18th Century Smoothbores School of the Longhunter Seminar 2023 

First of all Mike I don't think that you should apologize for the length or the content of your videos because I'm going to watch it. And the main reason is because you have such detail in your presentations that just spell bounds me and teaches me. I drink it up like it was a fine liquor and soak it up like it was a ShamWow towel. Sorry to be so descriptive but I do enjoy these videos especially when I'm learning. Thanks so much for the video I really did learn a lot. Always remember to keep ye powder dry! Thanks again

A true historian - “How they actually used it compared to how we wish they used it” Thank you sir!

Highly educational and informative. The discussion of kernel size vs. surface area was helpful even with smokeless powders.

"We got one down here. Not so good" - *Direct hit in the pelvic girdle* - Sir, that's a perfect hit, as that is right near the femoral artery.

Thanks for the hard work you put into the research for this video!

This is exceptional scholarship on the historical and modern use of the Brown Bess and smoothbore fowlers. Some of your best work yet! The best part is that you explain WHY it works. Thank you!

I use sheeps wool with a round ball and with shot for my tvm 54 cal smooth bore. I hunt and use my flintlock. I am not a range guy or city guy. I use my gun for food. I have pictures of what that method does in a real-life hunting situation. I also believe that was used back then. People had sheep,cows,goats,and other animals. Being born and raised on a farm, we use what we have available. I am sure Dainel Boone did also. Great video, thanks. God bless.

Great information, thanks for sharing. One of these days I need to attend the school of the longhunter.

Clear and concise, thanks Mike

This was awesome. Very informative and well done. Thank you!

Excellent video. Thank you.

This is a great presentation/video.

I thought I had a good understanding of black powder and it's ballistic performance. I've been shooting muzzloading since 1976. This video has truly explained how black powder performs with various loads. This presentation makes it simple to understand. It has helped me explain to my grandchildren and believe it or not, Great grandchildren how black powder works by the load. Thank you for this one ..... Great show in my opinion, they learned a lot!

Great information!

Very Interesting. I wish you had a Powder Charge/Velocity chart like that for Cap and Ball Revolvers. Elmer Keiths' Book recommends a full load of FFg but Lyman's Black Powder Manual recommends FFFg for the .44 Revolver. I guess I'll just have dig out my Chronograph and find out for my self.

This is an AMAZING video! Your combination of scholarship and practical experience is rare on yt! Also...bare balls 😂!

Truley enjoyable and educational. I have several smoothbores, 3 of them double-barreled 1850's British made. 10- 16- and 20 bore. and one single in excellent condition, barreled 16 bore. And I have fired NONE OF THEM! At first it was a lack of knowledge, which you and a few others have supplied, thankfully. And then the Agent Orange (that our government supplied to all us in SE Asia) kicked in. Almost constant heavy tremors joined the muscle and bone damage. But I am determined to shoot the rascals, especially the 15-bore. It is very nicely engraved, English walnut stock, and just happened to fit me like a glove - almost a bespoke firearm. Already have primers, 3F powder, appropriate wads, and a good supply of #7 1/2 shot. Just got to settle my long muscles down a bit, and fit some all-terrain wheels to my assistant. The cane is of little use in most areas as it likes to see how deep soft ground really is. So - thanks, Mike for helping me understand smoothbores a bit better.

Excellent video, I appreciate you taking the time to make this video, very interesting and I learned a lot. Thank you for sharing this.

Glad you did well Mark be safe keep passing the knowledge on Peace

Mike you have to much fun i do envy you. Not only that the details you provide are always spec on which is all I want to know! I’ve watched this several times since you originally posted it! It’s so informative! Specifically the details of the velocities offered between 2F And 3F. I’m primarily a 2F user because I have a few 50 and 54 cal not too mention the Bess and Charleville. Those two big gals I generally use 1 or 1.5 F which I have for them specifically. 3F in my 45s and smaller along with my Colts open tops. Thank you for providing this information!!! Respectfully!

Would like to see more videos like this. Very good!

Thanks for the upload Mike! I'm glad the YT overlords haven't completely smote your channel!

great great great. thank you

Thank you for the lesson. I look forward to the next one.

Thanks Mike

thanks for the video.

Thank you. Very informative.

I will point out that the pedersoli Bess is actually a replica of a second "short land" pattern musket. The first pattern guns were a couple inches longer at the muzzle.

👍 Thank you. This has real application for my Charleville and my Trade Gun.

Thanks Mike great info

Excellent and informative video. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.

Good morning from Syracuse NY brother

Very useful and historically accurate information given in this video which all adds to the pleasure of muzzleloading. Thanks Mike.

Excellent! As usual. Thank you for posting.

Thank you!

Thank you for sharing my friend and I enjoy this video

I must confess, I fell to the 3f for everything speil, a couple years ago. Prior to that, I had used different granulations for different guns. Mike, once again, you have proven to be the Dean of Muzzleloading. Thank you for this video!

Very good commentary, much enjoyed.

Again, you knocked it out of the park !that was awesome!I need to get me one. I'm hoping kibler will start making them thank you 🤠

What a fascinating and enlightening video. As a confirmed rifle shooter and builder, I've really gotten into smoothies the last 3 years or so. You've really given me stuff to think about. A lot of my "accidental" experiences have mirrored what you are presenting. Thank you.

Loved it. One thing that's missing is a discussion on ball size vs bore size in civilian smooth bores. Using a .610 ball in a .615 bore may work really well, but did your average Joe have such perfectly fitting balls for his trade gun? I'm a bit sceptical.

Great info. Thanks!

Always good and werry informative videos 👍

I always had terrible results loading shot in a smoothbore with the old “square load”. You did a video some years ago where you used 100gr 2F and 2oz of shot so I gave that a try and it’s worked like a charm and I’ve been doing it ever since. Thanks for another great video, Mike.

Mike I don't say it much or often and we've never met but thank you for your videos.

Excellent video

Good to see your back i hope every thing is OK great video as always

I really needed this information, thank you so much.

Great Video! 👍

You should do that at Ft Harrod in Harrodsburg Kentucky if you get a chance. The fort there has been replicated in a similar fashion. Harrodsburg is the oldest settlement west of the Allegheny mountains.

As usual, great historical details and practical information on how to. The explanation about the differences in powder was very helpful, even jf I thought I knew everything, LOL. Today, with ammo prices sometimes approaching $5/round for center-fire cartridges and expensive shotshells, some primers non-existent, shooting flint and percussion (if you find the caps) is very economical. Especially with flint, you have beaten the primer shortage!

Super good video thanks

Good stuff!

Great video. This one must have been a ton of work.

My favorite quote of the year. "How dead can you be?" haha.

I wonder if ball blocks were carried or used during the period. The ball and patch would be placed in a wood block and and could be loaded quickly into the bore. I read the idea of a square shot load is described as a shot load equal to the length of the diameter of the bore of the barrel. English Fowling Pieces I read used Jug Choke barrels to improve shot patterns and still shoot round balls accurately too.

Good to see you again, Mr. Mike.

I've had issues getting black powder at all. I found six pounds of FFFG so I bought it. I'm using it in my revolvers mostly. My 1858 two band Enfield shoots not so good with it. I've never tried it in my 69cal 1842 Springfield. I'm going to Ohio in a few months so I'll stop in to The Log Cabin gun shop in Lodi Ohio and stock up on FFG and FFFFG. Thanks Mike Great video.

Fun fun

Thanks Excellent great info.

Pipe bowl often is clay tavern style or as made with around first finger ,found in reprint of smoking guide . Match to gauge in any case be blessed Peace to you n your,s

Thank you for the presentation !

I could watch your videos all day long and this is no exception. Excellent detailed and rich content that I can apply to my own needs and practices with smoothbore shooting. Keep 'em coming -- greatly appreciated here!

Fantastic! So much I didn't know. I doubt I'll ever put it to use but it gives me context and a greater appreciation of my ancestors and our history.

Wow so excellent and informative

I have been looking for this kind of info for several years. This backs up and improves some of the things i have found. I now have an understanding of black powder like never before, and a clearer understanding of shot loading than before! Thank you Mike for a fine and informative video. I will be keeping this for reference in the future. I hope you record all this stuff in a book of your own, would be worth every penny!

Cool man cool

Great video!

Really enjoyed your presentation Mike.

your buck and ball load is different than all the published loads i've seen! all of them from the 1800's were 6 pellets of double ought and a ball with about an 70 to a 100 grain charge and i've seen one from the 1770's that was 6 pellets double ought and 3 of single ought with ball but it didn't give a charge size for the load!

Good stuff, Mike.I really appreciate you sharing this presentation. I would love to go to SOTLH, but unfortunately, can't ever get away more than a half day. My wife is bed-ridden and I certainly can't leave her alone overnight.

Perfect ! I just acquired a French 1817 pattern smoothbore musket. Thank you for publishing this !

Mike this was really interesting I expecially enjoyed the part of the presentation where you talked about powder geometry. I know that might not interest everybody but I reload and I find that kind of stuff fascinating. Thank you.

FANTASTIC primer on musket shooting, Mike! Many thanks!

Really good and quite practical. Thanks!

Keep it up!

Very educational and instructional. And a freakin' blast. Thanks for the show. I noticed the kick, madone! After several eye surgeries my hard kicking long gun days are over. My Rem 870P (1983) and Mosin M44 (1944 Izhevsk) are retired too.

Charcoal-burner school, love it! Thanks, Mike for the great presentation.

Very informative. 🇺🇸

Great video as usual. I just got my 1766 charleville and learning a lot from you. I guess trial is the best teacher. You lessen the learning curve thank you for all your hard work.

Impressively researched lecture

I really enjoy this video, thank you so kindly for sharing.100 % agree

Very good. Content thank you.

Very informative Mike! Hope all is well my friend! Take care and stay safe! Hod bless!✝️🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸😊

Excellent presentation! Thank you!

Great presentation! Very informative!

This is very cool! Thank you Mike!!!

Excellent, Mike!

So informative and helpful. Thank you!

Thank you for an excellent presentation and in-depth research! I was particularly fascinated by your powder granulation tests; it was interesting to see how the performance overlapped at around 80 grains.

I just picked up what I believe to be an English single barrel fowler. Percussion, about 20 gauge, 44 1/2 inch barrel. Some nice German silver pieces, iron butt plate and trigger guard. A back action lock, I believe the maker is Fenton. But these things are interesting projects, a research project. It's a long skinny stick of a shotgun.

Excellent video Mike, very informative. Thank you.

Some brilliant dry humour from Mike B! (Beaver fur). Also, I wonder about the pipe bowl as a measure of powder and shot? I have no clue but could the author have been thinking about clay pipes which might have been a vaguely standard size?

very nice, thank you!

Thank you SO MUCH for making this a video! I learned a ton as always!! This is incredible!

Love your content! Thank you for all the effort you put in, Duelist!

Fighting close quarters in woods or at ship boarding i see it being useful. But How much damage is buckshot actually going to inflict at extended ranges?

Mike I would to see you, run and load at the same time like Daniel Day Lewis did in "Last of the Mohicans". LOL

👍👍👍👍

Error at 41:11 should say "more shot than powder".