Is a flintlock an effective big game gun?
A flintlock would be fine but I wouldn’t buy anything smaller than 54caliber for the animals you are talking about. I would have preference for a 58 or larger. Something else to consider would be the cabelas double barrel perussion cap. Heavy to lug around, but a quick second shot might be worth it considering you’re in bear country (laws vary – you are likely not able to carry a centerfire handgun with you during muzzleloader season). Edit to respond to john: A round ball 50 caliber flintlock or a round ball 50 caliber percusion is going to have the same effect. However, a 50cal ball has a hard enough time pentrating a deer let alone a elk or moose. With deer you have a pretty good chance that the ball will flatten out and get ledged in the hide on the opposite end. You do need more than a 50 caliber for thick skinned animals or else it’s a recipe for disaster. A 30 caliber (which many consider to be too small for the mentioned game) has a jacket that prevents the bullet from falling
