Took my flintlock Kentucky rifle out today

[Darrell]

I've got a modern Pedersoli Kentucky rifle in .32 that I've not fired for a few years. I decided I'm going to hunt deer with it this fall, so I got it out and put a dozen rounds through it this afternoon. What a hoot! I'd forgotten both what fun and what a PITA the rifle can be!

I store my BP arms with a liberal coating of Thompson's Bore Butter, and apparently I didn't get all of it out when I swabbed the barrel before taking the rifle out to shoot. The first attempt was the proverbial flash in the pan, and a couple of reattempts failed, too. So back to the barn and 20 minutes of cleaning the flash hole and blowing the grease out with high-pressure air. Then I packed as much 4F into the flash hole as I could, and then tried again. Kaboom. But what a pain! It was my error, or course, and one I'll try not to repeat.

The rifle is accurate, but it's also really dirty. I have to alternate a dry swab and a solvent swab after every shot. And it took near an hour to clean the son of a gun when I was done. But I'm going to do it again soon.  I could cut down the fouling by switching to Pyrodex, but I like black powder enough to make it worth the extra effort. 

Edited August 28, 2022 by Darrell

[Sidinman]

I have a CVA Squirrel .32, it's pretty accurate and like you haven't shot it in a couple years.

Very fun, but as you say a pain especially compared to the .50 and .54.

Never thought about deer hunting with it though.

 

RP

[Darrell]

24 minutes ago, Sidinman said:

Never thought about deer hunting with it though.

As it turns out, it's not legal for deer. I checked the regs last night and a muzzleloader must be at least 36 caliber. Darn it! I'm sure that a well-placed 32 cal ball will do the trick, and I know thousands of deer were taken with squirrel guns in the past. I guess I'll use my percussion 50 instead.

Break out that CVA! 

[Sidinman]

8 hours ago, Darrell said:

As it turns out, it's not legal for deer. I checked the regs last night and a muzzleloader must be at least 36 caliber. Darn it! I'm sure that a well-placed 32 cal ball will do the trick, and I know thousands of deer were taken with squirrel guns in the past. I guess I'll use my percussion 50 instead.

Break out that CVA! 

I didn't know about

[Sidinman]

Didn't know about the regulations, just personally thought it a bit smallish, but

like you said I'm sure it's been done... more than once.

 Just like the 22 lr & 22 mag.

Let me see if I can get this Pic. to load.

 

My .32 cal. Squirrel rifle and my .36 cal. 1851.

 

RP 

Edited August 29, 2022 by Sidinman

[Choatecav]

I enjoyed your post on the thrills and spills of shooting your flintlock.  I have one that was custom built for me that is in .40 cal.  You are correct about all of the prep and the cleaning can take a bit of time but, is absolutely necessary.  One thing that has happened to me a couple of times is if I am shooting with a friend and we get to talking and I get out of sequence with the powder and seating the ball.  Ramming the ball in with no powder is a real time-consuming mistake as you have to attach a ball puller to your ram rod and pull it out.  What a mess.....  

The good thing is that once you do it, it keeps you on your toes to never do it again, ha. 

[S Maah]

Whats the reload time for one of these? Curious about follow up shots when hunting.

[Darrell]

26 minutes ago, S Maah said:

Whats the reload time for one of these? Curious about follow up shots when hunting.

You probably need to be accurate with your first shot, as if you just wing a deer it will be long gone before a follow up shot. I'm just guessing, but I'd say 30-45 seconds for a reload and shot. You don't have to swab the barrel after every shot, but you do have to blow it out to be sure there are no embers in there. (My neighbor had to go to the ER when he dumped powder down a barrel with sparks still there.) Your powder is probably pre-measured, but seating a ball takes a few seconds, more if you're cutting a patch after seating. The ball is first started, then rammed home, in my case with different tools. Then you charge the pan, set the frizzen and cock the action. I'm sure it could be done pretty quickly with a LOT of practice, but it takes me quite a while.

[peejman]

1 hour ago, S Maah said:

Whats the reload time for one of these? Curious about follow up shots when hunting.

A well trained and practiced solider could get off 3 shots per minute. 

[Darrell]

I know that soldiers were expected to fire three shots from a percussion cap rifle, and I've no doubt that some can do it with a flintlock. But those that can are beyond "well-trained" I think.  Certainly I cannot come close to that.

Of course in the movie, "The Last of the Mohicans" the characters were able to reload while running uphill. I was pretty impressed by that!

Edited December 1, 2022 by Darrell

[Choatecav]

1 hour ago, Darrell said:

I know that soldiers were expected to fire three shots from a percussion cap rifle, and I've no doubt that some can do it with a flintlock. But those that can are beyond "well-trained" I think.  Certainly I cannot come close to that.

Of course in the movie, "The Last of the Mohicans" the characters were able to reload while running uphill. I was pretty impressed by that!

Having fired hundreds of rounds through these types of rifles, it is possible to do 3 rounds a minute and if you are stationary and can leave the ramrod out, four could be attained.  It was reported that veterans of the War between the states could attain that.  I cannot.  

But to do three rounds a minute with a flintlock would be quite a feat, indeed due to the complexity of setting the frizzen and properly filling the pan vs simply slipping on a percussion cap on the nipple.  Mark Baker, who was the weapons and technical advisor to Mel Gibson on the movie, "The Patriot" could probably pull it off, but it would be difficult, even for him, IMHO.

If attained, it could not be sustained as the barrel would begin to foul and build up and this would slow down the process greatly.  

[RED333]

This is a double barrel 50 cal, 2 shots in less than 2 seconds, or 2 at the same time.