Flintlocks, if you could only own one?

[russ t frizzen]

I'd go with my 10 bore long fowler. It can be loaded light or heavy with shot for fowl and small game, and with a patched 600 grain ball should be capable of taking any big game on the continent. And an ounce and a half of buckshot just might keep the two legged rodents away as well!

[WhiteBlanket]

Another vote for the .62 cal. smoothbore - specifically as my ERA French trade gun:

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[bluelake]

I'm 49 and got to admit in the last couple of years I "feel" the sight picture more than I "see" it now.

"Use the force, Morgan..."  

I'm about your age and I know what you mean.  My eyesight isn't what it used to be, but I hope to be shooting for many more years to come.

[russ t frizzen]

Even with eyeglasses I've reached this point. Rear sights are now of small value, but instinctive "point and shoot" techniques work just fine! I guess old dogs can learn new tricks.

[Lastmohecken]

Well, I am still waiting for my .62 fowler from Jackie Brown. It was promised a couple of weeks ago, but I havn't gotten it yet. It will have a 44 inch barrel. I havn't had a gun with that long a barrle before, but it seems that with guns that long, they should point pretty good.

I can still see a rear sight, if it's a good sight, but my fowler does not have one, so we will see.

[Morgan]

When you get it, I hope that you will post pictures and give us a reveiw of the general fit and finish...and of course a report of how it shoots.

Morgan

[Lastmohecken]

When you get it, I hope that you will post pictures and give us a reveiw of the general fit and finish...and of course a report of how it shoots.

Morgan

I will be looking foward to it.

[jtwodogs]

Hopefully one of these days a .62 Chambers mark silver.

[tg]

Here is THE gun for me, I found it after many years of shooting different styles, bore sizes and other little differences, I chose a "replica" of a French hunting gun, ordinary type from the town of Tulle, 44" barrel, Walnut stock, iron (steel) furniture and .58 bore, no rear sight, it will shoot ball sizes from .535-.570 and does well with shot to 20 yds give or take uasing a standard shot coloum minus the big fiber wad, may used halh a wad or some wasp nest I need to play around with shot more, the ball s good to 50 yds 40 is even better.  Jackie Browns gun are nice fitting and good shooting guns, at least the one I had was, the only thing I did not like was that the oct part of the barrel was not tapered on mine the taper started after the wedding band

[bluelake]

Well, this past summer, I had fun with my .45 cal. matchlock and two flinter pistols (.45 and .50 cal.).  This next summer, I'm hoping to add two flintlock rifles to the bunch.  I would like to have a .32 cal. and also a Baker.  It's too hard to choose just one!  

[Buffler Razz]

My Chambers 58cal Mark Silver is it. She has sentimental value as I put her together, bled on her a number of times in the process too.

[Mike R]

Well, I understand the predominance of smoothbore choices-- as a practical decision I cannot fault it.  But I like flintlock RIFLES.  Now here is the rub--one rifle cannot do it all very well.  Being sort of a collector at heart, and being lucky enough to have been able to accumulate several rifles [and a couple of smoothies] over the years in various calibers, I'd be hard pressed to pick just one!  I find myself alternating rifles --you can only carry ONE AT A TIME.  I am not mainly a big game hunter, but have big game rifles in abundance in .45, .50 and .54 [2 of each of these bores]--I traded off my .58 rifle and gave away my .40 [not legal to hunt with in Lousyanna]--and I have one 20 gauge left of 2 I've had. For small game rifle I have only a .32--go figure [I traded off a .36 years ago].  If forced to chose just one rifle I'd have to retain my oldest .45, that I made myself and still love the best--but I'd also have to keep the 20 gauge Tulle fusil as a reenactment gun. But it would be hard to give up any of the others...

[AZ Longrifle]

My pick, either a Flintlock or Matchlock 20ga smoothbore, by Leonard Day. I have 1 of each and would be hard pressed to make a choice unless I needed to do so. I can't find flint locally, but I can make all the match cord I need from Hemp or Jute twine.

If it were an "End-of-the-world-as-we-know-it" scenario, I'd realistically grab my M60E3 or my MG-42 and a truck bed full of ammo and spare parts!  

[madcaster]

And I served in the Armed Forces for FREEDOM? :shock:
 Just a kiddin! :happy

[Kermit]

You mean kinda like those 19th century Scots who hung knives, swords, and pistols on their costumed persons till you could hardly tell there was a kilt there?