A MUCH different time and style of warfare. You're talking about muskets with shortened barrels and black powder, tomahawks, knives and single shot pistols in addition to HARD Canadian wilderness living. Your enemy was armed with the same or similar equipment and that needs to be taken into account in today's context.
BTW my absolute favorite gun is my single shot 12 gauge and I carry that with my belt axe when I go hunting. My point is I wouldn't want that for a combat situation necessarily. Even if I do shoot it like a muzzleloader
THE RANGER CREED
In 1759, a young but experienced Major Robert Rogers formed nine companies of rangers and "for their benefit and instruction reduced into writing the following rules, or plans of discipline." These standing orders were developed from Rogers' experiences during the French and Indian War, and he considered them "necessary and advantageous.
Robert Rogers' standing orders for his Rangers are still valid today
1. Don't forget nothing.
2. Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder and ball, and be ready to march at a minute's warning.
3. When you're on the march, act the way you would if you was sneaking up on a deer. See the enemy first.
4. Tell the truth about what you see and do. There is an army depending on us for correct information. You can lie all you please when you tell other folks about the Rangers, but don't never lie to a Ranger or officer.
5. Don't never take a chance you don't have to.
6. When we're on the march we march single file, far enough apart so one shot can't go through two men.
7. If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we spread out abreast, so it's hard to track us.
8. When we march, we keep moving 'til dark, so as to give the enemy the least possible chance at us.
9. When we camp, half the party stays awake while the other half sleeps.
10. If we take prisoners, we keep 'em separate 'til we have had time to examine them, so they can't cook up a story between 'em.
11. Don't ever march home the same way. Take a different route so you won't be ambushed.
12. No matter whether we travel in big parties or little ones, each party has to keep a scout 20 yards ahead, twenty yards on each flank and twenty yards in the rear, so the main body can't be surprised and wiped out.
13. Every night you'll be told where to meet if surrounded by a superior force.
14. Don't sit down to eat without posting sentries.
15. Don't sleep beyond dawn. Dawn's when the French and Indians attack.
16. Don't cross a river by a regular ford.
17. If somebody's trailing you, make a circle, come back onto your own tracks, and ambush the folks that aim to ambush you.
18. Don't stand up when the enemy's coming against you. Kneel down. Hide behind a tree.
19. Let the enemy come 'till he's almost close enough to touch. Then let him have it and jump out and finish him up with your hatchet.
20. Don't use your musket if you can kill them with your hatchet
maybe a lever action. I have serious doubts I am going to be taking on a modern army unit,where I would lose spectacularly i think its more a matter of confort and familiarity with obes chosen equipment. Most of my time, probably the vast majority of time where I might actually make use or have access to anything beyond a daily carry handgun is on my turf, anyone i may have to fight awill be fighting me where I am a hell of a lot more comfortable than they are, woods and homestead I know as well as my palm.
