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Flintlocks and deer

L

Lone Oak

Alpha
This big doe (152 lbs field dressed) came past my stand during this year’s MN early antlerless season in October.
I was using a .52 caliber flintlock that I built several years ago. This is deer number nine for this rifle. She was at about 60 yards, the round ball passed through both lungs and exited through a rib on the other side. She ran about 50 yards and dropped in one of my open fields so no tracking.
IMG_0410.jpeg
 
Thanks guys!

The barrel is from FCI Barrels in Morehead KY, 52 caliber, tapered and flared, 38” long. 1-72” rifling twist. The lock is from Jim Chambers Flintlocks South Carolina. The maple stock was a blank from PA, mostly straight grain but does have a bit of figure. I made the trigger, trigger guard, butt plate and nose cap. The rifle is ‘sort of’ fashioned after rifles made in North Carolina in the 1780’s with the iron mounts and pivoting wooden lid on the patch box.

I built it in the winter of 2014-15 while waiting for parts for another rifle build. Back then I’d get 3 or 4 built over a winter but now I’m lucky to get one done. Arthritis in my hands make it tough to keep at it for long at a time.

Anyway, it’s fun to use old time guns for target shooting, just plinking or hunting.
 
Lone Oak said:
Thanks guys!

The barrel is from FCI Barrels in Morehead KY, 52 caliber, tapered and flared, 38” long. 1-72” rifling twist. The lock is from Jim Chambers Flintlocks South Carolina. The maple stock was a blank from PA, mostly straight grain but does have a bit of figure. I made the trigger, trigger guard, butt plate and nose cap. The rifle is ‘sort of’ fashioned after rifles made in North Carolina in the 1780’s with the iron mounts and pivoting wooden lid on the patch box.

I built it in the winter of 2014-15 while waiting for parts for another rifle build. Back then I’d get 3 or 4 built over a winter but now I’m lucky to get one done. Arthritis in my hands make it tough to keep at it for long at a time.

Anyway, it’s fun to use old time guns for target shooting, just plinking or hunting.
Click to expand...
Hmm… North Carolina , 1780’s ?
Would that maybe be the Alexander Kennedy rifle style?
 
The rifles made in the Deep River region of Guilford County NC commonly had the pivoting wood lid on the patch box and were mounted in iron. That was the style I was after but decided on a shorter 38” barrel. It wasn’t uncommon for them to have 44” or longer barrels.

I believe Alexander Kennedy was building guns for the military in Moore County, NC
 
I love the old charcoal burners.. I told a younger friend the day. Efore yesterday that these rifles bring back the “hunt”. Anybody can rest a modern rifle, put the crosshairs on a deer and dust it. It takes time, skill and patience to master the old smoke poles, and when you do, making meat with one gives you a sense of accomplishment you can’t get with a modern rifle,
 
I have a friend of 60 years who kills his first deer of the season with bow, his second with flintlock, and all subsequent with new fangled shotgun rifled slugs. I should mention he does his own processing and never buys meat.
 
For decades Minnesota has split the state for deer hunting so the southern half is shotguns, handguns or muzzle loaders only and the northern half any legal firearm can be used. I live 3 miles south of the divide so could only use shotgun, m/l or a handgun . Starting in 2026 they are allowing any legal firearm statewide so I might break out my Sharps or ‘73 Winchester for one of our seasons and still hunt the late muzzle loader season.
 
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