Which first? Rifle, Musket or Pistol?

2kiddad · March 13, 2001, 12:41 AM

I shot a black powder rifle over the weekend. What a blast! (forgive the pun). Which should I get first? The pistols look like more bang for the buck, (again, forgive the pun). There's something about a long gun though. I've seen pictures of replica Brown Bess's and Kentucky rifles. I'm a huge history fanatic, so the whole black powder hobby seems to be calling me. What should I do first?

Help!!!

Doc Hudson · March 13, 2001, 02:57 AM

Which comes first depends on how you want to use a blackpowder gun.

Hunting? Get a rifle.

Historical re-enacting? Get the period appropriate weapon, whether musket, rifle, or rifle-musket.

Fun Plinking? Get a cap-and-ball revolver first.

After acquiring the muzzle-loaders, give thought to blackpowder cartridge guns. Rolling Blocks, and Sharps are beaucoup fun.

Doc Hudson

**4V50 Gary** · March 13, 2001, 11:43 AM

First figure if you want to go flint or percussion.

Predominant among the flint guns are smoothbore muskets, which have their limitations when it comes to accuracy. However, you can always use them as fowlers and shoot nails, rocks and what not - just like the Colonials did at Breed's Hill (better known as Bunker Hill). There's also flintlock rifles out there (military like the US Model 1803 half stock, British Baker, various German Jaegers and non military ones of the Pennsylvannia Long Rifle genre or Southern Poor Boys/Schimmels).

I like the French-Indian War era long rifles. As working guns, they were thicker and heavier (and resultingly stronger) than the gracefully relief carved, ornately engraved, richly inlaid, "Golden Age" long rifle which captures our eye. These were mostly flinters and then the "Decadent Era" of the percussion set in.

Or you can go with the Fur Trade era short, stout rifle for which TC produces their Hawkins and Lyman their Great Plains Rifle. Funny how we started with the short, big bore Jaeger, reduced the bore and lengthened the gun until it became our famed longrifle, and as we moved east, shortened it and opened the bore again (though not quite as much) for a stronger rifle. This era tends to be the most popular one out here in the West Coast (hey, it's only about $250 for the gun).

Don't discount Civil War Muskets either. Those minie ball guns are deadly accurate but unless you cast your own, they can get very expensive to shoot.

Poodleshooter · March 13, 2001, 12:33 PM

Quote:

However, you can always use them as fowlers and shoot nails, rocks and what not...

Nails. Maybe the idea of flechette ammunition wasn't so new after all. I find myself wondering what a couple of finishing nails under an overshot wad in a Brown Bess would do to a close range target....

gunmart · March 13, 2001, 09:20 PM

a great bird and dear gun is the .20 gauge fowler.
or maybe a brown bess..

i want both...

March 13, 2001, 12:41 AM	#1
2kiddad Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2001 Posts: 336	I shot a black powder rifle over the weekend. What a blast! (forgive the pun). Which should I get first? The pistols look like more bang for the buck, (again, forgive the pun). There's something about a long gun though. I've seen pictures of replica Brown Bess's and Kentucky rifles. I'm a huge history fanatic, so the whole black powder hobby seems to be calling me. What should I do first? Help!!!

March 13, 2001, 02:57 AM	#2
Doc Hudson Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2001 Location: Mississippi Delta Posts: 635	Which comes first depends on how you want to use a blackpowder gun. Hunting? Get a rifle. Historical re-enacting? Get the period appropriate weapon, whether musket, rifle, or rifle-musket. Fun Plinking? Get a cap-and-ball revolver first. After acquiring the muzzle-loaders, give thought to blackpowder cartridge guns. Rolling Blocks, and Sharps are beaucoup fun. Doc Hudson

March 13, 2001, 11:43 AM	#3
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,840	First figure if you want to go flint or percussion. Predominant among the flint guns are smoothbore muskets, which have their limitations when it comes to accuracy. However, you can always use them as fowlers and shoot nails, rocks and what not - just like the Colonials did at Breed's Hill (better known as Bunker Hill). There's also flintlock rifles out there (military like the US Model 1803 half stock, British Baker, various German Jaegers and non military ones of the Pennsylvannia Long Rifle genre or Southern Poor Boys/Schimmels). I like the French-Indian War era long rifles. As working guns, they were thicker and heavier (and resultingly stronger) than the gracefully relief carved, ornately engraved, richly inlaid, "Golden Age" long rifle which captures our eye. These were mostly flinters and then the "Decadent Era" of the percussion set in. Or you can go with the Fur Trade era short, stout rifle for which TC produces their Hawkins and Lyman their Great Plains Rifle. Funny how we started with the short, big bore Jaeger, reduced the bore and lengthened the gun until it became our famed longrifle, and as we moved east, shortened it and opened the bore again (though not quite as much) for a stronger rifle. This era tends to be the most popular one out here in the West Coast (hey, it's only about $250 for the gun). Don't discount Civil War Muskets either. Those minie ball guns are deadly accurate but unless you cast your own, they can get very expensive to shoot.

March 13, 2001, 09:20 PM	#5
gunmart Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2000 Posts: 551	a great bird and dear gun is the .20 gauge fowler. or maybe a brown bess.. i want both...