Load advice??

[LehighBrad]

Just recently acquired a .62 caliber smoothbore flintlock pistol. I was considering taking it as a possible back up shot for next years flintlock season. Any advice on a good starting point for a load?? I mean, 3F or 2F in the barrel....and how many grains of powder?? I don't want to be spraying unburnt powder out its muzzle like some sort of pepper shaker! But I also don't want too little of a charge as far as lethality on deer....if ever needed.

[Mike Brooks]

I have shot 20 bore pistols with 40gr and found them to be wrist breakers.....

[L. Akers]

I second Mike with 3F.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I have a .60 cal. rifled pistol and with the .595" patched ball and 25 gr. I get about 580 fps.  Ball weighs about 300 gr.  For a 'coup do gras' shot on a deer, or a cloverleaf group at 25 yds., excellent.

[LehighBrad]

Thanks guys!    40 grains of FFFG eh? I suppose a .62 caliber round ball chugging out the muzzle at a low velocity has the impact energy to knock down a pachyderm AND the barn door it's hiding behind! So a deer within 20 yards or so shouldn't pose a problem. I just have this nagging feeling that it being a smoothbore...its accuracy will be less than stellar and hitting an actual barn door will be a challenge. 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Save your one pistol shot for hand to hoof with Bambi...twenty yards is a rifle (longarm) shot, especially in a hunting situation, not a smoothbored pistol.

[Joe S.]

Save your one pistol shot for hand to hoof with Bambi

Too funny Taylor,picturing that show down in my head

[LehighBrad]

Taylor.....what if the first longarm shot was a miss and the targeted deer, or another deer for that matter, presents itself at a much closer range well before a second rifle shot can be loaded and aimed?? If when shooting this thing, I'm able to consistently hit say, a saucer sized target at 20 yards, why not use it as a second shot in an attempt to take a deer?? I've already had situations arise in the past where I missed my first rifle shot (at a longer distance) only to have another deer stop dead broadside roughly 15-20 yards away. And you can bet...I was sure wishing I had a pistol then. Surely our forefathers killed many a deer using smoothbores.

[bob in the woods]

15 to 20 yards is fine for a rifled pistol. Smoothbore pistols were defensive weapons, i.e. close range.  Rather than giving you my opinion on a suitable range for hunting deer with one, I will simply suggest that you take one out and see at what range you can consistently hit your target. 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

My answer to the questions is this:  set up a 9" pie plate at whatever range you think is your furthest possible target, and shoot it.  Shoot it a dozen times, If you miss it once, it is too far.  If you never miss it, then move back a few yards and continue, until you find your effective range - the range where you never miss.  That's how I set up with my longbow, and I can see the parallel.

[little joe]

Put a rear sight on a 20 ga. smooth bore pistol for a friend a few yrs ago. He has taken several whitetail with it. Plenty of killing power at 15-20 yards, 40 grs of 3f and a 2 hand hold gets the job done.

[mark esterly]

didn't know Pa. permitted carrying two flintlocks during the season.

[LehighBrad]

Yes, in Pennsylvania you can carry a flintlock single shot pistol of .50 caliber or larger with open iron sights as a second shot option. They've been legal for years now. And like I said, when I get to shooting mine, and I determine how accurate it is at a certain distance, depending on how accurate it is....I'll have no second thoughts about carrying it as a "back up" shot on a deer.....if needed. 

[Gun_Nut_73]

I second Mr Sapergia's advice. 

[mark esterly]

cool,   i'm in the wrong state!

[Daryl]

Can't get over the thought about a miss with a rifle at 20 yards, yet hit with a smooth pistol at the same range?

I have a .53 cal. flint pistol having a 60" rate of twist. I use 55gr. or 60gr. 3F GOEX and it shoots very nicely with those load.  The recoil is there as it is making close to 1,200fps with the .526" ball. That's quite powerful and out matches many modern handgun rounds.

[blackbruin]

Yes, in Pennsylvania you can carry a flintlock single shot pistol of .50 caliber or larger with open iron sights as a second shot option. They've been legal for years now. And like I said, when I get to shooting mine, and I determine how accurate it is at a certain distance, depending on how accurate it is....I'll have no second thoughts about carrying it as a "back up" shot on a deer.....if needed. 

If you really wanted to you could carry 5 rifles to your post on a drive and as long as they all meet the firearm requirement you are legal in pa.

[Joe S.]

I'm thinking like Daryl, OK say you did miss at twenty yards or so I don't think the deer are going to hang out and let you pull your pistol.Unless its one of them rare events when your in the middle of deer running all around you.Also if you fired your primary weapon at an animal you shouldn't be shootin at others till you follow up with the first one making sure you missed.

If you really wanted to you could carry 5 rifles to your post on a drive and as long as they all meet the firearm requirement you are legal in pa.

Picturing you with a golf bag over your shoulder,hmmmmm a hundred fifty yards to the hole,Mr caddy should I go with the forty or fifty cal? you better rifle up sir go with the fifty eight ,winds a blowing slightly outa the east

[Leatherbark]

Back around the year 1999 I jumped a big old yellow horned buck that was a 10 point or bigger.  He stopped broadside at 25 yards or so and just gazed at me.  As I was mounting the Lyman GPR I set the trigger as I was mounting it.  The rifle fired while the muzzle was pointed up at an angle as I was settling in to mount and fire. Must have bumped the front trigger somehow.

He jumped some but stood still at the shot believe it or not.  He stood there watching me load again and as I was pushing the next ball down he couldn't stand it any longer and fled.  A pistol like Daryl's would have come in mighty handy.  I remember how yellowish orange his antlers were.  But to this day I still don't have a back up pistol LOL as I know that scenario will never happen again.

Bob

[Daryl]

Further - you need to try shooting the pistol at 20yards. I would bet you will be thoroughly disgusted by your lack of accuracy & thux, not attempt to shoot an animal at that distance with a smooth bored pistol.
I suggest you use the dinner plate Taylor suggested as an accuracy test.

[hanshi]

The pistol I use is a .50 flint with a 10" barrel; so is quite large to pack into the woods for a "coup de grace" pistol.  It's quite accurate and I have no problem keeping 5 shots in 2" at 25 yards by shooting standing with a two hand grip.  I wouldn't hesitate using it as a primary weapon for deer at ranges past 25 yards.  30 grains of 3F is an accurate target load and 50 grains is also accurate and a real, potential meat-getter.

Years ago I use to hunt deer with revolvers, .357, .41 and .44 mags with barrels from 4" to 7.5".  At that time I was a fine shot and killed deer from 8' to 90yds.  So, as Taylor suggested, put up a pie plate and see if you should even try your flintlock at deer hunting.