Traditional Muzzle-Loaded Bullet Rifles
Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:45 pm
Does anyone on this forum shoot and hunt with a traditional long-range muzzle-loaded bullet rifle?
These days, I shoot and hunt 75% of the time with very modern in-line ignition rifles. However, I still enjoy the looks and feel of a quality traditionally styled rifle. A few of the rifles I continue to punch holes in paper with are for patched round balls, but when I get the urge to hunt big game with a traditional muzzleloader, I favor the .45 and .50 caliber rifles that can shoot a long and heavy bore-sized lead bullet. These are the rifles that made the round ball obsolete during the period dating from the late 1830s and on into the Civil War. Rifles produced by known American rifle makers such as Edwin Wesson, William Billinghurst, Morgan James, and Norman Brockway became famous for their long-range accuracy - shooting 300 to 500+ grain conical bullets that could shoot inside of 2 to 3 inches at 40 rods (220 yards)...and still have plenty of energy for cleanly taking big game.
The attached photo shows two of my favorite 1840s-1850s percussion rifles - one is a fast-twist .50 half-stock rifle produced by Pedersoli (left), and the other is one of the unique hexagonal bore .451 caliber Whitworth reproductions offered by Dixie Gun Works (center). The other rifle is a modern copy of a New Model 1859 percussion Sharps rifle by Chiappa Firearms. All are topped with one of the 1850s styled Leatherwood/Hi-Lux 6x "Wm. Malcolm" scopes. And on a good day (for me) every one of these rigs will shoot inside of 1 1/2 inches at a hundred yards.
Toby Bridges
NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER
HUNTING ASSOCIATION
I was just wondering if anyone else here shot a similar rifle...or had any interest in these guns.
These days, I shoot and hunt 75% of the time with very modern in-line ignition rifles. However, I still enjoy the looks and feel of a quality traditionally styled rifle. A few of the rifles I continue to punch holes in paper with are for patched round balls, but when I get the urge to hunt big game with a traditional muzzleloader, I favor the .45 and .50 caliber rifles that can shoot a long and heavy bore-sized lead bullet. These are the rifles that made the round ball obsolete during the period dating from the late 1830s and on into the Civil War. Rifles produced by known American rifle makers such as Edwin Wesson, William Billinghurst, Morgan James, and Norman Brockway became famous for their long-range accuracy - shooting 300 to 500+ grain conical bullets that could shoot inside of 2 to 3 inches at 40 rods (220 yards)...and still have plenty of energy for cleanly taking big game.
The attached photo shows two of my favorite 1840s-1850s percussion rifles - one is a fast-twist .50 half-stock rifle produced by Pedersoli (left), and the other is one of the unique hexagonal bore .451 caliber Whitworth reproductions offered by Dixie Gun Works (center). The other rifle is a modern copy of a New Model 1859 percussion Sharps rifle by Chiappa Firearms. All are topped with one of the 1850s styled Leatherwood/Hi-Lux 6x "Wm. Malcolm" scopes. And on a good day (for me) every one of these rigs will shoot inside of 1 1/2 inches at a hundred yards.
Toby Bridges
NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER
HUNTING ASSOCIATION
I was just wondering if anyone else here shot a similar rifle...or had any interest in these guns.