Muzzle loading day

[Dave at kelton]

Travelled south to Oxfordshire this week for a muzzle loading day on driven pheasant and partridge with like minded pals. I just like to be doing something different these days where game is concerned. The estate put on a great day trickling birds out of the outlying drives to accommodate us and we finished with 103 pheasant and 11 partridge. Rule of the day is period dress and whilst this was a little later than my 1850 Lancaster, poetic license please, it is an important part of the day.

[Rob85]

After pulling the trigger how long does it take for the smoke to clear to see if you hit the bird or not?? 😄

That looks brilliant fun though, there's really something about that black powder boom!

[Dave at kelton]

9 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

After pulling the trigger how long does it take for the smoke to clear to see if you hit the bird or not?? 😄

That looks brilliant fun though, there's really something about that black powder boom!

You listen for the thud depending on the weather…..or not😂 We put two on a peg so one is stoking up while the other is shooting. Keepers don’t like birds being driven and not shot at. Also provides an observer!

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, well done sounds you had a great day, what shoot was that ? 

[ditchman]

25 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

After pulling the trigger how long does it take for the smoke to clear to see if you hit the bird or not?? 😄

That looks brilliant fun though, there's really something about that black powder boom!

thats where the saying comes from "the fog of war"........imajine 10,000 muskets going off 3 to the minit......not very environmentaly freindly way of killing each other...

[islandgun]

That looks great, would l love a black powder gun for the occasional greylag

[bishop]

31 minutes ago, islandgun said:

That looks great, would l love a black powder gun for the occasional greylag

Used mine a few seasons back and was impressed with the ferocity of black powder against game. Range is the limiting factor .i found 30 yards was my 12 bores reach out and drop em limit for humane kills on geese, 1 1/4 oz BB bismuth   load But impressive  and very even  patterns due to using the old addage of less powder and more lead killing em dead.Next trip ill be using #3 shot instead.

Edited January 20, 2023 by bishop

[snarepeg]

12 minutes ago, bishop said:

Used mine a few seasons back and was impressed with the ferocity of black powder against game. Range is the limiting factor .i found 30 yards was my 12 bores reach out and drop em limit for humane kills on geese, 1 1/4 oz BB  load But impressive  and very even  patterns due to using the old addage of less powder and more lead killing em dead.Next trip ill be using #3 shot instead.

 

12 minutes ago, bishop said:

Used mine a few seasons back and was impressed with the ferocity of black powder against game. Range is the limiting factor .i found 30 yards was my 12 bores reach out and drop em limit for humane kills on geese, 1 1/4 oz BB  load But impressive  and very even  patterns due to using the old addage of less powder and more lead killing em dead.Next trip ill be using #3 shot instead.

Last day shoot tomorrow and 30 gram 6s over 75 grains of black should hopefully do the trick.

hope for a bit of wind, (sideways)😊 But frosty start so not holding my breath.

used to have a double 16 by durrs Egg and a Bland 11 bore live pigeon gun, but don't ask, a sore point of being daft in my younger days😟.

 

 

 

 

Not quite muzz

[Rob85]

1 hour ago, ditchman said:

thats where the saying comes from "the fog of war"........imajine 10,000 muskets going off 3 to the minit......not very environmentaly freindly way of killing each other...

Imagine a pheasant coming down and running off and instead of picker ups coming after it hears the cry "fix bayonets!!" 

[Dave at kelton]

51 minutes ago, bishop said:

Used mine a few seasons back and was impressed with the ferocity of black powder against game. Range is the limiting factor .i found 30 yards was my 12 bores reach out and drop em limit for humane kills on geese, 1 1/4 oz BB bismuth   load But impressive  and very even  patterns due to using the old addage of less powder and more lead killing em dead.Next trip ill be using #3 shot instead.

Well done. Yet to try for geese with mine but it will happen

1 hour ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, well done sounds you had a great day, what shoot was that ? 

Tusmore

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, Dave at kelton said:

Travelled south to Oxfordshire this week for a muzzle loading day on driven pheasant and partridge with like minded pals. I just like to be doing something different these days where game is concerned. The estate put on a great day trickling birds out of the outlying drives to accommodate us and we finished with 103 pheasant and 11 partridge. Rule of the day is period dress and whilst this was a little later than my 1850 Lancaster, poetic license please, it is an important part of the day.

IMG_1463.MOV

Brilliant photo , were the whole team of guns using the same type of guns ? , we have had a few chaps over the years using mussel loaders and they were tying to get a whole team to take a day , this was just prior to the virus lockdowns and didn't hear anything else , those were always an enjoyable day and they certainly got there share , I was lucky to be able to fire one in the fading light when the day was over , looked very impressive with the sparks and flames going up in the dark sky , is it possible to unload them at the end of the days shoot ?

[Dave at kelton]

3 minutes ago, marsh man said:

Brilliant photo , were the whole team of guns using the same type of guns ? , we have had a few chaps over the years using mussel loaders and they were tying to get a whole team to take a day , this was just prior to the virus lockdowns and didn't hear anything else , those were always an enjoyable day and they certainly got there share , I was lucky to be able to fire one in the fading light when the day was over , looked very impressive with the sparks and flames going up in the dark sky , is it possible to unload them at the end of the days shoot ?

Whole team had to use black powder. We had a couple of newbies permitted to use breach loading hammerguns but in the main it was ml’s. We had one pin fire and one tube lock user amongst the breachloaders but true gentlemen don’t use such vulgar things as these. It gives me pleasure to ponder on what Mr Lancaster and his generation would think if they knew their guns would still be in use 170 years later. I am sure they are smiling down on us for keeping the traditions going.

And no we just fire them off at the end of the day. I always offer the chance to the beaters or pickers up who usually jump at it. Amazing what interest it generates and always have to explain the process etc to a ready audience.

[marsh man]

8 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

Whole team had to use black powder. We had a couple of newbies permitted to use breach loading hammerguns but in the main it was ml’s. We had one pin fire and one tube lock user amongst the breachloaders but true gentlemen don’t use such vulgar things as these. It gives me pleasure to ponder on what Mr Lancaster and his generation would think if they knew their guns would still be in use 170 years later. I am sure they are smiling down on us for keeping the traditions going.

And no we just fire them off at the end of the day. I always offer the chance to the beaters or pickers up who usually jump at it. Amazing what interest it generates and always have to explain the process etc to a ready audience.

THANKS   

[oldypigeonpopper]

2 hours ago, Dave at kelton said:

Well done. Yet to try for geese with mine but it will happen

Tusmore

Hello, never heard of that shoot, many years ago one of our clay club members use to bring his muzzle loader, 👍

[Feltwad]

 A sxs black powder hammer  gun can  hold its own against any modern gun at driven pheasant  or partridge shoot .with a sxs percussion gun is also sporting  but one driven pheasant  or partridge with a side  by side flintlock is worth 10 with a modern gun , black powder has always been for me for the past 75 years ,age now greatly reduces this now .

Feltwad  

[Dave at kelton]

4 hours ago, Feltwad said:

 A sxs black powder hammer  gun can  hold its own against any modern gun at driven pheasant  or partridge shoot .with a sxs percussion gun is also sporting  but one driven pheasant  or partridge with a side  by side flintlock is worth 10 with a modern gun , black powder has always been for me for the past 75 years ,age now greatly reduces this now .

Feltwad  

Have never had the chance to use a flintlock although tempted by the odd specimen over the years. One of our number does use one on our days but not for every drive. I hope you continue to get the odd chance to still use BP!

[oldypigeonpopper]

On 20/01/2023 at 23:27, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, never heard of that shoot, many years ago one of our clay club members use to bring his muzzle loader, 👍

Ah it's up Bicester way, lovely estate 👍

[Feltwad]

On 20/01/2023 at 23:27, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, never heard of that shoot, many years ago one of our clay club members use to bring his muzzle loader, 👍

He was lucky to use  a black powder gun at clay shooting grounds  .Complains mainly  from the members  mostly  the noise it is best for a few black powder shooters to get together with a trap and a box     of clays  in some farmers field  where permission  is given

Feltwad

[Dave at kelton]

31 minutes ago, Feltwad said:

He was lucky to use  a black powder gun at clay shooting grounds  .Complains mainly  from the members  mostly  the noise it is best for a few black powder shooters to get together with a trap and a box     of clays  in some farmers field  where permission  is given

Feltwad

Checked at my local ground in Scotland and glad to say they were perfectly happy as long as shot size and load limits not exceeded. Drew a few spectators too as I practised for the real thing.

[oldypigeonpopper]

1 hour ago, Feltwad said:

He was lucky to use  a black powder gun at clay shooting grounds  .Complains mainly  from the members  mostly  the noise it is best for a few black powder shooters to get together with a trap and a box     of clays  in some farmers field  where permission  is given

Feltwad

Hello , it was in the 1980s 🤔 when there was the  Gun Shop in Oxford owned by the Venables family,