Muzzleloaders as a survival rifle?

[alsask]

I have been wondering lately why the muzzleoader doesn't get more attention as a candidate for a survival type rifle.  The guns made today are as rugged and accurate, out to 150 yards or so, as any common center fire rifle.  You can easily make your own balls or even conicals with a mold.  They are the most flexible gun on the market, each load can be tailored for the purpose.  Light loads for grouse or rabbits, heavier loads for deer or moose.

For what a person would pay for an AR-15 and a thousand rounds of ammo you could set yourself up with a .32 and maybe a .54 and enough powder and scrap lead to last the rest of your life!

I suspect that muzzy shooters are already in the more relaxed attitude toward living and surviving an trouble that may come down the road.

[DEADDAWG]

Much as I love my muzzleloaders, I prefer a Ruger 10-22 with hicap magazines. Have three with folding stocks and 10 50rnd mags each. 25,000 rnds stashed. Think I can last awhile.

[Red Badger]

I have to agree with Deaddawg.... for short term survival I like my modern rifles (massive firepower in massive amount), however for the long term I have Patience and her friends to put meat on the table and discourage the freeloaders and scavengers... I still belong to the "one shot one kill" club and unless there are a bunch of scavengers my trusty flinter will do me fine... to call a muzzleloader a survival weapon is stretching things in this day and age.  Back in the day it was a survival weapon but in todays era of the AK, M-16, and other fully auto firearms we are at a distinct disadvantage if all we have are traditional muzzleloaders....

That all being said I think this is a topic that needs to be moved to the Open topics area.... because we are going to go far off the reservation on this one.....

[alsask]

When I said "survival" I meant hunting for food ect.  I have shot just about everything from the 105 recoiless down to the pistol in the army and agree the .22 is overlooked as well but I sure like the muzzleloader still.

[Red Badger]

see what happens when I try to think        

[sherpa]

I think that a ML would be a good choice for survival if you were not concerned with having to fight large numbers of people. I also think it would be ok in a "end of the world as we know it" scenario. In that case modern manufacturing will cease, maybe forever. There is only so much modern ammo and reloading supplies. However you could shoot a flint lock almost indefietly with a decent supply of powder saved up. It is alot cheaper and easier to store than ammo. Also, some creative soul out there may even find a way to make it (NOT ME). No one is going to make modern componets. A ML would also be easier to repair and keep running. Just some thoughts.

[Hanshi]

While I don't think a flintlock would make a good all around choice as a survival gun, it's really not all that bad everything considered.  If you're away from modern supply lines for a long, long time, it does make a lot of sense.  In the Peter Benchley book "The Island", the modern day pirate/tribal cult leader would allow nothing to be used other than flint locks.  This was due to the impossibility of getting of maintaining supplies of modern ammo.

[Spitunia]

Well, even if "it" doesn't happen, dollar devaluation assures that foreign maunfactured goods hold at least some worth until taxes eliminate the value.

[Jusbo49]

hmm, seems to me that thid question has already been answered.
Our ancestors used these guns for survival, so its a been there done that and still can do it situation if you ask me.

[KHickam]

hmm, seems to me that thid question has already been answered.
Our ancestors used these guns for survival, so its a been there done that and still can do it situation if you ask me.

[Hanshi]

hmm, seems to me that thid question has already been answered.
Our ancestors used these guns for survival, so its a been there done that and still can do it situation if you ask me.

Curious, but none of my ancestors ever survived??? 

[voyageur1688]

  They have protected and provided for many a moon. They are  the first guns and are still around--granted not in as high numbers as in say 1800, but they are still here. As long as the world is made of rocks, we can still shoot.
Voy

[yoteslayer]

Oh boy am I in trouble here or what??!! I only own muzzleloaders and trad bows and have been this way for many,many years! If the bow doesn't put meat on the table my muzzleloaders will and do!! I hunt yotes with my smokepoles for a few extra bucks,bunnys,tree rats,deer and bear for food! always have several lbs of powder,lead and all the fixxins to last a long time in hard times on hand! I buy this stuff with moneys from trapping beaver or yotes! Muzzleloaders as a survival rifle? hell yea, lot of versatile in smokepoles! Just wouldn't be all that great in a gun fight against modern guns if needed, Now with a flinter I don't know I'm just learning about these, but the potenical for these is there! maybe even more so than cap locks as you could get flints from the land!   I've been shooting cap locks since i was a kid and everyone I knew thought i was alittle wacko till i started bringing home deer as much as my brothers with there mod weapons! huh, what up with this?? yea man think they would make a great survival gun!!

[Ranger]

I'm with yoteslayer on this one. I haven't havested a deer or bunny with a modern gun in many moons. I must admit, I keep an old 16ga double behind the bedroom door for home protection, but ol'snoop aint seen the woods in years.

[Hanshi]

Well, I'll have to admit that I haven't used a modern rifle in years to harvest game.  And I've done quite well in the field.