From: Nitro (Original Message) Sent: 7/26/2002 3:50 AM
I have a question for Blackpowder Muzzle loaders. If you wanted one for hunting medium sized game eg deer, boar, goats etc, what would be the best calibre and rifle to use?

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From: gunner1 Sent: 8/2/2002 5:05 AM
Is that the smooth-bore fifty?

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From: redbeard Sent: 8/3/2002 3:51 PM
I do have one in 50 and 54, but the tenn is a 1-66 twist round ball gun

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From: redbeard Sent: 8/3/2002 3:52 PM
I only hunt with round ball

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From: gunner1 Sent: 8/4/2002 7:38 AM
Sense we are on the subject I have question what was the lagest caliber of black-powder rifle ever made?

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From: NitroExpressCom Sent: 8/5/2002 12:56 AM
Gunner1

So you use a 30cal muzzle loader. Does that perform well on deer sized game? I'm uninitiated but my impressions were that a 50 or 58 cal are often used on medium game?

Redbeard

What sort of weight are the round ball projectiles that you are using in your 50s and 54s? Straight lead or a mixture with altimony?

Thanks

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From: gunner1 Sent: 8/5/2002 7:37 AM
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From: gunner1 Sent: 8/6/2002 6:12 AM
Nitro yes the thirty cals work great on medium sized game, but I would not suggest attempting a long range shot with one.

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From: redbeard Sent: 8/16/2002 3:31 PM
Black powder cartage elephant
now have seen some 75 cal matter of fact moss has one

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From: redbeard Sent: 8/17/2002 10:57 AM
In my state 40 cal is the lowest cal allowed for deer

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From: NitroExpressCom Sent: 8/19/2002 3:48 AM
This is the black powder rifle I would like to have one day.

A Pedersoli Kodiak double in .75 calibre (also available in .58, .54, .50 ). They also come with an optional 10 gauge set of blackpowder muzzle loading shotgun barrels.

Great!

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Nitro@NitroExpress.com

"I love the smell of cordite in the mornings"

http://NitroExpress.com

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From: redbeard Sent: 8/19/2002 3:10 PM
sweet post a link for company

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From: Nitro Sent: 8/19/2002 11:05 PM
The link for Pedersoli is

http://www.davide-pedersoli.com

Also added to the Reviews, Recommendations & Links pages

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Nitro

"I love the smell of cordite in the morning"

http://NitroExpress.com

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From: Nitro Sent: 8/20/2002 12:47 AM
Gunner1

In answer to your earlier question.

"what was the largest caliber of black-powder rifle ever made?"

As redbeard mentioned I know of .75s (obviously from the post above). But I am pretty sure there would have been larger bore sizes. Certainly if you include smooth bores (ie as opposed to "rifles" - ie rifled barrels). The very large punt guns used for waterfowling in England spring to mind. I have a photo somewhere....

Not muzzle loaders but cased cartridge rifles were the blackpowder "bore" rifles used by the early elephant hunters and explorers in Africa.

One of the more common of the cartridges for elephant hunting was the 4-bore. The calibre is close to 1 inch (approx 0.935 to 0.955"). Firing a round ball of approximately 1,350 grs push by approx 440 grs of black powder at a velocity of around 1,500 fps

A less common cartridge in the old days but even bigger was the 2-bore.

The 2-bores were about 1.314 inches firing a 3,500 gr round ball !!!!! That's right HALF A POUND!

500 grs of black powder and a velocity of about 1,350 fos.

Now that sounds painfull. And brain killing.

*******

The bore calculation is how many round balls who get to a pound ie 4 round balls for a 4-bore from a pound of lead, 2 balls for a 2-bore.

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Nitro

"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."

http://NitroExpress.com

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From: Nitro Sent: 8/20/2002 12:56 AM
There is an excellent site on hunting in Africa with a 4-bore.

http://www.african-hunter.com/site/firearms/4bore_part01_01.htm

and

http://www.african-hunter.com/site/firearms/4bore_part02_01.htm

The author builds a 4-bore double rifle and hunts cape buffalo and other game with it.

Part of the excellent African Hunter website. Check it out.

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Nitro

"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."

http://NitroExpress.com

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From: Nitro Sent: 8/21/2002 12:39 AM
A lot of Aussie blackpowder hunters that I have seen use a Zoave rifle usually in .58. A no nonsense "military" style rifle.

Does anyone know of a web site for these rifles?

There is also a blackpowder rifle manufacturer here in South Australia. The Green River Rifleworks. Don't know much about them. Something to change I think.