Hunting In 1776

With June in our rearview, we just passed midpoint of our year and head into July. This is a great time to show our colors as we celebrate the Fourth of July.

It was 248 years ago when our country proclaimed our independence from England. The Revolutionary War was fought to secure freedom for our newly formed country, and since then, many have given the ultimate sacrifice for that liberty. What hardships did those folks back in those times have to endure? Our troops were mostly volunteer militia, and interestingly, we’re currently a volunteer military. Over the years, the technology with our firearms has changed dramatically.

Think what it must have been like to hunt for big or small game in order to feed those troops. They only had a smooth-bore flintlock rifle. After a measured pour of gunpowder down the barrel of their rifle, they took a patch of cloth, placed a round musket ball on top and used a ramrod to drive the ball down to the breech of the gun. Once the deer, squirrel or rabbit was spotted, they would add a small bit of gunpowder to the pan on the side of the rifle and cock the hammer that contained a piece of flintlock. Then, they’d take aim and squeeze the trigger, which would allow the flint to strike metal and create a spark that would light the gunpowder in the pan. That flame would travel through a small hole and (hopefully) ignite the powder inside the barrel. Once ignited, that would produce a gas that would force the ball down and out of the barrel toward the game animal. If the ball missed the mark, the solider would have to start the whole process over again.

Contrast that to the rifle that I’ve had my eye on for quite awhile. I always liked the .308 caliber cartridge for big game, and I found a rifle for sale with an integrated compensator and fluted barrel. The high-tech rifling inside the barrel will really spin that round down range accurately. I added a nice scope to it that increases the amount of light for those low-light situations. The synthetic stock and stainless metal will keep it almost impervious to wet elements.

If my first shot doesn’t take down the animal, I can work the bolt action to add additional rounds as needed. There sure is quite a difference between hunting firearms today and those in 1776.

If you don’t already, consider this coming deer season pursuing big game with a primitive firearm or even a traditional bow. It can certainly raise the bar on the challenge of hunting. From the flintlock to the modern centerfire rifle, we’ve come a great distance in many ways in our 248 years of independence.