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blackpowder shooting

RustyBonesRustyBones Member Posts: 4,956
edited August 2003 in General Discussion
New to blackpowder here and would like to hunt deer with one this fall. Give me some pointers, Ive only shot a muzzleloader once in my life [8D]
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Comments

  • rldowns3rldowns3 Member Posts: 6,096
    edited November -1
    Tip 1: Just get a little closer than you would with your .30-06 and you will do fine.

    Tip 2: Get an inline rifle, good newbie gun. .50 cal is good.

    Tip 3: Stay out of the rain, lol.

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  • powdersmokepowdersmoke Member Posts: 3,241
    edited November -1
    Expect alot of smoke.

    It's going to be heavier than what your used to.

    Oh yea!....don't get it wet.

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    When you wrestle a 'gator, there ain't no good end!!

    "Molon Labe!" Spartan General-King Leonidas
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Many modern in-line muzzleloaders (Knight comes to mind) are pretty water-tight. However, there's the entrance at the barrel and no seal is perfect so your bullet won't necessarily stop water from running down the barrel and into your powder. Just roll a condom over the muzzle. I've never tried it but I've heard that a condom won't affect the bullet when it exits the barrel and it won't blow your gun up. I haven't tried it so I'd add a caveat to that until someone tells me that they've shot through a condom without any ill effects.

    Oh heck. Here's a link to a post that I made on another website. It is full of good informative replies:

    http://www.iowawhitetail.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1&Number=13919&Forum=All_Forums&Words=478&Match=Username&Searchpage=1&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=13908&Search=true#Post13919
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  • Supreme OneSupreme One Member Posts: 1,423 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello, the really good thing, after the first two or three shots, NO BUGS.

    Michael

    Paranoid keeps you alive, worry just gives you stomach problems.
    - .- -.- . / -- -.-- / .- -.. ...- .. ... . --..-- / .. .----. -- / -. --- - / ..- ... .. -. --. / .. - / .- -. -.-- .-- .- -.-- .-.-.-
    Politics- From the words poly, meaning many, and tics, which are just little blood suckers.
    .-.. .. ..-. . / .. ... / .- / ... . -..- ..- .- .-.. .-.. -.-- / - .-. .- -. ... -- .. - - . -.. / -.. .. ... . .- ... . .-.-.-
    If "con" is the opposite of "pro," then what is the opposite of progress?
    sound
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  • cletus85cletus85 Member Posts: 2,104 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Start shooting it soon. Don't buy pellets. Don't use magnum charges. Try several bullets and loads.
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  • jjmitchell60jjmitchell60 Member Posts: 3,887
    edited November -1
    Go some where to a range and see what different types are availabel as well as watch people shooting them. That will give you an idea whether you want go with an in-line or traditional. After you decide what you want and buy it remember that you need a lot of other stuff other than the gun. Powder, bullets, patches (if you decide to use round ball), bullet starter, powder measure, powder flask or horn, capper,possibles bag, bullet puller, cleaning jag, and so on![:0] Good luck and have fun.[8D]
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What's wrong with the pellets. lots of people seem to use them

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    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." - Edmond Burke
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  • SXSMANSXSMAN Member Posts: 2,616 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm with ids, what's wrong w/pellets? I've used cleanshot or clearshot in pellets with good results. Now if your a purist by all means say away from pellets, and powder that won't be corrosive to your gun.
    Many of todays flints are well timed and throw lots of spark right out of the box so I wouldn't discount their use. Check your state regs for hunting on what is allowed (many states are looking at banning inlines) so you may want to get the jump before the ban.

    There are also some nice spanish bp SxSs that are worth a look.

    You can't help but have fun with bp,down side is cleaning. That's where cleanshot can help if your lazy.

    Keep your powder dry, SxS

    Have guns,will travel
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  • D@DD@D Member Posts: 4,407
    edited November -1
    Put some black electrical tape on the front of the barrel that will stop the water from getting things wet, and it will not affect the bullet.
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  • RhondaRhonda Member Posts: 183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    RustyBones,try to locate an NRA blackpowder rifle class in your area and take it. That should expose you to various types/styles of smokepoles to try which will assist in picking the one best suited to your needs. If not available look for a local club specializing in muzzleloaders. As for condoms to help keep out water, they work but ballons are cheaper. Pellets by manufacturer are recommended for inlines only due to their design. Pyrodex does not ignite as well as true blackpowder but is not usually a problem unless hunting in wet weather. Blackpowder is not a problem to clean from the gun and hot/soapy water is just the ticket and don't believe you can shoot the "substitute" black powders and not clean the gun. Will rust just as surely as a bath in salt water. When going to the field have several loads premeasured and ready to use. Various manufacturers have products that will carry a charge, projectile, and cap/primer as a unit to make life easy. Practice, practice, practice, as the trajectory is different that centerfires and the drop is amazing. If you have trouble with grouping reguardless of gun design or twist rate, try patched round balls. They will shoot an acceptable group in
    just about any flint, cap, or inline rifle. Make sure when in the field you have a nipple pick (if cap gun) spare flint as applicable, priming tool if an inline. Make sure you get a bullet puller because someday if you shoot enough, it will be used. And finally, make it a habit of ALWAYSputting the ramrod back into its carrier after every loading to instill a practice that will eliminate the possibility of forgetting to remove the ramrod in the "heat of battle" and launching it downrange.
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  • bambihunterbambihunter Member Posts: 10,792 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Pellets don't light well with sidelock rifles. Also, some breech designs on inlines are recommended to use loose powder instead of pellets. That said, these problems are minimal.

    Blackpowder guns are a lot of fun. The inlines are typically slightly more accurate and are made with a faster rifle twist to shoot sabots or conicals whereas the longer barreled sidelocks are TYPICALLY rifled to shoot patched round ball. I say typically because some are a compromise between the two.

    Good luck, they are a LOT of fun and deer can be dropped with ease with them once you realize thier potential and limitations. I've got 50+ with a sidelock that I bought used for $75... You don't have to drop a lot of money into it especially if you get a used one. Good luck.
    Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
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  • RustyBonesRustyBones Member Posts: 4,956
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the advice all. Im staying away from inlines,I want to go traditional.
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