The best thing to do is find clubs that have black powder events----absolute best thing to do. This is the time of year you see more and more events.
as for what rifle to buy.... I would do some deep research on the models your looking at. I love to support local shops but for stuff like BP you can often save a boat load of money.
If used please make sure its not loaded. I have bought 3 black powder rifles and all three where loaded.......and pitted to death. They where for projects back when I was young so it was ok they shot well enough
Great advice.
Mine is loaded now for the December season. A month or two ago I had a range session with it to verify accuracy, cleaned, and loaded it for the season. I know it is loaded as the top of the barrel is sealed with a gundom and some electrical tape.
I'll also chime in and ask what's the intended purpose?
If it's hunting get a Thompson center with 209 shotgun primer system and be done.
If your looking for an older style that shoots roundball and uses old school primers then that's a whole other world.
Generally speaking I agree. If your goal is to “make meat” then go with a modern inline muzzle loader. They are basically rifles that you load one component at a time and they are very reliable in all weather.
Percussion fired muzzle loaders are more nostalgic but have been killing critters for a few centuries now and are just as reliable if you know what you’re doing.
Some things to consider here:
Rifle twist rate:
1:66 twist is a round all twist
1:48 twist is a compromise twist and will shoot ballets or maxiballs “equally“ well if you don’t push the round balls too hard.
1:24 twist is for sabots and mostly found in modern muzzleloaders.
Don't use anything but real black powder in percussion or flintlock rifles. ALL of the substitute powders have higher ignition temperatures than real BP. EVERY single time I hear about misfires they are always traced back to “new and improved” substitute black powders.
You want Goex or Swiss in FFG for your main charge. Remember that powder charges are measured in volume and not weight.
The round prelubbed patches are fine to start but they go bad and accuracy suffers. Replace yearly or better yet use pillow ticking and a good lube.
Petroleum based cleaners and oils do not get along with black powder. Make sure to swab the bore with a dry patch before loading to absorb any excess. Too much excess oil will foul the powder charge and it won’t go bang. Usually when you are aiming at a big buck.
When you dry ball, and you will dry ball, (dry balling is when you forget to load powder and load a patched ball) there are two ways to get it out. The hard way and the easy way. The hard way is to use a ball puller and pull the ball. The easy way is to remove the nipple and put a few grains of powder in the bolster and re-install the nipple. Put a cap on and shoot it out at a very close target so you will know that you got it out.
I learned all these lessons, and more, the hard way.
Oh and by the way, remove the ramrod before you shoot the rifle. I haven’t done that personally but I have seen it done. But seriously, get a good range rod. They are a necessary part of kit for muzzle loaders.
When you are in the process of reloading a muzzle loader DO NOT let anyone interrupt you during the process. It is very easy to lose track of where you were and dry ball or load a double charge.
If you decide to go the traditional route this is a great forum:
Muzzle Loading Forum
But most of all have fun. They are a blast.
Bob
