What makes a good hunting rifle?

[Dphariss]

Alright we've chomped on this subject for some time now...but what about the WEATHER FACTORS, mainly rain & snow, which is predicted for our deer opener this Sat. How many will admit to abandoning the flinter for a perc. or shotgun or modern rifle. I live & hunt in a shotgun, pistol or ML only zone. As much as I want to take a deer with my nice .54 Beck rifle, I will most likely go with my tried & true .62 Jaeger in the fowl weather. It has served me well for 25 years & is easier to manuever around in my covered blind with it's 30" barrel. A lot of guys use a 12 ga. shotgun for their first deer, then switch to their ML for the second deer. But that leaves me empty even if the freezer gets filled. My Jaeger is a Thomas Pistor, RCA#5 or 6, military style with walnut stock & deep etched steel furniture. It sure aint pretty...more like a big old rottwieler.

I have a leather gun cover treated with snow seal some years ago sildes off pretty easy and fast. Even a good tight weave wool cover will work if its just snow or not raining very hard.
What I hunt with depends on the weather to some extent. What and where are usually the deciding factors. A RB gun is not all that great most times when after hayfield white tails.

Dan

[BuffaloGun]

Hare's comment about a fast lock action is spot on. My Virginia rifle's action is in need of a tune and the lost speed is showing.

[northmn]

Daryl that 2 bore looks like it should be used buy the Navy as a bow gun.  Speed is nice but so is reliability.  Speed is a matter of several factors.  I took out my 54 today and found out that loading makes a heck of a difference.  I loaded 3f instead of 2f, and left the vent pick in the hole while loading to prevent self priming.  ( I used the #50, .07 vent.  Then primed with 3f.  It was surprisingly faster than my previous method of 4f and 2f.  DIIK why.  One of those things I used to do target shooting but forgot.  The lock is a L&R English rainproof style and sparks very well and is somewhat "rainproof".  Covers help.

DP

[altankhan]

for small woodlots-bordering-fields  deer I like a 38" .54 barrel (straight) -- good carrying length -- plain fullstock with Durs Egg style flintlock, low, blackened sights, round ball, single trigger; or .45 Vincent style percussion, set triggers, with patched rb or 200 grain slug -- nice  slim rifle that holds well with deep crescent buttplate off of the upper arm

[Daryl]

I made the 54 Appalacian gun also and likely will keep using it off and on.  Two other comments on the "English" styled rifle.  It will have sling attachments and a single trigger, both of which I miss in a longrifle.  It will not be true English but I will keep in mind the issue about the comb being in line with the bore.  Sounds like a way not to get kicked in the cheek.  I already made a 12ga on the basic design I want.  This will be a mate to the shotgun.  One way to guarantee seeing no game for me is to hunt with a ML. Maybe can break the jinx in the next couple of days.

DP

 Your coment about getting kicked in the cheek is a good one. Note the line of heel and comb to line of the bore on this rifle. It is my 14 bore, being held by it's new owner.  This rifle is downright pleasant to shoot with up to 100gr. 2F or 82gr. 3F.  With 165gr. 2F, it's still managable by the average well-practised shooter.  that is not a load you'd want to shoot only when checking sights before going hunting. As to this 'checking' the sights - actually practising is closer to what's needed - the sights were filed in when the rifle was built in 1986 and to this day, are spot-on at the requisite ranges - 3 drams 3F - 65 m, 100m, 150m and 250m.  With 6 drams - 100m, 150m, 200m and 300m meters.  Ringing the gongs at 200 and 250 meters at Hefley a few years back raised some eyebrows - the noise and the ringing of the steel attracted appropriate attention.

 This is the best muzzleloading hunting rifle going. It points like a fine shotgun - as it is always lined up on target the instant the stock touches the shoulder.  On 8" plates at 50 yards, one need only concentrate on the target, shoulder the gun and fire the instant the stock comes into the shoulder. No alinging of the sights  is necessary. This rifle has never missed this particalar contest (duel) for speed of fire - regardless of who was shooting it.  Try this with a Hawken or longrifle - they are losers in this game. To handle like a fine shotgun is an amazing trait.

 I should note this rifle has a Hawken breechplug due to the store being out of stock on the English breeches. Taylor had to make a piece and silver brass it in to fit the angle to fit the rounded Hawken plug, as well as at the forward edge of the bolster. This rifle has the appropriate drip rail an was built with Track's English lock.

[northmn]

I like to use the term "inspired" now due to the fact that one can really get nitpicking if one tries to recreate an original.  That rifle Taylor built is great and the breechplug is rally irrelevant.  One of my characteristics of a hunting rifle is one that can take a few dents and scrapes without upsetting me too much.  I like to make a rifle look good, but feel there are those that I beat around and those you take to shoots and show off a little with.  I learned that a longrifle is not really all that bad once you learn to adapt to them.  Another lesson learned.  When I looked at the touch hole alignment in my 54 I noticed it was a little low.  One can adapt well at matches by loading an appropriate charge of priming and get quick ignition.  It does not work in the field.  I made a new touch hole liner that has the sunset position and is quicker out in the field.  Style of the hunting rifle is not as important as little things.  My guns are too long for the coats I have to wear in below freezing temps and need to be about 3/4 to 1" shorter in LOP.  Still do not like set triggers as single triggers can be adjusted to work for hunting and can be used to lesson the CLICK when a rifle is cocked.  Frizzen to pan fit has to be tight to retain priming powder.  You also can overprime and get a gap that causes any 4f to leak out.  Wipe of the edges so no gap appears.  Lock better spark, flints better be sharp.  The touch hole I mentioned is important. Sights are critical and should be easy to align in the field.  fine target sights belong on the range.  Also the rifle needs to be comfortable to use and carry.  For me the English styled fits all my criteria, others will feel differently as to what they shoot.   Will my hunting rifle be a true English rifle. Only in resemblance and not as close as Taylor's.  Few people will see it anyway as it has to please me and take a beating.   

DP

[Daryl]

All of what you said rings true, DP.  The rifle pictured has been on a number of hunts and taken it's share of game yet still looks good - to my eye and that's the only one it has to please.  It's new owner will not part with it either- I've tried.  I just noticed how 'light' coloured the rod it. When new, the rod was almost black 1/2" tapered to 3/8" & the original hickory rod.  This rifle taught me that standard shank nipples give more consistant ignition and closer shot to shot velocties than hot-shot nipples. It's been 'tested' from well in excess of 100F to -56F. Amazing the main spring didn't break - I've seen that happen in such cold.

[northmn]

I had a frizzen spring break at about 0 degrees.  Kind of wondered if the cold had something to do with it.  At about -10 and under I usually stay in.  But was wondering about the use of flinters in the cold.  Is there a point where it may be a problem?  MN is not exactly balmy and Canada is less so.  Funny how we regret some gun sales.  Mine was a 12 ga fowler.

DP