I now own my survival gun

[Ohio Rusty]

For the last 3 months, we've all been watching wall street, the banks, and our economy free falling into the unknown abyss with equally unknown and devastating consequenses. 3 months ago a fellow on another list I'm on put up for sale a custom made flintlock smoothbore gun. .54 caliber/.28 gauge, Siler flintlock lock, the finest 46 inch Longhammock barrel made, etc. You can see this gun if you look at the Jim Chambers flintlocks site and look at what he calls the Pennsylvania smoothrifle - Same exact gun.

The gun owner agreed to let me make several payments to acqire the gun as they are rather expensive. This one I picked up for about half price. As our economy kept getting deeper and deeper into the pit, I have been getting more and more anxious about getting my flintlock. I have had the fear the economy would collapse before I had it in my grubby little hands. Last week they announced on the radio that AIG would be out of money might go under today (Monday). Paranoia mode on !! Saturday I met the seller and gave him the last payment for my smoothbored gun. I was elated !! I felt like a great weight has been taken off my shoulders as if the economy takes a nasty downturn, I now have the gun that I will depend on for food gathering. Roundball for large game like deer, and shot for small game and flying game. It doesn't require any special ammo, just a sharp flint in the jaws of the hammer and some blackpowder in the pan and barrel.

I have been getting the acessories right along I need for this gun, and making many others. I call this smoothbored gun a survival gun. It's not for firefights with other armed assailants. It is for the hunter-gatherer that wants to have a dependable long arm for getting food. It's accurate like a black powder rifle out to 50 or 60 yards, and will definitely take any meat animal or bird that is so unlucky to get in front of that long barrel. If our economy heads farther and deeper into depression, I can be sure that my family will be fed the same way the early pioneers fed their families in the 18th century when they didn't have anyone to depend on other than themselves. The Government isn't going to help me or feed me. It's up to me to make my own success and come out of the other end of this depression OK. My flintlock smoothbore was one of the items of my survival strategy plan that has come together perfectly.
Ohio Rusty ><>

[pheasantplucker]

Congrats...a .54 has plenty of knockdown power. I have one, as well, though a percussion cap Hawken. I have several shotguns and want to get into reloading shotshells, as part of my plan for the worst scenario. Best of luck!

[Ed Norman]

Sounds great. Use only real blackpowder in it and you'll be happy. And stock up on it, too.

[poorboy]

Sold my 54 Tc. at the Mt View gunshow Saturday . Old gent said the only thing he was going to use was the stock and set trigger assy. as he was going to convert a perfectly good cap gun to flint. Said he was even going to put a green Mountain barrel on it. I replied you paid for it, but you really oughta shoot it a little before converting. He said I don't shoot capguns...

[BuckBall]

Oh yeah, I have a .54 lyman trade rifle...its my whuppin gun. Can knock down anything and keep it down, and if its loaded just right, can take them tree rats with a good head shot. Sounds like a beautiful piece you got there...very good choice...enjoy it!

[poorboy]

Originally Posted by BuckBall

Oh yeah, I have a .54 lyman trade rifle...its my whuppin gun. Can knock down anything and keep it down, and if its loaded just right, can take them tree rats with a good head shot. Sounds like a beautiful piece you got there...very good choice...enjoy it!

I sold it. had no need for it as I have 50's, 45's and a 36(going to), and a thirty-two which rocks fer small game.

[tallpaul]

So do you own the property you are gonna be harvesting this survival game from?

Having said that I have several BP arms and one is a lyman GP flinter for several of the reasons you mention.

for survival I feel a .22lr is better for the uses ya mention - well other than wing shooting.

2000 rounds of .22 out of a decent gun will harvest quit a bit of game including deer in a survival situation. A .22 can be as accurate or even moreso- lighter and faster follow up shots. Here in Ohio we don't have much dangerous game other than escaped exotics or a stray bull now n again.

for the cost of a custom flinter ya can get a couple decent .22's and a 10,000 22's

I will use my BP as needed and like reasoning ya use but realistically don't see it unless the poopy fan hitting time lasts a LOOOOOOONG time.

I also added a bunch of traps to my gear- they hunt 24 hours a day and are quiet.

I believe that the survival harvesting of big game will be very limited after things get bad- folks will thin the herd pretty quick I believe.

If I were to harvest I would go for the quieter options as a bow/crossbow etc.

[poorboy]

Originally Posted by tallpaul

So do you own the property you are gonna be harvesting this survival game from?

Having said that I have several BP arms and one is a lyman GP flinter for several of the reasons you mention.

for survival I feel a .22lr is better for the uses ya mention - well other than wing shooting.

2000 rounds of .22 out of a decent gun will harvest quit a bit of game including deer in a survival situation. A .22 can be as accurate or even moreso- lighter and faster follow up shots. Here in Ohio we don't have much dangerous game other than escaped exotics or a stray bull now n again.

for the cost of a custom flinter ya can get a couple decent .22's and a 10,000 22's

I will use my BP as needed and like reasoning ya use but realistically don't see it unless the poopy fan hitting time lasts a LOOOOOOONG time.

I also added a bunch of traps to my gear- they hunt 24 hours a day and are quiet.

I believe that the survival harvesting of big game will be very limited after things get bad- folks will thin the herd pretty quick I believe.

If I were to harvest I would go for the quieter options as a bow/crossbow etc.

I agree onna .22's, but the best long term survival plan is pigs, chickens,milkcow, and a good garden. traps ,deadfalls and snares can take care of the hunting whilst I do the gardening. During the depression hunting was a USEFULL recreation activity. NO ONE hunted while there was needfull work to be done, except for bootleggers an "never do wells".
I remember well the story my granma told me bout my dad an one of my uncles going squirrel hunting with their dog and a single shot .22, having only 2 shells,they came back with 5 squirrels." How can that be granma" I asked. She replied "Why child yer dad killed three of 'em with rocks of course." years later dad and I were out looking for sign of our range hogs an our old mutt treed next to a small pond inna woods about a mile from our house. We didn't have a gun with us and I told dad the story granma had told me about him killing squirrels with rocks, also that I didn't really beleive it. This got his dander up and he said "I still can son". Picked up some base ball sized rocks and proceeded to knock a coupla big fox squirrels outa that tall oak tree with five or six throws. Made me tote them ---- fox squirrels for opening my big mouth.

[Sandspider]

Originally Posted by Ed Norman

Sounds great. Use only real blackpowder in it and you'll be happy. And stock up on it, too.

Why only real blackpowder?? Does Pyrodex, Triple 7, etc have a limited shelf life?

[Ed Norman]

Originally Posted by Sandspider

Why only real blackpowder?? Does Pyrodex, Triple 7, etc have a limited shelf life?

They don't light off good in a flintlock.

[pheasantplucker]

Originally Posted by Sandspider

Why only real blackpowder?? Does Pyrodex, Triple 7, etc have a limited shelf life?

I used Pyrodex for a while...didn't like the smell and it seemed to foul more than straight black powder. I switched back and have a couple of pounds stocked up..."just in the event"...

[Big Dave]

Have you tryed to buy 22 shells in the last few weeks? Very hard to get in my area

[tallpaul]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Have you tryed to buy 22 shells in the last few weeks? Very hard to get in my area

most shooting suppiles are tight. I find percussion caps short here, as far as .22's why ANYONE does not have 5 thousand or more on hand is beyond me... 2 bricks a month add up quick- even one brick.

Quite a few of us have enough .22lr and were smart enough to put up some over the last few years. I personally believe that folk need to have a supply not just to be able to shoot this weekend etc.

I know I have had quite a few over the years raz me for picking up this or that in quantity- they are not laughing so hard now. I only wish I had been able to get what I wanted. I was set to pick up a bunch of stuff 2 years back until I got ripped off of 13000 dollars from a customer. It really ----es me off because it was right before everything started going nutz. Now I will be looking at quite a bit more to do what I wanted but I will do it a little at a time.