Mike: it is my opinion also that charges in hunting rifles of the 18th century were more what we would call pistol loads today. I also believe that hunters in that era stalked game to within what we now would call bow range. We have been corrupted by magnumitis and high velocity suppository rifles, and naturally, transfer this philosophy over to our black powder arms. This is a mistake when thinking 18th century.
The late Tom Dawson had a 16 bore Manton flintlock rifle that was marked 1 and 1/2 drams. That is not a
load to hunt in Africa with but it will do for most deer parks.The few originals I have seen with powder
measures or flasks indicated moderate loads.The Modena (Medina)Hawken had an adjustable spout flask
that had a high load of 85 grains and it was a 58 caliber rifle.My grandfather,C.M.Taylor said he never heard
of a heavy charge to kills a deer or a pig or even a bear.He said squirrel loads were on small bore guns was
determined by laying a ball in the palm of one hand and then pouring powder over it until it was covered.
When production muzzle loaders came into the picture that was when the preposterous loads started coming
into the picture and that idiotic idea was based on the old fable that "You can't blow one of these up with
black powder". Going to brass suppository rifles,the old 44-40 WCF accounted for more deer than anything
else until the arrival of nitro powders.
Bob Roller
