New to Blackpowder

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rottenfuher

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Hello All,
I am new to Black-powder,I look at doing some Deer hunting this fall with a
newly acquired Black powder rifle as this is my first time any tips would be
greatly appreciated.
Thank You.
 
HA, smartasses, I am doing the same thing, with a new/old, Remington Genesis, depending on what you have, it's just a matter of collecting up the gear you need to get the job done,, people here have been helpful, and YouTube as well! The big thing I am finding is they have to be cleaned quite often! I/you, will have to pay closer attention to details on the rifle, I will be hopefully starting to sight mine in tomorrow or Tuesday. I am expecting to have to pak a bit more kit with me when hunting for loading and possible field cleaning, although I doubt I will need to clean it while in the field. I wanted to try this form of hunting as it is a bit more challenging and I get to hunt a good few weeks earlier than regular deer hunters! I will be mounting the scope tonight, some fellas say to sight in at 50 or 75 yards,, I am still on the fence on doing that or sticking with 100 yards and checking where poi is at 50, maybe someone can chime in! Can't forget to put something on the threads of the plug so it does not seize , and make sure the projectile is firmly on the powder/pellet!
 
Best advice is to keep your shooting to the range at which you can shoot five rounds into a three inch circle - for most of us, that's around 75 yards max, with a BP rifle, no matter how much they tell you. Sure, there ARE 100 yard shots, no doubt - but that ball drops like a greased anvil past 75 yards, and your range estimation needs to be VERY sure to get the projectile where you want it.

I'm sure to get my ass lit up for this post, but hey, I live 3500 miles away. I can take the flak.

tac
 
I have my Knight .50 inline sighted in at 2" high at 50 yds, useing 2> 50 gr pyrodex pellets. I'm comfortable shooting out to 130 or so yards. Longest deer kill shot has been 120 paced off yds. I shot a truck load or two of deer when I lived in Manitoba as they have a 3 week muzzleloader deer season.
 
warrenlikesboats said:
if a few inches of drop @100 is your definition of a falling anvil lol
Click to expand...

Flame away, bro - I live to far away to give a hoot.

Anyhow, I shoot BP .45-70, .58cal and two Sniders, and have only seen one inline rifle in my life here in UK. The owner had a hell of a job trying to explain what it was to the licensing department, since it looked remarkably like a rather stout bolt action rifle, which is what it was. Pyrodex pellets are not available here in UK, nor are R.E.A.L bullets, so he had to make some - bullets that is. He loaded the Pyrodex [borrowed off me] loose, and used wads. Then he found that what he had actually bought was a firearm that was so unique that it couldn't be shot in any comps, because although it looked like a modern rifle, it was in fact percussion, but didn't have an external hammer. It also had a nice big modern x12 scope - not 'zackly in the spirit of BP shooting hereabouts.

The final nail in the coffin was finding out that they don't make either the velocity or the muzzle energy requirements - 2500 fps/1500 ft lbs for deer/feral hog/goat in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland requires both, which means that my .45-70, renowned half-ton buffalo slayer that it is, is not 'up to snuff' to drop a 300# stag. It also cost him north of a £1000, and that, friends, is more than $10,000 in Canadian dog money. Expensive fun, eh?

Anyhow, OP, loads of luck with that new acquisition.

Me, I'll admit that I'm full of awe for those of you who habitually drop game at 150 yards with a BP rifle, but then, it's not really a BP rifle as we understand it, Jim, is it?

tac, awful.
 
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tacfoley said:
Flame away, bro - I live to far away to give a hoot.

Anyhow, I shoot BP .45-70, .58cal and two Sniders, and have only seen one inline rifle in my life here in UK. The owner had a hell of a job trying to explain what it was to the licensing department, since it looked remarkably like a rather stout bolt action rifle, which is what it was. Pyrodex pellets are not available here in UK, nor are R.E.A.L bullets, so he had to make some - bullets that is. He loaded the Pyrodex [borrowed off me] loose, and used wads. Then he found that what he had actually bought was a firearm that was so unique that it couldn't be shot in any comps, because although it looked like a modern rifle, it was in fact percussion, but didn't have an external hammer. It also had a nice big modern x12 scope - not 'zackly in the spirit of BP shooting hereabouts.

The final nail in the coffin was finding out that they don't make either the velocity or the muzzle energy requirements - 2500 fps/1500 ft lbs for deer/feral hog/goat in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland requires both, which means that my .45-70, renowned half-ton buffalo slayer that it is, is not 'up to snuff' to drop a 300# stag. It also cost him north of a £1000, and that, friends, is more than $10,000 in Canadian dog money. Expensive fun, eh?

Anyhow, OP, loads of luck with that new acquisition.

Me, I'll admit that I'm full of awe for those of you who habitually drop game at 150 yards with a BP rifle, but then, it's not really a BP rifle as we understand it, Jim, is it?

tac, awful.
Click to expand...

I haven't done it, but I am confident that a .50 round ball on top of 90-100 grains of FF would reach out and kill a white tail at 150 yards. I'm not confident enough with my skills to take that shot, but I'm certain it can be done.
 
plinker 777 said:
I haven't done it, but I am confident that a .50 round ball on top of 90-100 grains of FF would reach out and kill a white tail at 150 yards. I'm not confident enough with my skills to take that shot, but I'm certain it can be done.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you are right, but it's not anything that we can try here. I applaud your self-control and realisation of your own limitations - I know many folks who would say that they'd happily take 200 yard+ shots on live game with any kind of a muzzle-loader. As you know, it's not just the matter of needing to have a very good handle on your range estimation, but the physical facts of the retention of energy of a PRB as it trundles its way to the target.

tac
 
tacfoley said:
Flame away, bro - I live to far away to give a hoot.

Anyhow, I shoot BP .45-70, .58cal and two Sniders, and have only seen one inline rifle in my life here in UK. The owner had a hell of a job trying to explain what it was to the licensing department, since it looked remarkably like a rather stout bolt action rifle, which is what it was. Pyrodex pellets are not available here in UK, nor are R.E.A.L bullets, so he had to make some - bullets that is. He loaded the Pyrodex [borrowed off me] loose, and used wads. Then he found that what he had actually bought was a firearm that was so unique that it couldn't be shot in any comps, because although it looked like a modern rifle, it was in fact percussion, but didn't have an external hammer. It also had a nice big modern x12 scope - not 'zackly in the spirit of BP shooting hereabouts.

The final nail in the coffin was finding out that they don't make either the velocity or the muzzle energy requirements - 2500 fps/1500 ft lbs for deer/feral hog/goat in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland requires both, which means that my .45-70, renowned half-ton buffalo slayer that it is, is not 'up to snuff' to drop a 300# stag. It also cost him north of a £1000, and that, friends, is more than $10,000 in Canadian dog money. Expensive fun, eh?

Anyhow, OP, loads of luck with that new acquisition.

Me, I'll admit that I'm full of awe for those of you who habitually drop game at 150 yards with a BP rifle, but then, it's not really a BP rifle as we understand it, Jim, is it?

tac, awful.
Click to expand...

Not sure what your going on about here.... but yah, a patched .490 ball propelled by 120grains of FF powder out my 36" Kentucky rifle barrel maybe drops like 5" @ 100yrd (hardly what id consider a greased anvil lol considering the weight of the ball), so ballistically the guns more than capable, mine is a flinchlock though, so when comes to ethical shot placement in a hunting situation, i would agree with your 75yrd & under rule.
 
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