Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Traditional Firearms => Flintlock Long Guns => Topic started by: Quartermaster James on October 14, 2010, 05:51:14 PM

Title: Charleville
Post by: Quartermaster James on October 14, 2010, 05:51:14 PM
Anybody here ever been told not to shoot their Charleville in a "Trade Gun" match?

I'm asking on behalf of a friend of mine who was recently discouraged from entering on the basis that "it's not a Trade Gun", i.e.: it's not a gun that was made for trade.

I looked through the NMLRA rules and found these two entries:

5650–TRADE GUN or FOWLER (a.k.a. SMOOTHBORE)–A traditional offhand hunting firearm originally intended to shoot either round ball or shot. Flintlock only. No set triggers. 28ga. (54 caliber) minimum. No rear sight above the plane of the barrel.

9050–SMOOTHBORE–A traditional style long gun originally intended to shoot either round ball or shot. The smoothbore must be of 28 ga. (.54 caliber) or larger. No rear sight above the plane of the barrel, no set triggers. Smoothbores that are acceptable in the primitive smoothbore matches include musket, fowler and trade gun.

Really, I'm asking out of curiosity more than anything else. I've always known the determining factor for a smoothbore match to be 1) no rifling and 2) no rear sight. In a match context, always before heard "Trade Gun" used generally synonymously with "Smoothbore"; never heard of it being used to limit the category of smoothbore to a specific historical weapon/period before.

Does make me wonder if I would have been asked to not enter my fowling piece?

Looking forward to everybody's take on this. Thanks in advance!
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Post by: Captchee on October 14, 2010, 08:32:52 PM
nope never have . infact i know  a couple fella that regularly use them in the trade gun matches .
 Myself i dont take much stock in the NMLRA rules .
 there is no base for exscluding rear sights eather . we been over that subject more then a few times
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Post by: markinmi on October 14, 2010, 10:32:57 PM
Never heard that one.I shoot a bess and a French Infantry Musket
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Post by: No Deer on October 15, 2010, 08:09:43 AM
He probably shoots it better than the other guys can shoot, therefore they discouraged him  :lol:
We always encourage anyone with a smoothbore, regardless of style to participate in our woods walk and other "trade gun" matches.
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Post by: markinmi on October 15, 2010, 12:18:57 PM
And I think military muskets are a bit harder to shoot as a lot of them you can't get your head down on em like a NW tradegun or Tulle .I have to hold my head up straight and line the gun up that way or I'll walk away with a mighty sore cheek.Muskets werent designed to be a sporting arm.
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Post by: Craig Tx on October 15, 2010, 05:11:56 PM
QM James,

I'm just up the road and across the river from ya'll and I've never heard of anyone at any of the shoots I go to exclude military muskets from the fun.

Maybe you need to comed to some of our shoots...

Craig
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Post by: Quartermaster James on November 05, 2010, 06:41:39 PM
Thanks for all the replies folks!
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Post by: Loyalist Dave on November 06, 2010, 12:21:43 AM
Yes some of them trigger pulls on a Charly or a Bess are pretty heavy, and often the throw of the cock to the Frizzen gives you a half second of contemplation where you need to keep steady.  Most muskets is tougher to shoot than the often better made trade muskets repros.  

LD