TODAY'S GUN TIME

[CalG]

The legality of this would make me not talk about it on the interwebs.

Here in VT, Pests can be illiminated at any season. just check in with the game warden.

 

[sea2summit]

Here in VT, Pests can be illiminated at any season. just check in with the game warden.

Deer are pretty hard to classify as pests unless they are causing harm to someone’s livelihood, at least here. I don’t know of anyone with a permit near me and I know a lot of farmers that hate deer. But if it’s easier up there, have freezer will travel

 

[Code54]

Here in WV if you call DNR and tell them you are having issues with Deer eating your plants and gardens they can (and do) issue crop damage permits. They stopped by the house, easily saw the damage, and handed me the permits. We got 6 this year from the DNR to thin the herd a bit around the house. You only shoot the females and have to report the kills back to the DNR once the permit is filled or the time limit to use it is up (mine were good for 1 month).
Our DNR has always been great to deal with and very understanding and helpful when we are having critter problems. As CalG mentioned you may want to check with the DNR (Game Warden) about how you can legally deal with the issue so you don't end up in a jam.
Good luck!

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

CalG,
This is why BP is a PITA.

Do you really want to clean your revolver after every shot? If that is what turns your crank, load one cylinder for your "deer load". I doubt you will need repeat shots to scare away Bambi. Otherwise you will need to fire off rest of the loads in the cylinder to clean the gun

I have no use for BP guns of any type. Making noise, sparks, and smoke is not my thing. Others love them.

Rock salt loads in a shotgun are so much easier and will make plenty of noise. You can even load them with a simple Lee Whack-a-Mole.

I get it that not everyone enjoys BP (clearly you don't, which is fine, plenty of room here for all of us).

But you most certainly do NOT have to clean the revolver after every shot. No idea where that thought came from.

I have gone a weekend's worth of match competition without cleaning my cap and ball revolvers OR my BP cartridge revolvers (and the other guns, rifles, shotguns, etc). Just a simple wipe of the front of the cylinder face with a rag with Ballistol on it has them (pistols) ready for a full 2nd day of shooting. Some of the larger matches would have each pistol shooting a couple hundred rounds each.

Wonder Wads in the cap and ball guns, and "grease bucket" style soft cast lead bullets in the cartridge guns keeps the fouling soft in the guns over many sequential shots. Proper preparation helps a bunch.

 

[paulsharvey]

Not 100% related, but I avoided muzzleloaders for 2 decades. My thought was, only reason I would buy one is for 2 weeks between archer, and general gun. Heck, I'll just hunt with a Xbow those two weeks. Then found a WMA, locally, doesn't require quota drawing, just management stamp (of coarse need hunting license with deer stamp and muzzleloader stamp), But its primitive weapons only (vertical bow or muzzleloader). That was enough to pick up a CVA Wolf V2 for like $300, with scope and I 'think' 15 powebelt style projectiles. I actually really like the muzzleoader. Yes, that $300, was quickly joined by atleast another $200 for power measure, speed loaders, more projectiles, and several 1 pound jugs of loose power. It shoots plenty well for deer in the woods, I can hunt a new area, and it's kinda fun to play with something different. I also didn't expect how much shorter a 22" barrel (maybe its 24"?) muzzleloader is then a 22"/24" bolt action.

Now, I'm wondering what it would take to covert it somehow into a 357 mag break action; barrel liner threaded into break plug maybe. Anyways, as someone who actively avoided muzzleloaders, and all; I now like them. Cleaning, on a modern MZLR isn't too bad, but it is worse then a rifle.

Also, recoil is less than I expected; 120 grs powder and 350gr bullet, seems like it should be a handful, but its not bad.

 

[CalG]

Not 100% related, but I avoided muzzleloaders for 2 decades. My thought was, only reason I would buy one is for 2 weeks between archer, and general gun. Heck, I'll just hunt with a Xbow those two weeks. Then found a WMA, locally, doesn't require quota drawing, just management stamp (of coarse need hunting license with deer stamp and muzzleloader stamp), But its primitive weapons only (vertical bow or muzzleloader). That was enough to pick up a CVA Wolf V2 for like $300, with scope and I 'think' 15 powebelt style projectiles. I actually really like the muzzleoader. Yes, that $300, was quickly joined by atleast another $200 for power measure, speed loaders, more projectiles, and several 1 pound jugs of loose power. It shoots plenty well for deer in the woods, I can hunt a new area, and it's kinda fun to play with something different. I also didn't expect how much shorter a 22" barrel (maybe its 24"?) muzzleloader is then a 22"/24" bolt action.

Now, I'm wondering what it would take to covert it somehow into a 357 mag break action; barrel liner threaded into break plug maybe. Anyways, as someone who actively avoided muzzleloaders, and all; I now like them. Cleaning, on a modern MZLR isn't too bad, but it is worse then a rifle.

Also, recoil is less than I expected; 120 grs powder and 350gr bullet, seems like it should be a handful, but its not bad.

It is funny that a "primitive weapon" can carry a scope ... but hey! Telescopes go way back.. ;-)

My BP rifle is light and easy to carry, but I don't get out with it as much as the revolver.

 

[paulsharvey]

It is funny that a "primitive weapon" can carry a scope ... but hey! Telescopes go way back.. ;-)

My BP rifle is light and easy to carry, but I don't get out with it as much as the revolver.

I believe in Lousiana and Mississippi now, a primitive weapon can include centerfire rifle cartridges; of 35 cal or greater, single shot, with an exposed hammer, so 35 Whelen, in a CVA break action. And I think normal optics are allowed. I know some states don't allow optics on muzzleloaders/primitive weapons, but I'm pretty sure the majority allow them.

 

[gsganzer]

I got my .260 Rem back from the gunsmith. Barrel was shortened to 20" and threaded, bolt jeweled and a new butt pad. The timing was perfect as I'm heading to camp tomorrow to top off feeders and haul down a refurbished blind. I'll spend some time sighting it in and then I'll be ready for the start of deer season. It's now a perfect deer rifle, with better balance and length with the suppressor.

 

[paulsharvey]

Just loaded up some test rounds of 308 Win, 150gr Interloks, and Accurate 2495. Really haven't messed with the 308 in a while, since it was shooting like Crap all of the sudden. It occurred to me, I had swapped the Ruger American Predator bottom plastic from factory to the AICS Style mags, and I 'think' that's when accuracy went to he'll. Wondering if I over torqued the action screws maybe, or somehow, applied pressure in a weird way? So I swapped back to factory config. Maybe that will help. I dont have a inch/pound torque wrench, and really probably should pick one up.

If I remember right, it was shooting about 1.5" groups at 100 yards, then the scope Base got loose, retighten, and around same time, upgraded mag well. I had just assumed I did something stupid with scope base, but I couldn't really see what. After those two things; a large domino's pizza box at 100 yards, out of 5 shots; they would be spread out every bit of 8 inches, if not 12 inches. Maybe, just maybe, the actions screws (which need removed during mag well update) were the issue.

BTW, why are 1/4" torque bit drivers more than a 1/2" Tekton torque wrench?

 

[hunt4570]

Score today, 2 boxes of primers, small rifle and small pistol. $89 a box, but better than ive seen for a bit, in stock at Cabelas!