Introducing new people to muzzle loaders

[Longbeard]

Everyone ,

I was at the range Saturday testing balls, patches, lubes for the Barlow trail rendezvous.
When I pulled up there was a father with his three children just setting up. They had a 10/22
with a thumb hole- laminated stock & a red dot sight, some sort of S&W striker fired pistol
(9X19), and a .22 target pistol with target grips & a red dot sight . And I pull out a wood stocked,
blued steel muzzle loader with open sights... they all said: "What's that?". I said its a muzzle
loader. After a few .54 balls down range, with the accompanying clouds of smoke, the oldest
girl came over and said: "How does it work?" I showed her the musket, ram rod, 777 powder
and some Goex FFG, powder measure, patches, balls, short starter, etc.

I showed her the loading process and said: "Do you want to watch me shoot?" . She jumped
and said: "Yea!!!, Ha, Ha, Ha!!!" after I fired the ball down range. In a few minutes the rest of
the family was over and said: "How does it work? Is it a museum piece?" clearly I had wheels
turning in their heads. I asked the father; "Would you like to shoot it?" , he said he did. I explained
the mantra of: "Powder, Patch, Ball" , loaded the musket, capped it at the line and handed it
to him. After another cloud of smoke and another ball down range he had a big grin on his
face...

Hopefully I introduced another four people to the wonders & joy of muzzle loaders & black
powder.

Blessings,
LongBeard

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[Andy54Hawken]

Always good to introduce others to muzzleloading firearms...great story , thanks for sharing.

With that said...
Were you using a Musket...?
.54 is my favorite caliber and there ain't too many muskets* in that caliber ...
Andy

*Musket being a large caliber smoothbored military firearm..and yes I do know of several .54 caliber rifled muskets...but that is a rifled musket , not a musket...

 

[GOG]

Excellent @Longbeard. The smiles are worth a million bucks.

 

[turq]

Not clear to me, so did the little girl get to shoot it?
Good for you, showing.

 

[Longbeard]

Always good to introduce others to muzzleloading firearms...great story , thanks for sharing.

With that said...
Were you using a Musket...?
.54 is my favorite caliber and there ain't too many muskets* in that caliber ...
Andy

*Musket being a large caliber smoothbored military firearm..and yes I do know of several .54 caliber rifled muskets...but that is a rifled musket , not a musket...

Andy,
You are correct; I more properly should have said Rifled Musket because the majority of early blackpowder
arms were smooth bore but rifling was added to later designs. I was using a Lyman Great Plains Hunter in
.54.

 

[Longbeard]

Not clear to me, so did the little girl get to shoot it?
Good for you, showing.

She didn't show interest in shooting it. Because it was a new thing for them I'm
smart enough to introduce them slowly. I was using a Lyman Great Plains Hunter
which is heavy for a youngster to hold on target for long. When the Scouts were
at our club I noted that the older boys had a much easier time holding the rifle
on target.
Actually, while there I was wishing I'd brought my .32 caliber Flintlock which
is about 2/3 the weight of my .54 , has almost no recoil or report, and would
be much easier for the youngsters to hold on target.

Blessings,
Longbeard

 

[jj500]

Good job Longbeard,it is real important to try and introduce new shooters into the ranks.Its good you were using a real muzzle loader and not some zip gun.I think the real ones make more of an impression than the zip guns do.

 

[Longbeard]

Good job Longbeard,it is real important to try and introduce new shooters into the ranks.Its good you were using a real muzzle loader and not some zip gun.I think the real ones make more of an impression than the zip guns do.

Yes, I kind of scratch my head at the "muzzle loaders" based on say, the Remington 700 with a stainless action, synthetic
stock, telescopic sight, sabot with a ballistic tipped projectile , etc. At that point you've really missed the experience
of case hardened steel, wood stock, open sights and "powder-patch-ball" mantra.

Blessings,
Longbeard

 

[Haftard]

One thing ive been wanting is a muzzle stuffer that shoots round balls ... I wouldnt hunt with it but i would sure ring some steel ... Even with my "zip gun" everyone wants to shoot it once or twice when I go shooting

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Round balls will ring steel for sure...I have hit the rifle shop's 200 yard gong with my Hawken copy , enough to know that it isn't luck ...
As far as hunting with a round ball...they do well at that too...
Folks have been kept fed with round ball for centuries...and some of us still are ...
Andy

 

[jj500]

One thing ive been wanting is a muzzle stuffer that shoots round balls ... I wouldnt hunt with it but i would sure ring some steel ... Even with my "zip gun" everyone wants to shoot it once or twice when I go shooting

Why do you feel the round ball is at a disadvantage over your inline? I bet there have been far more animals dropped with a round ball than with a sabot or whatever you shoot in yours. After shooting traditional ones for so long I never understood the attraction to the inlines but to each their own.I just do not see the inlines continuing the tradition of the sport.People tend to take them out one or two times a year and in the safe they set the rest of the time.

 

[Haftard]

Why do you feel the round ball is at a disadvantage over your inline? I bet there have been far more animals dropped with a round ball than with a sabot or whatever you shoot in yours. After shooting traditional ones for so long I never understood the attraction to the inlines but to each their own.I just do not see the inlines continuing the tradition of the sport.People tend to take them out one or two times a year and in the safe they set the rest of the time.

So first i do not disagree that far more animals have been taken withba round ball ... But i have not lost an animal with the hornady 250g sst... I shoot that out of my shotgun for deer and out of my cva for elk.
2 the ease of use, cleaning, and hauling.
3 reliability. i guess im not like most people. I try to shoot my muzzle stuffer at least once a month. And in the 200 or so rounds ive shot so far i count on 2 fingers how many times ive had a hang fire or misfire ...
4 and lastly i like to hunt with a synthetic stock and light gun ... Pretty much all traditional muzzleloaders are on the heavy side and have a stock that should be kept nice in my opinion...

 

[Longbeard]

Why do you feel the round ball is at a disadvantage over your inline? I bet there have been far more animals dropped with a round ball than with a sabot or whatever you shoot in yours. After shooting traditional ones for so long I never understood the attraction to the inlines but to each their own.I just do not see the inlines continuing the tradition of the sport.People tend to take them out one or two times a year and in the safe they set the rest of the time.

I was thinking of that yesterday. If you say: "Muzzle loading extends my season by 2 weeks..." that seems
like a very expensive option for just a few weeks every few years.

Longbeard

 

[Haftard]

washington state muzzleloader elk shortens your season by a week to 2 weeks...

 

[Andy54Hawken]

My biggest joy in the hunting season , is just being out hunting.
No matter what I declare on my license , either Modern or Muzzleloader , I will use the same guns my :
.54 Caliber Hawken Rifle copy...
20 gauge Flintlock Fowler ( original , antique )
.58 Caliber J.Henry Flintlock Trade Rifle ( original , antique )
These guns have brought home deer , bear , elk and grouse for my table.

At times I have declared "Modern" , 'cause my hunting partner , did not have a muzzleloading rifle...Since I still manage to bring home meat ( mostly ) , I do not feel at a disadvantage , when hunting in "modern season" with a muzzleloader.
I do however enjoy discussing my firearm of choice , during "modern season"...it always has folks wanting to ask questions or make a comment....
Edit to add ;
Using a muzzleloading rifle for modern season is kinda like introducing new people to muzzleloaders..as most folks don't expect them to shoot well or accurately , let alone have me bring game to camp...
Andy

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Introducing new folks to muzzleloading is good thing to do.
There are lots of questions and plenty of misinformation and misunderstandings about black powder firearms both of the modern type or traditional / antique types.

Shooting muzzleloading firearms does take a different mind set and one does need to pay attention to the loading and cleaning process but...
It is not as labor intensive or as time consuming as internet lore or the "local experts" may have you thinking.

There are a wide variety of firearms both as I have noted , modern and traditional to choose from...
Handguns ...
Shotguns...
Rifles...
Any of these can be had in a form to please the most historic minded of us to , someone who just wants a black powder gun to hunt with.
Andy

 

[titsonritz]

There are lots of questions and plenty of misinformation and misunderstandings about black powder firearms both of the modern type or traditional / antique types.

Can you still do handshake deals for a muzzleloader or do have get the king's permission?

 

[RVTECH]

Can you still do handshake deals for a muzzleloader

Yes!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Can you still do handshake deals for a muzzleloader or do have get the king's permission?

In Washington , there is no law requiring a BGC or FFL for muzzleloaders...some states are different
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

Hopefully I introduced another four people to the wonders & joy of muzzle loaders & black
powder.

Hopefully this is the case but unfortunately the 'numbers' tell a different story. In the last 20 or so years I know of only a couple people who showed enough interest to actually acquire a muzzleloading rifle (traditional that is - inlines don't count)
Also I was very surprised to learn Hornady have dropped the .54 and .58 caliber 'Great Plains' conical bullets from their product lines - this is very 'telling' as well.
Reality is while there are still many of us active in the sport interest in muzzeloading is in the 'twilight' of its time.