the short answer to your thousand dollar question is an unqualified "yes, but ... " i assume that you have not developed a penchant for expensive gadgets (this comes later) and so you will be able to get in to the hobby for well under two thirds that figure if you are frugal. Now, two more or less relevant jokes:
Little Jonnie is in class and the vocabulary word for the day is 'frugal,' which one of Jonnie's classmates tells him means to save, so when asked to use the word in a sentence, Jonnie yells out, "There's a princess in the tower and the evil witch is about to hurt her and she yells out the window: "FRUGAL ME, OH PLEASE FRUGAL ME!"
... well, i guess you had to be there ...
joke number two:
the fellow has a boat load of money, and wants to build a house, so he goes to the town architect, and they discuss at length the features this guy wants in the building, after which the architect confirms the budget and then asks the fellow, "So, how big exactly
is your dog?"
having said that, the answer to your question still stands: you can do this for much less than a thousand dollars if you're halfway careful.
I think you'll need
a rifle. (used is perfectly fine. remember, all guns are used after you shoot them for the first time.) I wouldn't hesitate to buy any gun from this site sight unseen, because that's the way the folks are here. If you're going to the local pawn shop, you should take someone who is knowledgeable, not because the pawnbroker is an unsavory character, but because the pawnbroker may or may not know much about guns in general or flintlocks in particular.
powder. if you can find it locally, get it. otherwise, it will be more cost efficient to buy it in bulk (assuming that you can afford to do so). ignore those who tell you to make your own: this is illegal, dangerous, and will not product a consistent product.
an adjustable powder measure. just saw one on Track of the Wolf for about fifteen bucks. get one with a spout/funnel thingie - this will make it easier to pour the measured powder into the barrel.
something in which to keep the powder. usually a horn, but you don't
have to have a horn ... this will do (i have a less sophisticated one, but this guy will close, which mine won't
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/81/1/POWDER-CAP-F
some flints ... get them from Mr. Pierce... he's on this site and a great fellow and his flints are a very good buy.
something to keep the flints in the cock. either leather of lead. if you can't find a bit of scrap leather, send me a PM and I'll filtch some from my daughter, who runs a leather working business and has tons of scraps. If you want to try lead, squish a ball flat and that will work fine. There is
extensive discussion about the lead vs. leather controversy (use the search feature on this site). I would recommend that you try both methods and use the one which works best for you.
a priming horn of some sort. you will need to get whatever priming powder you use from the container to the pan in a regulated manner. if you can find one, i would recommend a free flow valve over the usual three or four grain dispenser. also, you should be forewarned that the powder will eventually corrode on the surface of the dispenser and clog up the works, so don't be shy about taking the thing apart for cleaning every now and again.
a screwdriver this should fit both the screws to the lock and the slot at the top of the cock. this should be a dedicated tool to the gun- not something you borrow from your tool kit. (as an aside, you should consider putting a hole in the cockscrew, so that you can tighten down the cock and get a really good set on the flint. send me a PM on how to do this if you're unsure)
a 'range rod.' this gadget is like a ramrod, but much better: you will have added length, and it's probably stronger than the rod in your gun, and while your gun's ramrod may or may not accomodate accessories, a proper range rod will allow you to thread on brushes or jags or whatever you need to clean your gun. (just be sure that you're using the same thread size for everything --
don't ask me how i know this) :redface: :redface: :redface:
if your range rod doesn't have a ball puller, you will need one. "dryball" is loading a ball and patch without putting any powder in the barrel first. there are three groups: group one is composed of those who have dryballed and admit it, group two is made up of those who will eventually dryball, and group three is populated by those who have dryballed and insist that they have never made this mistake.
patching material. you can get precut, prelubed patches, but most of us would rather cut and lube out own. cloth can be had a t any dry goods place; i get mine from JoAnne's fabrics, or the local WalMart. for now, cut patches with a scissors, or if you want to get fancy, cut at the muzzle.
a lubricant of some sort. dry patches are an anethema. and they don't work, either. there are a zillion lube recipies, and if none of them strike your fancy, you can always use plain old spit. avoid lubes with petrochemicals in them: they're hard to clean and i hold that they do not work as well.
roundball. try some precast before you take the plunge and get a casting rig of your own. You will develop a load which will get you the tightest groups, and this may or may not be a ball of a common diameter, so get some ball from a caster and see how it works. you don't need to buy swaged balls from Speer or Hornady: they are wicked expensive and don't have any benefit unless you're a world- class shooter. avoid 'magic bullets' such as minnie balls, musket doo- dads, or the latest greatest whiz bang thing- a- ma- bob being hawked about by those who's real agenda is to separate you from your hard earned money. stick to PRB (
patched
round
ball) - you'll be glad you did.
a short starter. this looks like a billiard ball with a four to six inch stick put into it. you pour the powder into the barrel, put the patch on the top of the muzzle, put the ball in the middle of the patch, put the stick of the short starter on the ball and give it a whack with the palm of your hand. In goes the ball and patch. you finish ramming the whole deal with the range rod, and you're ready to prime and fire.
other "duh" stuff. Targets, cleaning patches, a staple gun, duct tape, hearing and eye protection, a case or cover for your gun, and a container in which to carry all your stuff. (i will confess to still using my tackle box on occasion.)
you might want to consider Dutch Schoultz' monograph on muzzle loading accuracy. his link is
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...zsGPCQ&usg=AFQjCNEZwyWa1zeoCDC50H7jmzsilOQndQ
or just put his name and the phrase 'muzzle loading accuracy' into your search engine.
you can also make just about anything you need for yourself, depending on your skill level, inclination, and time available. There are a bunch of good videos and instruction books on this subject.
welcome to the wonderful world of muzzle loading, but be forewarned: (to paraphrase Yoda) ...once the smoke smelled have you, forever will it dominate your range time.
