How did you get hooked?

[Rock Home Isle]

I have found that muzzleloaders are fine people to know.…for the most part…

 

[Eutycus]

In the years past Robert Redford's movie about Jerimiah Johnson got alot of credit for "sparking some interest".

 

[DuncNZ]

When I was just 4 , my uncle and I sat on the back porch and cut wads for the family Henry Nock 14 ga which had been in the family since 1798 , we then went rabbit shooting , I carried the pouch with all the necessaries in it , except the powder flask ,and Uncle carried the gun , He shot a rabbit and got me to carry that as well , I said I would only carry the rabbit I could have a shot myself , we came across another rabbit and Uncle steadied the gun while I pulled the trigger , much to the surprise of the 3 of us , Uncle , small kid and rabbit, I shot the rabbit . I was hooked from that moment on and on my 11th birthday I was given a 1861 Tower snider and a case of ammo and that was my start in black powder shooting . I still have the family Nock , which ,unfortunately, was converted to caplock in the late 1800s .

 

[Magungo1066]

About the same time I started my history degree I saw "Last of the Mohicans" for the first time. The result of that combination is that my wallet now watches my every move in a state of constant terror, protest, and despair. The addiction has accelerated ten fold by discovering this great group of people and all the collective knowledge available. Thanks for hooking me fellas! -Larry

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I met Turner Kirkland at Dixie Gun Works while admiring all the bp rifles on display. He showed me a rifle made by Freddie Harrison and sold it to me for $650. I have been hooked on bp ever since. I still have that rifle and two that John Bergmann made .They have been a great source of pleasure for over 40 years. I assembled two of Jim Kibler's fine rifles ,but due to an injury have not been able to shoot them yet. It am hooked at 82.

I have a rifle made by Bergman, and it is beautiful.

 

[Mr Mortimer]

Fess Parker. Need I say more?

Love the flash and smoke of a flinter. Haven't shot anything else for years now.

 

[Sledgehammers_at_Dawn]

Over 45 years ago, I read The Quest of the Fish-Dog Skin by James W. Schultz. It sparked my interest in black powder rifles. One of them had a rifle of a smaller caliber so it was used, because of the more quiet report, to shoot at a swan, killing two with one shot. In another of his books he has a hilarious adventure with one of his friends going to get his woman.

 

[RobertIN]

I like history, thought flintlocks were super neat, so I bought a Traditions kit and finally got around to building it. From the first clatch-BOOM and cloud of smoke I was ruined on unmentionables. Modern stuff is just soulless in comparison.

I've now got a neat little kit of handmade items from members here. Bags, horn, tools etc, all made by American men that have been a joy to talk/transact with.

I've since built a Kibler Colonial and begun casting my balls, cutting my own patch material, and will try making my own powder come springtime.

How it started:

How it's going:

 

[Snooterpup]

I like history, thought flintlocks were super neat, so I bought a Traditions kit and finally got around to building it. From the first clatch-BOOM and cloud of smoke I was ruined on unmentionables. Modern stuff is just soulless in comparison.

I've now got a neat little kit of handmade items from members here. Bags, horn, tools etc, all made by American men that have been a joy to talk/transact with.

I've since built a Kibler Colonial and begun casting my balls, cutting my own patch material, and will try making my own powder come springtime.

How it started:View attachment 290098

How it's going:
View attachment 290100

Ah… the circle is now complete young master. You’ve done well Pilgrim, go forth with blessings!

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Wow, this list is long and distinguished! I think for me it started with the Walt Disney programs, Davy Crockett, Swamp Fox and then the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution in the 70's seemed to be such a big deal compare to the 250th events around the corner.

Then there was a field trip to Ohio Village where they had gunsmith making muzzleloaders, Going to the movies to watch the Mountain Men with my dad (it was the only time I remember him going to the movies.) When I got old enough to have a muzzleloader for primitive weapons season in Ohio, I begged for a flintlock rifle. But dad said the best gun on the market was a T/C Hawken so that is what I ended up with.

Work & life got in the way and I didn't think about it much until I attended my first reenactment as a spectator around 1998 or 99. Fort Henry Days in Wheeling Wva. It's been a slippery slope ever since. I've had a bunch of different hobbies in my life but this has without a doubt been the most satisfying, most fun and I have met the best people.

 

[longcruise]

This started for me in 1974. I had been an archery hunter for as long as I could draw a bow. But, a new job and 2nd child made practice impractical. Colorado had just recently started a special ml season and given that I was fairly skilled in marksmanship, that season seemed to be a good way to stay in the field without joining the hordes of modern rifle hunters and at the same time have that up close challenge.

Still a bow hunter and spend more time bow hunting than ml hunting but also an avid shooter and enjoy ml competitions regardless of how I place. Also enjoy the people who are involved.

Have never gotten into reenacting. It just never pulled at me. But the history is very captivating and I enjoy learning about it.

I make a lot of my "stuff" and prefer to hunt in the old style. Shooting out of the bag is something that I have worked at being good at which is a big part of how I hunt.

 

[Snooterpup]

Wow, this list is long and distinguished! I think for me it started with the Walt Disney programs, Davy Crockett, Swamp Fox and then the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution in the 70's seemed to be such a big deal compare to the 250th events around the corner.

Then there was a field trip to Ohio Village where they had gunsmith making muzzleloaders, Going to the movies to watch the Mountain Men with my dad (it was the only time I remember him going to the movies.) When I got old enough to have a muzzleloader for primitive weapons season in Ohio, I begged for a flintlock rifle. But dad said the best gun on the market was a T/C Hawken so that is what I ended up with.

Work & life got in the way and I didn't think about it much until I attended my first reenactment as a spectator around 1998 or 99. Fort Henry Days in Wheeling Wva. It's been a slippery slope ever since. I've had a bunch of different hobbies in my life but this has without a doubt been the most satisfying, most fun and I have met the best people.

Back in the 70’s, unless you had wads of money, your Dad was right!

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Back in the 70’s, unless you had wads of money, your Dad was right!

We didn't and he was! (Dad ended up being right about a lot of stuff) I saved part of the money doing odd jobs and the rest came in the form of a Christmas Present.

 

[Snooterpup]

Yes, my fourth grade reader “Singing Wheels”, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Disney’s “The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh”, the Civil War centennial, the Revolutionary War bi- centennial and a deep interest of history sealed my fate. My older brother started me down this path with my first muzzleloader, a Zoli Zoauve .58 rifle at 16 years old. Many have passed through my possession. I really regret selling some I have owned. Still have two Kennedy flint pistols, a T/C Hawken .50, a Lyman GPR in .54 a Kibler Colonial .54
And three cap and ball revolvers.
Some unmentionables have been sold, the rest hardly ever used. As a previous member posted, “ They didn’t have the soul of the muzzleloaders.
Snoot

 

[Togo]

After trading in my combat boots for Rocky hunting boots I bought my first muzzleloader, it was around 92 or 93, it's a TC 58 Big Boar. I then went on a hunt at a private game ranch and connected on a Russian Boar, after that I was 110% in on muzzleloading. I still have it today a retired safe queen, it shares space with many other cap lock and flintlock rifles and pistols. For years I was just fixated on TC ML's. Then I started shooting longrifles in flint and percussion and trade guns. My centerfires are just collecting dust.

 

[Sooty Scot]

I worked in a regional Natural History museum after school. We had lots of old BP guns for me to look at & dream about (yes, Davey Crockett show was in the same general frame), but it was the curator who introduced me to BP and firelocks of all eras.

For Christmas, about age 13, I got a British Officer's Fusil. (Repros were thin on the ground but nobody was interested in the old originals, sitting in someone's attic. They were cheap.)

Many clouds of smoke have cleared, & I've had many others, but I still have it; it still fires as reliably as a gun made 10 yrs ago. I used it in an F&I reenactment several years ago, but decide to retire it before I got carried away and blew it up.

Still love the smell of BP smoke- and make it as often asthat possible.

Reading other posts reminded me that before the fusil, I'd ordered a bronze hand cannon from Dixie. I don't recall any mention of mounting it on a stick. Damn near tore the thumb web of my hand, as it sailed a good 10' over my shoulder. ...and that was only BP & tightly tamped steel wool...

A quick lesson in respect for BP.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

I was down the river fish and just reeled in a salmon and was untanggling the mess it made prior to resume fishing. Some guy had a dog down there and it ran through my line and sent the lure shank deep into my hand. Only way to get it out was to use wire cutters cut the hook and push it the rest of the way through my hand. Was painful but I was back to fishing in 20 minutes. OHHHH do u mean with Ml'ers thats a different story

 

[Mousegunguy]

Years ago cabelas had a brass framed 1851 army on sale for real cheap…..

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

When I was, I think 15 or 16 my church youth group advisor built a muzzleloader from a kit. He asked me to tag along while he tried it out. After he fired it a few times, he taught me how to load and fire it. That sort of started it. Then, like many others it was stoked by watching "Jeremiah Johnson, Drums along the Mohawk, and Northwest Passage" Later, I saw a segment on the old "Sports Afield" TV show showing guys firing muzzleloaders at Friendship. That did it. I bought a used CVA Mountain Rifle in .50 caliber and learned how to shoot it. Most of my friends had no interest and were caught up in either Bowhunting or modern firearms. Once I shot a Whitetail buck with a muzzleloader it didn't seem right to ever use a shotgun slug or a .30-30 again. While I still occasionally hunt with a BPCR, traditional muzzleloading will always be my first love and interest. I like them all but am a student of the Hawken and Sharps rifles.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

Mom and Dad, mostly Dad I assume, bought me a six shooter for Christmas when I was probably 10 or 12. I would shoot that thing for hours and hours, run out of supplies and Dad would run down to “Trappers Den” and stock me back up. I still have the gun. Then he bought a rifle and never got any advice on using it properly so he got fed up and it sat in the cabinet for 20 years until I found this forum and ironed out the kinks with the help of you guys.