Reply With QuoteI guess it's not legal.Originally Posted by Jim McArthur
Jim
Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
I'm not sure whether hunting with a muzzleloader is legal in the UK - ? - but if you do or were going to hunt deer or hogs, let's say, with a muzzleloader: what would be your choice of gun, caliber, and load: and why?
Jim
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
I guess it's not legal.
Jim
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Registered User
I guess it would be ok if you could satisfy the calibre and MV criteria.
If I wanted a go I quite like the look of the Rem 700 style ML rifles
Mark
No hope!
Hunting hog? With a single shot muzzleloader?! Dunno bout you but I would not like the prospect of reloading after a very pissed injured pig charged me!
Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
I'm with you about that!Yet I've heard of people hunting them from horseback, with spears!
Jim
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Banned
I very much doubt you would be allowed to use a muzzleloader here for deer, nevermind boar.
Irrespective of any other legalities, I would expect your FEO to take a dim view of using a single shot muzzleloader, in case a followup shot was required.
Then you are required to use expanding bullets. So straight away you are limited to saboted pistol bullets, or just maybe a cast hollow point.
Then if you want a rifle that can be used throughout the UK for deer it will have to meet the Scottish legal requirement of minimum 1750 ftlbs muzzle energy (relaxed to 1000 ftlbs for our smallest deer) and minimum muzzle velocity of 2450 ft/sec.
I would expect these limitations, particularly the minimum velocity, to rule out any but modern in-line guns shooting saboted rounds.
If you want to shoot boar, the current guidance to police is that a more powerful calibre is required, minimum .270 Winchester, i.e. about 2700 ftlbs muzzle energy. Can any muzzleloader approach that ?
I do wonder whether the interest in muzzleloading in the US is more due to your artificial rules which give muzzleloaders first chance at the deer, before the season opens for other firearms.
I understand the interest in shooting historically faithful muzzleloaders, but modern inline designs, some even using nitro powder, frankly leave me cold.
That said, I do know someone with a smoothbore musket who has it on his FAC for fox and vermin, but he is expected to use it as a shotgun (though there is nothing stopping him using a round ball either)
Last edited by supersonic; 25-07-2008 at 04:38 PM.
Registered User
If your FEO is not happy about letting you use a muzzleloader for deer, you could always ask if you can have a Ruger Old Army as a dispatch gun... Not sure if he/she would like that though...
Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
Sounds like a lot of requirements to comply with.I very much doubt you would be allowed to use a muzzleloader here for deer, nevermind boar.
Irrespective of any other legalities, I would expect your FEO to take a dim view of using a single shot muzzleloader, in case a followup shot was required.
Then you are required to use expanding bullets. So straight away you are limited to saboted pistol bullets, or just maybe a cast hollow point.
Then if you want a rifle that can be used throughout the UK for deer it will have to meet the Scottish legal requirement of minimum 1750 ftlbs muzzle energy (relaxed to 1000 ftlbs for our smallest deer) and minimum muzzle velocity of 2450 ft/sec.
I would expect these limitations, particularly the minimum velocity, to rule out any but modern in-line guns shooting saboted rounds.
If you want to shoot boar, the current guidance to police is that a more powerful calibre is required, minimum .270 Winchester, i.e. about 2700 ftlbs muzzle energy. Can any muzzleloader approach that ?
I do wonder whether the interest in muzzleloading in the US is more due to your artificial rules which give muzzleloaders first chance at the deer, before the season opens for other firearms.
I understand the interest in shooting historically faithful muzzleloaders, but modern inline designs, some even using nitro powder, frankly leave me cold.
That said, I do know someone with a smoothbore musket who has it on his FAC for fox and vermin, but he is expected to use it as a shotgun (though there is nothing stopping him using a round ball either
You're right about US muzzle-hunters. Some of them want to faithfully recreate the old days, and all the tough parts that went with it. But most of them just want something that gives them another hunting season, while operating just-within the legal requirements, and as easy as possible.
Jim
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Frock coat wearing, riverboat dwelling, southern gent
But, would it be specifically illegal, with expanding ammo?
Jim
UBC's Police Pistol Manager
"Nasty, noisy things, revolvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns." Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Dueling Caterpillars
Expanding bullet, conditioned FAC, M/E + MV dependant on where you are stalking.
Get all of those boxes ticked - and you are good to go.
Investigation of the ballistics on offer, may make it difficult in the smaller calibres.
Regarding single shot rifles on pigs - they work just fine. Don't forget, aimed shots in the right place will ensure a rapid end to hostilities! Most pigs in the UK will be stalked or shot from a highseat. In both cases, making an accurate shot is not a problem.
Rgds Mod
For professional guided Deer & Wild Boar Stalking, practical stalking intro's & Deer related training, DSC1 & 2 preparation & witnessing, Field Rifle coaching
Go to www.farringtonds.com - or call me on Tel: 07798 771 062
Registered User
No idea what is legal in the UK and what is not, but most deer hunters over here use a 50 cal muzzleloader (usually an inline) with either a round ball, or more likely these days, a 320 grain flat nosed cast lead bullet ahead of 80-90 grains of 2F Black Powder. I use a Knight inline with exactly this formula. And many of us use them on boar too. If you do your job right, there is nothing to fear. This load was used in the old days by commercial buffalo hunters and they managed to nearly wipe out a much bigger animal. This is not to condone their tactics but a 50 cal or bigger ML should work for any deer you want to go after.
If you want to get a bigger gun, muzzleloaders are available all the way upto 2 bore in the USA but those are more for pachyderms than for thin skinned, relatively small game.
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.
Banned
That looks amazing!!!!!!!
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