Too Hot To Shoot. Bored. Let's Play
 

OK, here's the deal.

We use our magical time machine to reach back to the year 1831 and pluck a Mountain Man from the slopes of the Rocky Mountains. We take him to the range and set him up to shoot a scoped TC Hawken with a variety of bullets - patched balls, Powerbelts, XTPs with sabots, and Hornady FPBs.

Now we're ready to send him back to 1831, and we tell him he can take only one thing back with him. Either the scope or a lifetime supply of any one of those bullets.

Which would he likely choose?

(I told you I was bored.)

Other: GORE-Tex.......... But given what you have listed, "lifetime supply of any one of those bullets"

The bullets. The scope could break tomorrow, plus it wouldn't be an advantage without a higher performance/longer range bullet to go with it.

Depends on the bullet. If it is something he can cast himself, he might choose the scope. But most likely it would be the bullets.

And even I am calling UNCLE... I was going to shoot yesterday, but it was to darn hot. Very humid to boot. And I have a lot of work to do outside, but refused to do it. This morning I got up at 6:00 am and unloaded the truck. It was full of lumber for the project to the garage, and it was already 72 degrees. But we got that done. The lawn will just have to wait.

I sure can't figure how those people out west and down south can do it. Man when it is hot, I am all in. Give me the cold any day.

I wouldn't trust the scope for extended use in the wilderness and roundballs will kill just as far as most are accurate with open sights...

He'd probably tell you to keep the Hawken and would prefer a good flintlock with a more reliable Siler flintlock on her...In 1831, most of the guns out west at least would have still been flintlocks...

OK, but which one of those bullets?

Mountain men never had any powerbelts and if you could give them some they would melt them down to make round balls which is about what they are good for.

Semi, I have never fired a flintlock... Were they smooth bores? If so thats out of my league. I will leave the bullet type up to those who have knowledge of such guns. But the scope seems like to many possible problems. I will suggest the new Bloodlines from Knight(throw a bone to Grouse and company)

Fast twist barrels are a more recent invention and the newer saboted bullets likely wouldn't work in his old rifle, least wise they don't work well in my 1:60 GPR. So unless we let him have the rifle too, I think he'd take the patch and ball.

HA

The Northwest Trade Gun was a smooth bore flintlock and made primarily for trade with the Indians. But it was also used by many Hudson's Bay Co. employees. Many of the guns produced by the Hawken brothers were caplocks with a twist in the 1:47 range (and a lot more expensive than Trade Guns). So there were certainly caplocks capable of shooting conicals out there.

Other:

Medicated treatment cream that he can use after hes dipped him poker stick into one them injun gals thats got the clap.

Semisane

I would bet the bullet of his choice... but in 1831 they really did not use that many bullets - they did not even like shooting their rifles - I bet if you offered a modern bunch of traps - he would have taken them over the bullets or the scope...

1831 - no need for for a scope.

just my thoughts...

He wouldn't take anything. He would think that it is all trickery, dark magic and the work of the devil. Probably would end up killing us.

Remember, Semi said he could have a lifetime supply of whatever he choose. As much as I hate to say it I would say the Powerbelts. That way there is no messing around with sabot and bullet. And they would shoot pretty well in a 1:47 twist and be much more effective on game (and indians).

Semi I think he would pass on the scope and go for a lifetime supply of ball and powder. Ball and powder was very valuable, and a major expense to mountain men in those days(or anyone else). Heck they would normally re-use their lead after it was shot. IMO he would take a lifetime supply of round ball and powder. Tom.