What are the regs on using muzzle loading rifles and muskets for hunting game in the EU?

Not allowed for deer in the UK. Not sure why you shouldn't use one on rabbits and other vermin.

It is not forbidden here in Germany. But I don't know a hunter which is using it.

Best Regards

In Britain and Ireland there are various regulations on minimum calibre, muzzle velocity, bullet weight and muzzle energy levels which in effect make the use of a muzzle loader illegal.
In fact British regulations render most commercial loadings for the 30/30 illegal for deer.

Brian.

In Belgium, the law sets the minimum caliber at >6,5 mm and 2200 J/100 m. This rules muzzleloaders out (NB.: .30-30 and some .444 Marlin loadings are banned for the same reason).

In Italy it is not forbidden and I have some friends of a muzzleloaders group that organize some boar hunting week end in hunting resorts.
Normally good results by them feedbacks.
bye

Last time I used a muzzleloader it had a bore size of 81mm.

I had assumed that 1700 foot pounds would be tricky. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Gents,

Bare with my hazy memory here, but I seem to recall an article sometime ago in Shooting Times or maybe the Shooting Gazette about this. As I remember this guy had an old muzzle loader (Brown Bess?) and after having it restored into good working order, he traced some of its early history back to a certain Estate in Scotland..

The magazine took him back up there to the same Estate and arranged for him to stalk a Red with him and the Ghillie in period clothing and "aided" by two Scottish Deerhounds.

I am sure he actually took a beast and that it was not just "set up" for the camera's and from that I deduced it was legal?

The story of was several years ago, so my memory may be playing tricks here. Perhaps somebody can give George Wallace at BASC a ring as I believe he is into BP?

Regards,

Pete

Deerdogs,

Just had a look at the booklet that came with my TC Firestorm flint. It says max load with roundball is 1772 ft/lb. With conicals & pyrodex they quote it as capable of 2861 ft/lb but that would be a hard recoiling load. A moderate load would give over 2000 ft/lb. All that's for a .500" caliber.

There are muzzleloaders that use smokeless out in the states now that will exceed that.

I can't see the point of getting a ML for deer in the UK though unless you're really into the primitive thing. You'll need a Class 1 same as centrefire plus I think you need some kind of explosives license for blackpowder.