BP Brush Gun?

Side lock with a REMOVABLE breech plug / lug.
Scoff.

What is the point?
I really don't know what a 'brush' gun is. By my definition it is one you carry hunting in thick woods and brush.
For almost a half century I carried a flintlock rifle with a 42" barrel in all kinds of thick woods and brush.
Ded deer didn't know I wasn't using pellets or didn't have a removable breech plug or had a short barrel. They wuz jest ded.
 
Again I am in danger of rendering an opinion...

....when in fact I am terribly underinformed.

I think RM1776's definition fits mine. It is kind of an individual thing which for him resulted in the use of a 42" barrel. Possibly the only thing available to him at the time. That would be a little long for me but it certainly fit 76s. But then, did I mention? I don' hunt.

With the proliferation of ML options over the last five to ten years, a person who is just getting a "brush gun" (Lord, I do hate that word, "Gun") is right to do as the OP has and try to establish his own definition.

My only experience with hunting is when I went (unarmed) with my uncle who used me to flush out pheasants and encourage squirrels to come around to his side of a tree. I said he liked things short and light. That is not because he was in heavy thickets which impeded the movement of the rifle, but because in the dense brush, the shot was recognized quickly and almost as quickly it vanished. He had to be able to turn the rifle and raise the rifle in the short period that the deer had his head to the ground to graze. When the head was up, my uncle was always dead still. He always said that a deer can't see things, they can only see movement.

In western, PA, the shots were longer providing a little more time to raise the rifle and aim without spooking the deer. His longer 270 worked there.
 
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Doc,

Your definition of a Brush "Rifle" ;) is spot on. It usually just means and short, light, heavy caliber rifle used in heavy brush with a MV slow enough that deflection is not an issue. But no matter the length all big caliber front stuffers fit the heavy caliber bill. Before this whole ML addiction I got myself into, I too was a 30-30 fan for thick brush, which is where I hunt latter in the season when the old wise buck is leary of stepping into a field or big clearing. For early season Bean Field hunting I used my .303 for shots to 200 yards, more than that it was 300 Win Mag time. I only mentioned the removable breech plug on a sidelock barrel for ease of cleaning. I always worry that I don't get the breech clean enough. But then again a breech scraper would do the trick too.
 
Mississippi

Moloc is right 1841 miss would be my pick. I have one in 58. Shoots good with both RB & mini. And is a looker.
 
I'd love to just use my 30-30....too bad it's against the law here:(

Doc, I don't care much for the very loose term of "gun" either. Although I do catch myself using it now and then. To me, when I hear "gun" I think artillery:D like as in 12# field "gun". So to right myself, brush rifle to me would be pretty much dead on with what you and slayer said. That and the CVA staghorn (along with many others) is unwieldy to me...Not very well balanced, the angle of the grip on the stock with the 23" barrel makes the rifle feel cumbersome.

Also, I just like making something different, while keeping a hint of the same. It'll be a CVA staghorn, but someone familiar with them would likely do a double take looking at it. I like custom, what can I say? I had a brand new uberti Hombre for two days and started messing with it. I buffed the finish to remove the pebbling from the frame and turned it a nice soft blue black from the flat black paint look. Then I stripped the grips, took the matte brass to eye blinding polished and re profiled the front sight. It's a hombre true enough, but there's not another one around just like it.:cool:
 
When using a bp rifle as a "brush gun" I rebuilt a TC 50 cal NewEnglander. It's light weight and good for up to 100 yrds. I do have one TC 50 cal inline left. I like it. You can load and reload it pretty fast. I don't see anything wrong with using the inlines I have a lot of fun shooting this one. I never put a scope on this one I like the open sights on it in the woods better right handi rifles. My go to " brush gun" smokless powder rifle is the old 35 cal model 336 still a good rifle up to about 200 yrds. All depends on the kind of loads used. :)
 
Sneak peak. Couldn't help myself, saw rifle laying around with tools on a quiet Saturday morning....I had to do something! :D

23'' barrel down to 18", muzzle squared and ready for crowning, weird "tooth" that was jabbing my hand behind the trigger guard removed. Ram rod cut and end re attached.

84d6b863-0284-41ef-b25f-3aa23fccd663_zpsdee622d9.jpg
 
LOL...hmm, Black powder SBR? That might be kinda cool....Then figure out how to have a can work on it! :eek::D

I measured from the inside of the barrel from the back of the breech to the muzzle. 18" on the nose;) And well over 26" overall.

You've got me thinking though....do the length regulations for cartridge rifles apply to black powder (since they technically aren't recognized as a firearm?) I would assume they still do.
 
^^ Don't forget the quad rail, with flash light, toothy muzzle brake, folding knife bayonet, and last but not least a colapsable stock, then YOU TOO Sir can be all :cool: :rolleyes::D
 
LOL :D

It's getting iron sights guys...no tacticool accessories:p It will be getting camo though, I'm thinking the McMillan original M40 pattern in snow colors. I think I might creakote the barrel also.....McMillan Grey or maybe Tungsten.


also thinking about doing my own markings on top of the barrel in front of the action.



<Edit> Well the barrel is completely finished, and it just got shot with it's first coat of McMillan Grey.

Settled on the camo too, the stock just got shot with the base coat. It's going to look like this feller here when it's done:) (Not probably everyone's cup of tea)

SouthernCopperhead02.jpg


I think it will be nice when it's finished, and should blend well with the environment I hunt in.
 
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