The Flintlock Muzzle-Loader Versus the Modern Breach-Loader for long
term wilderness living.
The advantages
of the breach-loader.
1) The breach-loader is easy to load, & repeaters are fast to
reload.
2) Some rifles are accurate over a long distance.
3) The shotgun is fairly versatile but a short distance gun only.
4) The .22 rimfire rifle ammunition is light in comparison to larger
calibers so you can carry a reasonable amount of ammo.
The
disadvantages of the breach-loader.
The larger calibers use heavy ammunition, that is the weight of the
brass shells combined with the lead is heavy. The 12 gauge shotgun ammunition
is very heavy, so in both these cases you may be limited as to how much ammo
you can carry with you. You could reload your own shells using the smaller
& lighter hand loader, but you will still have to carry spare primers &
possibly lead as well.
The .22 rimfire has its limitations when it comes to what game you
can kill with it. Small to medium game should not be a problem with well placed
shots, but the .22 rimfire does not have the power to consistently shoot larger
game, i.e. larger game is more likely to get away wounded.
Advantages
of a Flintlock Muzzle-loader.
1) Ammo is less expensive than
a modern equivalent calibre 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/conical slugs).
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 using 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 calibre (NSW).
16) A .32 calibre 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. For larger game you can load with conical
slugs, which of course you can make yourself in the field.
17) Damage from a .62 calibre or
.70 calibre 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.
The disadvantages of a flintlock muzzle-loader.
The muzzle-loading rifle is slower to load than a
single shot breach-loader. Smoothbores are a little faster to load if you are
using cartridges, but they are still slower to load than a modern
breach-loader.
It takes skill & knowledge to get the best
performance from a flintlock, but once learnt you should have no problems.
Gun flints need knapping from time to time to keep
them sharp.
You can get misfires on occasions if you fail to
keep the gun flint sharp, or if the gun flint should become loose in the jaws of
the cock.
If anyone can add to this article I welcome your input.
Keith.
