How Powerful are Black Powder Guns?

[struggle4progress]

Bryce and Adam test just how lethal black powder flintlock guns are!

[doc03]

1. Interesting, I have a 44 cap and ball black powder revolver. Compared to my 9mm Ruger LCP

Last edited Sun Jul 13, 2025, 11:37 PM - Edit history (1)

pistol the black powder pistol has very little recoil. I used to have 50 cal Haukins I am surprised that they can
hit 1800 feet.

[mitch96]

2. " I used to have 50 cal Hawkins" When I was a kid I had one also.. .After the third shot, it got so fouled

with black powder you did not know where the heck the lead ball would go.
Great fun!!
m

[doc03]

3. I bought my Ruger Old Army 44 cal. in

stainless steel in 1979. I haven't shot it much because it is a pain to clean. The Hawken got fouled pretty quick but it wasn't that hard to clean. I haven't gone hunting in about 25 years
so I got rid of most of my guns.

[mitch96]

4. It just amazed me how anybody with a smooth bore musket could hit anything unless up close... I remember

watching a civil war documentary and one of the things that stuck in my head was that the troops with the smooth bore muskets were told to aim for the feet and knees of the opposing troops... That way they would hit SOMETHING and not just shoot over the heads of the opposing troops..
And then came the rifled bore and Minie ball... nasty stuff....
m