do hunting with them    tell some of your funny things you have done       today I went saw a nice buck pulled up and it went pop  :-\ thought the powder was damp put another cap and same thing deer is still standing there put the 3rd cap in same thing    took the breach out to unload gun to put in new powder and I never loaded it to start with  :D  :D    what a day  still better then working  8)

[Magicman]

I wonder if bucks can goggle too??  ???   :D

[goose63]

Don't hunt with it but shoot a lot of black powder I have six 6 shooters lots of fun and lots of cleaning. some times in my 41mag and 45 long colt 

[pasbuild]

 :D :D :D  Not sure I would have shared that story.

[chain]

Never forget my first black powder deer hunt..we were drawn for a special ,'antlerless only' deer hunt at a National Refuge.We had scouted the afternoon before and claimed our stands. Around 5:00 a.m. a car drove up and was the girlfriend of one of our party. our friend was giving some instructions on loading and firing a muzzleloader by headlight! ???

On to our stands! But what do you know, a thick fog was laying in and prevented some of us from finding our stands. I took a seat on a log just to the inside of the woods. Finally the fog lifted enough and I could see all five of our party within two hundred feet of my stand! I was afraid to move, but just then a 'pop!', I looked to my left and saw her boyfriend running over to her, then, another 'pop!'

In a few seconds a small deer came from their direction within twenty feet and stopped in front of me, I aimed, but all I could see was a good friend of mine in his tree stand directly in the line of fire. OF course I didn't shoot, but the deer then , walked directly to my friend in the tree stand, he stood up, aimed, and another, 'pop!' The deer went on, and iived happily ever after, I suppose. :

Moral of this story...keep your powder dry!

[Swatson]

The worst is when you pull the trigger, hear the cap pop, then five seconds later BOOM.  I have an old Hawkins rifle.  The cap has to send the flame through an L shaped tube.  If it gets a little bit dirty (like after ONE shot) it gets real finicky either not firing or having a delayed fire.  I probably look like an idiot when a cap pops standing there for a good thirty seconds afraid to move.  I think I even saw a deer laugh at me once.  I dont use it anymore.  It is wall art now.

[clww]

Back in the early 80s, hang-fires, mis-fires, etc. were the reason I began hunting with the bow.
I still have four muzzleloaders and plan to try again one day soon, after I retire again.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

You'd make a good security guard at the First National Bank of Mayberry.  :D

[JB Griffin]

The worst is when you pull the trigger, hear the cap pop, then five seconds later BOOM.  I have an old Hawkins rifle.  The cap has to send the flame through an L shaped tube.  If it gets a little bit dirty (like after ONE shot) it gets real finicky either not firing or having a delayed fire.

This is exactly why I am trying out a flintlock. Flash from the pan has a straight shot into the breech. ;D

[ely]

when you load the old style muzzle loaders like the hawken...after you dump the powder in your barrel, use the ball starter to tap on the side of the drum so that the powder fills the drum that way the fire from the cap hits the powder directly and does not have to jump the gap... then go back and load the projectile and tamp it accordingly.

[Bibbyman]

http://youtu.be/EHr9SuOpYQg

I hunted some with a Thompson Hawkins 45.  Killed a couple of deer with Trapdoor Springfields loaded with cast bullet and black powder.  One in 45/70 and an older one in 50/70.

The above blast is from a New Baker 10 gauge I'm test firing with a heavy load.

[DeerMeadowFarm]

I use an in-line during our muzzle loader season, but I have shot a lot of black powder rifles in the past. My oldest brother's first project when he retired from teaching was to take a class to build his own flintlock. Now, neither of my brothers are very handy/technical so I had my doubts but I am proud to say he took his time and ended up with a beautiful rifle! On days when the weather is not inclement during the season he'll take it out hunting, but he has yet to take a deer with it. Maybe this year....?

[WV Sawmiller]

Coxy,

    First one I killed with black powder was a couple years ago. When to shoot and found front sight had fallen off. Aimed as best I could and shot. No hit but deer just stood there so grabbed a speed loader, rammed home and primed and shot again. Same thing. Reloaded again. Remembered sight had stood up higher so aimed lower and burst her heart that time. You have to love suicidal deer.

    Worst hunt was this year. Shot one in the head and she fell then got up. I went to reload and broke my ramrod about 6" short of end of barrel. Had to climb down and she ran off. Went home and got another ramrod and went back with my son to find her but no luck. Good blood trail for 100 yards or more then nothing. Went back that afternoon with my squirrel dog and covered the area thoroughly with him but no luck. I am sure if we had been within 20-30 yards of the deer he'd have found it but we did not. Don't mind missing but hate to wound one and lose it.

[coxy]

I know but it happens to best of us    but the other part is  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[rooster 58]

I love to hunt with my flintlock in the late season. There's nothing like still hunting through the hemlock with a foot of fresh snow on the ground. And the wind is knocking the snow off of the boughs and the sun is making the snow glitter and sparkle.
      On the other hand, I shot my first bull elk last year with my in line at 250 yards. He didn't go 20 yards before tipping over
;)