I had a crazy uncle , and two likewise cousins back in the late 1960's. Uncle was screwed up from WW 2 , and only worked sporadicaly welding big inch gas transmission lines. The cousins had little to do except they liked to shoot guns. Ammo bills got too rediculous , so uncle got the boys two Belgian made muskets from Dixie GW. The ammo bills went away , black powder was cheap , scrap lead , and a Dixie mold , 16 ga. put them in business for little money.
I got hooked when one of the cousins , brought his musket over , and let me fire it into a water hole , in the back yard.. I was impressed , to say the least. Ten or so years went by , as did tech college , new job , a move complete w/ house building. I shot competition trap mixed w/ a little high power rifle comp , won a trap championship at a local sportsman's club , and got totally bored with modern shooting. Built three Br. Bess kits for Fort Ligonier to use for demonstrations. By then , I was so far down the m/l rabbit hole I could see there was no hope of finding the exit. Half a century + later glad I stayed in the rabbit hole. Lotsa friends , m/l deer hunting adventures , competition m/l shooting.. It's all been good.