Muzzle loading target shooters Forums 
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I've been very slow to get around to actually shooting in muzzleloading matches. At the same time that my interest in muzzleloaders has taken root, age has degraded my performance in more modern competitions, so I've just been sniffing around the edges and enjoying the camaraderie at Friendship. But I really need to become a shooter!
I have a nice example of a .58 Cabela's "Hawken". It shoots straighter than I can. But life is too short to put off having a flintlock! Having a sparse gun budget in my working retirement, I can't enjoy the luxury of just accumulating every likely rifle that piques my interest until I hit the right one(s) like I did when shooting suppository rifles in competition. So I need to have a pretty clear idea of what choices would make for a competitive rifle before I buy another gun.
At the far left end of the shooting line on the north side of the creek at Friendship (chunk and table) it looks like everyone is having plenty of fun, serious competition and a sense of fraternity, so I think my next gun should be a flintlock suited to those competitions. (I'm also attracted to the pistol line, the woods walk and a couple of the primitive-side trade gun activities, but I think chunk and table offer more opportunities throughout the year, so that seems like a good starting point.)
What do I need for a serviceable, capable flintlock rifle for chunk and table competition? I'd like to hear your suggestions regarding caliber, twist rate, barrel length and weight, gun weight, LOP, drop at heel, fore end shape and whatever else in your opinion goes into a suitable chunk or table gun? For that matter, are table guns evolving differently than chunk guns to the point that I would have different optimum characteristics for one or the other?
Financially, custom guns are pretty much beyond consideration. The most useful suggestions would be those that are attainable in factory rifles or, at the top end, maybe something available from Tip Curtis or etc.
Suggestions? TIA!
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My problem with getting good accuracy from my chunk gun is seeing the sights well. For that reason, I made my chunk gun with a 54" barrel.
Some table matches allow you to use peep sights, so a shorter barrel is practical on a table rifle.
There are weight restrictions to consider also. A long barreled flintlock with the proper sights, weighing just under 10# would get you into the lighter weight classes for both matches. I've seen some really good strings shot with .40 caliber squirrel rifles.
A good lock, such as the Chambers late Ketland is desirable.
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Claude,
I think your best starting point would be to get a copy of the rules and rifle specs for both the table and chunk games. After determining what is required you will be better armed ( pun intended) to determine what you want to build/buy and not end up with something that may not work. Call the NMLRA for a rule booklet re chunk gun's and check this site for table rules. They're pretty basic.
Mark
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Claude,
Here's some thoughts for you and a link to what might be a great deal on a good choice for a "Hunter Class" table rifle:
I'm using this merely as an example of what you might find by looking around. I don't have a purpose-built rifle for either of those games, but I do OK. The rifle I use for both Chunk and Table is a T/C "Hawken" with a 32" 50 cal. Green Mountain barrel. It has one of the "new style" T/C flintlocks which works great. That lock doesn't give up much (if anything) in speed and overall excellence to the VERY nicely tuned Chambers large Siler lock on my longrifle. I don't worry about "fore-end shape" since I got a great suggestion from one of our fellow shooters here (Thanks Robin..!!) and took the under-rib off my barrel. The bottom flat lays on the rest just fine and helps prevent canting. Once I found the "sweet spot" on the barrel I put a wrap of tape around it so I can be sure to use the same rest point for every shot. Load development, sight choice and the design of your "Spotter target" in those competitions will have a LOT to do with your ability to compete.
Woodswalk and general primitive type shooting is a LOT of fun. I don't shoot the same rifle in those areas as I do for Table/Chunk.
Enjoy the journey and don't let the competition get in the way of the fun..!!
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Thanks for the replies! It seems like you pointed out three major areas of consideration: Read the rule book, ...maybe a squirrel rifle, ...maybe something Hawken-like and more affordable. That seems to covers it!
Yes, a review of the rule book would inform my musings. I'd forgotten about the weight classes. I better read through the rules again and see what other considerations come to light.
Really, if I want to shoot I should just get to the firing line with what I have, and I may do that in June. But as a gun nut, I'm dying to play with a flintlock..
Esthetically, I'm more taken by the suggestion of a squirrel gun than a TC. One half-stock rifle is enough for now and I'm pleased with the Hawken-type rifle I already have. The .58" bore through a 15/16" barrel makes for a nicely handling rifle. But for my next rifle another mass market Hawken-type doesn't hold the appeal of a longrifle..
I like Okawbow's suggestion of a .40 squirrel rifle. I wonder what would be optimum specs for something along that line versus what might be readily available or affordable. How suitable would something like Pedersoli's Blue Ridge rifle be? What other suitable choices are in the mass market? I suppose Tip Curtis will have something long in .40 on his wall, I wonder how long of a barrel in the contours he uses would stay under 10 pounds. Tip seems to be the only commercial builder at his price point. Is there anyone else I should know about?
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I've been following along with this thread mainly to see how this progresses in the last few years I built a .40 squirrel rifle to be used for bench and Table matches. It has Rice 15/16 barrel 36 inches long I used a back action lock and the stock is a bit on the fat side a little bit of extra wood but I wanted plenty of stock to rest on and hold? Anyway I had to use a piece of aluminum for an under rib to keep the weight under 10 pounds. Then I made another 40 flinter mainly for offhand shooting again walnut full stock but slimmed down it's another 15/16 Rice barrel but I was able to make it 38 inches long and keep it under 10 pounds just barely like 9# 12oz. I would not want a barrel of less that 14/16 for a serious shooter and depending on the wood you might get that out to 40 - 42 inches? 13/16? Seems really thin to me you could get more length = more sight radius but you would have to be very careful how you place it on the bench and how you handle the rifle. You can get more length with a swamped barrel and I think they are great for offhand but as a light bench-squirrel rifle for target shooting? I just don't like all that milled tapered machining going on with target barrel. I might add square bottom rifling that silly round groove bottom rifling is OK for the bang and clang shoot all day never clean guys but serious shooting NOT FOR ME!
This is what works for me your mileage may vary.
RB
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Can you build one? It doesn't have to be pretty. a Chambers Ketland is lightning fast. .Some competitions won't allow a coil spring lock. I once shot with Goodien who was shooting a flinter still in the white, the pins stuck out about 1/2 inch on either side. Other good shooters had guns that had holes up and down the bbl where various sights had been tried and removed .and the stock looked like it went thru a tornado, but these guys knew how they shot. Bed whatever bbl you choose....
just a thought.
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Oh, I've had that thought, crankshaft. But I think I'm still at least a couple of years away from having a functional shop space.
I think I'm going to have to get some appropriate targets and see what I can do with what I have. But I have a seasonal business (mostly taxes) and won't see the range again until the end of April.
Meanwhile, I just scratched my flintlock itch by buying a Pedersoli Kentucky pistol. I'm still itchy, of course, but it will be something or me to cut my teeth on.
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