Rifles-Muzzle Loaders?

Question

I have several shotguns breach load rifles but my friend got me looking into muzzle loaders so need some tips to start ie gun powder

Answer 1

If you go to cabelas or bass pro shops, you can buy modern smokeless powder that's better than "real" blackpowder.

They also have a selection of guns and equipment.

  

Answer 2

No need to mess with Black powder, unless you're a

die hard classicist.

You can buy special smokeless substitutes that even come in pre-measured load pellets. (PyroDex).

Makes it a whole lot easier and safer.

Answer 3

As with any new activity, do some research first.

There are many good 'starter' manuals & books which deal with all facets of muzzle-loading. One of the best is Lyman's BP manual. My own 30+ year old copy is literally falling apart, and I still use it on a regular basis for loads and any other information.

Another GREAT source is Dixie Gun Works catalog, which is worth FAR more than their asking price. Just don't plan on doing ANYTHING else the first weekend after Dixie's book arrives! Theirs is one of the hardest books I have ever had to put down once I opened it!

Answer 4

Loading, shooting and cleaning a muzzleloader is a whole different world from a modern rifle.  What I would recommend is that you first go to a gun store and find a "Blackpowder Handbook" published by Gun Digest.  You might also find a copy at your local library.  Thoroughly read it from cover to cover before you ever set out to buy a muzzleloader.  One thing that is of utmost importance is to NEVER load a muzzleloader with smokeless powder unless it is designatged as a "black powder substitute".  There are several black powder substitutes on the market such as Triple 7, Pyrodex, Shockey's Gold, etc.  However, these are good ONLY in a caplock gun.  They work very poorly, if at all, in a flintlock due to their higher ignition temperature.  A flintlock will just not ignite them dependably.  If you get a flintlock, you will have to use real black powder.  Even so, I still love my flintlocks.  I have several and shoot them often.

So, once you have become better informed by reading the book that I recommended, you will be ready to select your gun.  You will have to decide if you want a traditional design muzzleloader or a modern in-line muzzleloader.  If you decide to stick with the traditional style, for heaven's sake buy a caplock.  Do not get a flintlock for your first rifle.  Flintlocks take a lot of experience and knowlege to shoot and can be discouraging to the beginner.  Later, when you are more experienced, you may want to get a flintlock.  I think they are more fun than a caplock...but I've been building and shooting muzzleloaders for over 35 years.

I hope you do find a muzzleloader that you like and that you will become a part of the group of us who shoot and love our muzzleloaders.  Also, don't forget to join the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association (NMLRA) in addition to the National Rifle Association(NRA).  Both are great organizations and you will get a lot of benefit from each membership.  Who knows, maybe one day I will look over and find that I am shooting against you (and maybe getting whipped) at Friendship, Indiana, the home of the NMLRA.

Answer 5

There are modern " Black Powder" equivalents for muzzle loaders. Pyrodex is just one brand and I think another is Triple Seven. The advantage to these powders is they are easier to clean, safer to use and store and actually give better velocity for the amount of powder used. You generally have to use a smaller amount of Pyrodex compared to black powder.

I guess I am old fashioned but I like to use real black powder. All in all, one of the best places to get this shipped to you is Powder, Inc. They are on-line and you have to follow the directions. The powder will cost you about 19 bucks a pound delivered, and you have to order in lots of 5 pounds. However, you can mix and match the granulations of the powder in case you need some for a pistol ( 3F) or rifle ( 2F or even 1F).

Someone will have to be available to sign for the shipment. Five pounds will last a long time if you are just hunting. If you like to shoot, typically one pound of 2 F powder will give you about 100 shots for a 54 caliber rifle. If you're curious, a pound of powder has 7,000 grains in it and stout hunting loads will be about 100 grains.(70 shot per pound)

I wish you luck and it is a lot of fun ( but dirty cleaning)