How do you load your muzzleloader?

[flntlokr]

When I started shooting in the early 70s there were no loading benches or supports at the club range. We loaded using our legs to support the rifle so both hands could be used to draw loading items from our pouches.
Now, when I go to a non muzzleloading range I bring a 1 x 2 x 16" chunk of wood with a V in the end. I clamp the wood on the shooting bench and then lean the rifle into the V for support. This post is curious as to what other members do about loading their front stuffer under various conditions, and for sure while hunting. Hope I don't offend anyone, but hanging on to the gun with one hand and trying to load with the other does not work for me.
Larry

I always load holding the rifle vertically with my left hand resting the butt on my left instep. I hold the end of the barrel with fingers3-5, which allows me to hold the powder measure. My patches, horn, etc. are easily reached with my free right hand while still supporting the rifle securely. Same on the trail; I try to load the same way on the range as if I am on the trail. Keeps life simple, and I don't look like a goof trying to load under any circumstances. I have various brackets and rests to use on a bench, but never use them. Just more junk to haul around.

 

[akroguy]

The sun shade over the benches at my range make loading long rifles just about impossible...not enough overhead clearance! I have to step back behind the line to load and do so without any support. Just put butt on foot, lean against torso on in crook of elbow and git'r done from the pouch.

 

[oldwood]

This works at the bench , or in the woods. No cell service or way to send a pic. .......Take a 3" pc. of stiff leather , and cut a hole in it , big enough to go over the muzzle end of your rifle. Cut around the hole about a 1/2" bigger than the hole. You can cut the thing out to look like a miniature ping pong paddle. If you made one w/the handle on it , punch a hole in the handle for a lanyard to tie to your shot pouch shoulder strap. When ready to load , set butt on ground , slip the new rifle barrel holder over the muzzle end of the rifle , load the gun. When ready to shoot , remove the muzzle holder and drop it , so it hangs by the tether , and shoot. Been using these for a while , and giving them as presents to m/ling friends. No matter where you load your gun , the rifle is supported w/ no extra equipment..............oldwood

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

When I started shooting in the early 70s there were no loading benches or supports at the club range. We loaded using our legs to support the rifle so both hands could be used to draw loading items from our pouches.
Now, when I go to a non muzzleloading range I bring a 1 x 2 x 16" chunk of wood with a V in the end. I clamp the wood on the shooting bench and then lean the rifle into the V for support. This post is curious as to what other members do about loading their front stuffer under various conditions, and for sure while hunting. Hope I don't offend anyone, but hanging on to the gun with one hand and trying to load with the other does not work for me.
Larry

Sorry, but I do the one-handed thing. I rest the butt on my foot and my left hand on the muzzle. I made short starter out of horn with the measure in one end. When I measure my powder, I cradle my rifle in the crook of my arm. Then its patch and ball. I've done it this way for 60 years. Always works for me. Semper Fi.

 

[oldwood]

I take with me to the range ,a 6"by 6 " piece of carpet to put the gun butt on the concrete to prevent scaring the butt plate. I have a device that looks like a flat heavy leather doughnut ,with an attached handle on it made from one piece of thick leather , with a bootlace lanyard attached to the strap on my shot pouch. To load the gun ,place the butt on the carpet , put the leather doughnut over the muzzle of the gun, to support the gun vertically , allowing both hands to be used to load the gun. The loading doughnut ,again, is of heavy leather , cut in a circle about 3" diameter. The doughnut hole is large enough to fall over the muzzle end of the gun. And again, the lanyard attaches the thing to a pouch strap. The gun is held vertically with no hands , while it's being loaded. ............oldwood

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I never really gave it much thought. If I have a secure place to lean the rifle, I use that. If there is a shooting bench, I will usually lay the possibles bag out on it. Often I will be sitting on a folding three-legged stool. This allows me to hold the gun between my knees.

I have several guns and bags, and my procedure varies slightly. Below is for my .45 T/C Hawken with references to my 12" "Yellow Bird Gun".

I've learned to find stuff by feel in my possibles bag, but I keep the essentials (capper, measure, short starter/palm saver) on a sort of shooter's necklace which is easy to pull out of the bag and put 'round my neck. Horn(s) is/are slung 'cross my chest to hang just above my possibles bag. I often have a 50 and a 70 grain fixed measures for use depending upon whether I am shooting patched round balls or conicals/sabots.

I generally carry three loaded QuickShots in the possibles bag as well. Usually those have sabotted projectiles with only black powder in them. I don't use the cap holders in those. They are very quick indeed to load from.

Projectiles are kept in Amazon tins that approximate the size of Altoids tins. These are in an internal pouch in the possibles bag. One tin has round balls and patches, the other usually has loaded sabots... though it might have REAL conicals in it.

The black powder horn contains 3f Old Eynsford and the cap I used is a rubber "vacuum cap" that fits the brass spout improvised from a brass vacuum fitting. It holds seven grains of powder by volume and I generally put that in first to be followed by the main charge of Triple 7 from the other horn.

Loading my 12" "Yellow Bird Gun" is a bit more problematical as far as keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. If I am not sitting, I usually kneel down to load that.

I suppose that everybody does it just a bit differently.

 

[Ed C.]

When I started shooting in the early 70s there were no loading benches or supports at the club range. We loaded using our legs to support the rifle so both hands could be used to draw loading items from our pouches.
Now, when I go to a non muzzleloading range I bring a 1 x 2 x 16" chunk of wood with a V in the end. I clamp the wood on the shooting bench and then lean the rifle into the V for support. This post is curious as to what other members do about loading their front stuffer under various conditions, and for sure while hunting. Hope I don't offend anyone, but hanging on to the gun with one hand and trying to load with the other does not work for me.
Larry

I do the exact same thing. There is enough stuff to attend to when loading one of these without having to hold and balance the gun also. I don't hunt but imagine I'd use a small tree or stiff brush to hold the gun in the field. I would not want to be in battle with one of these. Their guns had to be able to take more abuse than our modern replicas.

 

[Sun City]

This is the most accurate way to test the rifle and a load...for me! With two herniated disc in my lower back from jumping outa airplanes....I lean up against the bench or sit on the tailgate of my truck. At 83...I do quite well!

Untitled by Sharps Man, on Flickr

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

When I read just the title, the 16 year old smart alec that still lives inside my head wanted to say "from the muzzle, duh!" but I won't say that.
Like the others above, butt on the ground, rifle between my legs and both hands free.

The response I was thinking of was "very carefully" with an Elmer Fudd voice.

 

[52Bore]

When I started shooting in the early 70s there were no loading benches or supports at the club range. We loaded using our legs to support the rifle so both hands could be used to draw loading items from our pouches.
Now, when I go to a non muzzleloading range I bring a 1 x 2 x 16" chunk of wood with a V in the end. I clamp the wood on the shooting bench and then lean the rifle into the V for support.

I do the same when going to my local range, which only has concrete benches.

 

[Pierre009]

When I started shooting in the early 70s there were no loading benches or supports at the club range. We loaded using our legs to support the rifle so both hands could be used to draw loading items from our pouches.
Now, when I go to a non muzzleloading range I bring a 1 x 2 x 16" chunk of wood with a V in the end. I clamp the wood on the shooting bench and then lean the rifle into the V for support. This post is curious as to what other members do about loading their front stuffer under various conditions, and for sure while hunting. Hope I don't offend anyone, but hanging on to the gun with one hand and trying to load with the other does not work for me.
Larry

Same here, I also started in the 70's, 1970 to be exact. Used a Hawkin's rest or a Moses stick or both.

 

[ETipp]

I always had to load the old/tough/awkward way in the woods and can still do that without spilling more than just a few balls and a couple measures of powder. I don't like placing the butt of the rifle on the bare ground and use my foot if necessary. All my shooting is now at a club range and rubber mats are available to protect the butt plate and benches to lean the barrel against.

That's my concern at the somewhat local government range. Its concrete and is sure to do a number on the butt stock plate. If I go back I'm going to have to take a small mat with me.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

This is the most accurate way to test the rifle and a load...for me! With two herniated disc in my lower back from jumping outa airplanes....I lean up against the bench or sit on the tailgate of my truck. At 83...I do

Perfectly good airplane? What didja do that for!?

 

[LongWalker]

There are no perfectly good airplanes . . . .

I'm in the "hug the rifle and load from the bag" camp. I've never seen a reason to do otherwise.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Got a video on this post showing how I load this particular atypical gun. After viewing myself on video, I figure I gotta start being more conscious of where the muzzle is.

 

[david w]

There are no perfectly good airplanes . . . .

I'm in the "hug the rifle and load from the bag" camp. I've never seen a reason to do otherwise.

I bench all new rifles to see where the sights are set. After that, it's all off hand.
I've flown in many airplanes. Piper Cub, Cessna 170, King Air 350, and a B-17. I have also flown in a CH-53 and a H-47. The only thing I refuse to do is jump out when the engines are still running!

 

[oldwood]

In the 1930's , My great uncle George , was the test pilot for a parachute made in a Connecticut factory. Once the design , and testing , was completed , that design was the one used by our Airborne troopers , that jumped into France, June 6th 1944. He said the only time he ever had a failure , was he jumped from a biplane , giving a demonstration at a Cleveland , Ohio air show. He got tangled up in the chute lines , landed upside down on his head , with a leather helmet. He was in hospital , in a coma for 30 days , but recovered. We never asked what he was paid for all the test jumps , but to my knowledge , he had enough money that he never worked.

 

[TDM]

I used to put the butt on top of my boot to protect it while loading, but about a year and a half ago I bought a small portable generator that was packed in sheets of very dense, closed cell foam. I kept the foam sheets and keep a couple at my shooting bench. They’re very tough and work great for having a safe, protective surface to rest the butt on for loading.

 

[oldwood]

For years , I carry a 4" by 4" piece of carpet in my shooting box to sit my rifle butt on , when loading it , instead of the concrete range floor. My latest toy , is a .555 cal. smooth rifle sporting a walnut stock , copper thimbles, no butt plate with a 1 " head door nail in the heal of the butt. Figure it won't much matter , if the butt sits on the concrete ,or whatever. Years past, I saw an old original rifle , with a nail instead of a full metal butt plate , and just had to have one for me. Barrel is inlet , r/r hole drilled , lock in , single trigger , and tomorrow will measure LOP , and cut stock off , then...TADA.....install the door nail butt toe protector.
Was at the Carlisle ,Pa. m/l artist show today , and there were a couple blacksmiths there selling door nails. I stocked up on door nails for future butt plateless creations. I'm old , and butt plates take time to prep , and put in place . But I'm driven to recreate one of the butt plateless wonders. ...........oldwood

 

[TDM]

Absolutely @oldwood, a piece of old carpet does the trick nicely. Just something to keep the butt off the gravel or concrete.