If or When TSHTF Part Five. My choice of the best gun for long term wilderness living. The Muzzle-Loader.

Any muzzle-loader will give you an edge in long term wilderness living except the percussion lock. The percussion lock, also known as a caplock, requires fulminate of mercury caps for its ignition. This method is NOT sustainable. Tinderlocks & Matchlocks are good but they require a burning fuse at all times making you visible in the dark & the gun not so pleasurable to use as other later locks. The wheellock is good but does require Pyrite for its ignition & this is not always easy to find.

The flintlock requires a siliceous or igneous rock for ignition & this type of rock can be found in the bush if you know what you are looking for. I find the easiest way is to carry a fire steel with you & simply test the rocks you come across to see if they are hard enough to create sparks by striking the steel.

Above: This is English flint, a siliceous rock which can occasionally be found in coastal areas of Australia where English ships dumped their flint rock ballast before taking on a new cargo.

Above: This is agate which can be very common in places in Australia. Agate was used a lot in place of flint for flint & steel fire lighting. Agate is also a siliceous rock.

Above: This is quartz, very common in places & although it tends to fracture easily it is still a good rock to use for gun or fire lighting.

Above: Green chert.

http://www.aradon.com.au/green_chert.html;

Jasper.

This is obsidian, an igneous rock or volcanic rock.

Advantages of A Flintlock Muzzle-loader.

1)    Ammo is less expensive than a modern equivalent caliber firearm.

2)    The smoothbore is very versatile, being able to digest round ball, bird shot, & buckshot, or any combination of two of these (can also use minies).

3)    The fusil is lighter to carry than a modern equivalent sized gun.

4)    You can vary the load if needs be.

5)    The smoothbore will digest other projectiles besides lead.

6)    Lead can be retrieved from downed game & remoulded with a simple mould & lead ladle. This means that you can carry less lead, & more of the lighter gunpowder.

7)    You can make your own gunpowder.

8)    You can use the lock to make fire without the need for gunpowder.

9)    You can use gunpowder for gunpowder tinder fire lighting if needs be.

10)  IF the lock should malfunction (these are very robust & it is not likely) you can easily repair it if you are carrying a few spare springs & a few simple tools.

11) If you do not have any spare parts & the lock malfunctions, you can easily convert it to a tinderlock or matchlock & continue using it.

12) You do not need a reloader, brass shells, caps, or primers. The latter have been known to break down in damp conditions or if they are stored for too long.

13)  Wadding for ball or shot is available from natural plant materials or homemade leather or rawhide.

14) Less chance of being affected by future ammunition control legislation.

15) Gunpowder is easily obtainable providing you have a muzzle-loader registered in your name regardless of caliber (only NSW is looking at this legislation at present).

16) A .32 caliber flintlock rifle is more powerful than a .22 rimfire, less expensive to feed, more accurate over a greater distance, able to take small & medium sized game, & other than not being able to use shot (unless it is smoothbore), it has all the attributes of the other flintlocks.

17) Damage from a .62 caliber-.75 caliber pistol or long arm is in the extreme. Wounded prey is unlikely to escape.

18)  By using buck & ball you are unlikely to miss your target. This load is capable of taking out more than one target.

19)  There is less kick-back to a muzzle-loading gun.

20)  Antique Flintlock muzzle-loading guns do not require a license, registration, or a permit to purchase in NSW Australia.

My .62 caliber/20 gauge smoothbore flintlock fusil with a 42 inch barrel.

My .70 caliber smoothbore flintlock pistol.

My .32 caliber flintlock rifle.

If you have any modern breach-loading guns, & you have extra people to carry them, then I recommend taking them but keep them for self-defence ONLY. If you use them for hunting as well as protection, you will soon run out of ammunition.