Deer

I know there are quite a few hunters on this forum, so I figured I'd make this thread to see how everyone's season has been going. I decided to get back into hunting this year. It's kind of weird, since I was a pretty serious vegetarian for about 2 years, but for one reason or another, I've moved away from that over the last year or so. Vension tastes great.

I didn't make it out for regular gun season this year, but I'll be heading out to Michigan today (Dublin/Wellston/Irons area for those interested) for muzzleloader season.

I just got a new CVA Wolf .50 in-line. I seriously love it. Bore sighted it, then took it to the range. Only had to shoot twice before I decided it was right where it needs to be. I was using 295 grain Powerbelts with 100 grains of powder at 50 yards standing. I couldn't believe how accurate these things are.



So, wish me luck. I'm excited. First time muzzleloader hunting here.

edit- Target is upside-down in the picture.


Edited by Benjichang - 18 December 2009 at 9:51am

I haven't even gotten out this year.
I had an older CVA muzzle loader, but traded up for my Remington 700ML:
.

I love shooting it, but have yet to get a shot off on a deer while using it. That, and I can't even get a pic of my real one. I had to leave that one at my parents house due to me having only a small safe (no long-gun storage).

Edited by Bunkered - 18 December 2009 at 3:49pm

Eville wrote: What is the point of a bolt on a muzzleloader?  Just to make cleaning easier?

I've wondered that myself. I would imagine it's for loading/unloading. With mine, the barrel breaks open like a shotgun, and there is a threaded bolt with a hole through it where the shotgun primer goes. This can be unscrewed to make unloading and cleaning easier. I'm guessing the bolt takes the place of this.

Benjichang wrote: Eville wrote: What is the point of a bolt on a muzzleloader?  Just to make cleaning easier? I've wondered that myself. I would imagine it's for loading/unloading. With mine, the barrel breaks open like a shotgun, and there is a threaded bolt with a hole through it where the shotgun primer goes. This can be unscrewed to make unloading and cleaning easier. I'm guessing the bolt takes the place of this.

Well, mine doesn't break open, so that must be why the bolt is there.
Plus, it just looks right.

As I've mentioned, I hunt with a traditional muzzleloader



Cleaning these....not so simple.

My season sucked. Went out opening day, my usual quiet spot was like Iwo Jima. With the exception of a pack of coyotes at sunup, I didn't even HEAR anything.

I went out for a dusk hunt once after that, but it was snowing so bad, there wasn't even a chance to find tracks. Come the next morning, there was 6" of snow on the ground.

I haven't been out since. I really wasted a season, but living an hour and a half from my old stomping ground and having to take care of a small child....cut into it this year badly. Next year I'm taking up bow hunting to lengthen my season a bit.

I got one with a 2008 Kia Sedona Van. Too bad it was a doe and 'hamburger' after the good center hit.

I did not get to tromp the woods this year, (will end up being a sitting 'ambush' hunter in Nebraska drive hunts since my mobility is severaly limited) but I too prefer a 1863 Springfield Rifled Musket. .58cal is a good hitter. My 1861 is too worn to be accurate. Also use a .44cal cap and ball 'Confederate' type pistol (Josie Wales's gun)

Standard rifle is my 1873 Springfield Trap Door Carbine .45/70. I am looking at the Marlin .45/70 repeater. I am not into chasing wounded deer.

Edited by oldsoldier - 20 December 2009 at 7:36pm

They are pretty inexpensive. Around $700, and using them is not that high a learning curve. The powder measure is the highest demand, and how to 'ram' the minie ball. There are videos out that that instruct quite well.

http://www.regtqm.com/Musket_1863SpringfieldRifle%20MusketTypeI.htm

oldsoldier wrote: They are pretty inexpensive. Around $700, and using them is not that high a learning curve. The powder measure is the highest demand, and how to 'ram' the minie ball. There are videos out that that instruct quite well. http://www.regtqm.com/Musket_1863SpringfieldRifle%20MusketTypeI.htm

Mine is an 1853 Enfield, and I bought it back when I was 14 year old, paid a little over $400 back then.....I've been using it re-enacting, as well as hunting and live shooting for nearly 12 years now, and I've never, EVER had it misfire on me.

Aside from the powder measure, there's not much to learn....at all.

Cleaning it though, of all the people I know that own one, everyone uses a different cleaning method.
With no bolt, everything is done through the muzzle....and we need to field clean it after every day at a re-enactment, especially when we're shooting anywhere from 30-100 rounds a day out of them....they get filthy!

The best and quickest way that I've found to clean it- Peroxide. hold a piece of rag over the nipple with the hammer, and pour a bit of peroxide down the barrel, plug the end with your finger and shake the whole thing. It builds pressure and eats away all the crap that's accumulated in there. Dump it all out, then dry it with rags. Run one last rag down there once its dry with a little bit of oil on it, then remove the nipple, dry everything out and oil the threads and fire a few caps off to make sure there's nothing obstructing the flash hole.

I have done an entire squad of 5 guys' rifles within an hour like this, and they were clean enough to pass a safety inspection the next day.

Benjichang wrote: Might have to try peroxide. My dad has a few old flintlocks. The nice thing about the in-lines, is they are so easy to clean and use, but you lose out on the whole primitive/traditional aspect with them. And you can't even hunt with in-lines in PA.

I didn't know that about Pa.
Interesting.

Yeah, I've found the peroxide to be more effective than soapy water, or any other method I've tried. My old way was to boil water in camp and just use hot water (keep in mind, 19th century camp, no modern luxuries) but that took forever and the barrel would heat up worse than when I was shooting it all day.

With the peroxide, its quicker, and the barrel, though it warms up a bit- doesn't retain the heat that you'd get with a pot of boiling water.

I don't use black powder substitutes either, no clean shot or pyrodex- they don't go 'bang' when you're shooting them as blank rounds- they just make a 'poof' and an embarrassing little tendril of smoke. 100 rounds of FF black powder really grimes up the inside of the barrel.....but with the peroxide, I've not had to run a brush down that barrel in years. It takes it right out.

Drying takes a while, but its worth it.


Edited by Reb Cpl - 21 December 2009 at 10:17am

I have friends in PA, up around Williamsport that hunt with 1863 springfield rifles...I'm not sure of anything more specific.

Yeah, I guess pyrodex works for live shooting since its compacted and chambered, and I people say it makes cleaning easier, I dunno. I've never used it live, and I cant use it re-enacting.

One other thing about the measure of powder you use, after you've been shooting it long enough, you can sort of eyeball your charge and tell if you're using too much or too little.

I can roll 60 grain rounds for blanks without using a measure, simply scooping the paper tubes into a bowl of powder. I can guarantee that they're no more than 5-10 grains off in either direction. 12 years of reenacting, anywhere from 4-10 weekends a year, anywhere form 60-200 rounds per weekend, plus my live shooting....I think I've got it down by now.


Edited by Reb Cpl - 21 December 2009 at 10:35am