"Ignition"

[Urban Coyote]

What ignited your interest in shooting muzzleloader?

I figure in my case it may have been watching Fess Parker in his roles a David Crockett and Daniel Boone. I know that by age 11 or 12 I was swooning over advertisements for the Numrich Arms Minuteman long rifle.

I grew up with a gun fetish I've never gotten over and as soon as I was licensed to drive I spent many weekend driving back roads of the Cascade Mountains and shooting. One day I ran into a couple of guys shooting muzzleloaders they'd built from parts, not kits. The rifles we're beautiful and my first whiff of black powder smoke rekindled my interest. Then I spotted a T/C .50 Hawken in a neighborhood hardware store, it took me about year and a half but I finally bought it. With little info and no coach it took a while to learn the ropes but I was hooked. That was about 1975 or 1976 and I've been shooting muzzleloaders ever since expanding my collection along the way. Literally thousands of shots later I still own my original T/C Hawken. I still shoot it occasionally, it's been well maintained, works perfectly and is still accurate.

What's your story?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Mine is about the same, got into muzzleloading then had to build a log cabin to complete my Davy Crockett dream.
IMG_0163 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[LME]

I use to hunt every chance I got and ML season was a chance to hunt! I ordered two "Ithaca Hawkins" one for me and one for a friend!

 

[griffiga]

I've always loved history. My mom used to tell be I was born in the wrong century. While in Jr. High School, my math teacher brought in an under-hammer muzzle loader for show and tell (that was when you could do that and not be arrested). Soon after that I bought a .45 caliber Dixie long rifle kit and was hooked. That was 50 years ago and the itch has never left. In fact, it has expanded to all types of black powder weaponry including Breech loaders. Like someone else mentioned, it gave me an extra chance to hunt. In my small hometown, I was the only person I knew of that took advantage of it and was usually the only one on the mountain hunting. I like Phil's idea of a cabin, but so far a tent will have to suffice.

 

[NorthFork]

My father and my uncle preferred the 'old ways'. But the moment my 'pan was lit' was in elementary school. A few buckskinners came for a demonstration. It was raining out that day so we all congregated in the gym and they shot the flintlocks out the gym door. 1983 +/- was the year. Have been hooked ever since.

 

[Treestalker]

Mrs.Payne's class, fifth grade, Pine Forest Elementary. I was minding my own business when a chap dressed in Civil War garb strolled in with a rolling tray loaded with Muzzleloading guns. He handed me a Springfield rifle musket and the rest is history. Of course that was back when America was still a free country, and teachers weren't a bunch of azz kissing liberal freaks. I can't begin to imagine that scenario nowadays.

 

[deerstalkert]

Christmas morning 1958 my late older brother gifted me a springfield trap door 4570
with it he gave me the materials to make a pound of black powder and a wood tray with 100 winchester primers and 20 casings and 100 cast bullets..
within a few weeks i was out of primers. the neighbor lady up the creek from us had a flintlock over the fireplace. Finally had enough nerve to ask if i could shoot it with my BP. Ginny let me shoot that original long rifle until i ran out of powder and ball.
Ginny and that rifle are long gone but my love of muzzleloaders, kindled by a kind little woman from Pennsylvania has burned in that special place every since.

 

[ord sgt]

My house had a fireplace in the living room and barn wood on the walls. There was a spot over the mantle that looked empty. I figured an old rifle would look good hanging there. Finally found one in an antique shop. Bought it and took it home to hang on the wall.
As I stared at the rifle, I wanted to know how to shoot it. I didn't know anyone that shot black powder firearms until my work loaned me to another district to help clear their excess work load. One of my new co-workers held an FFL and he had a T/C Hawken kit for sale.
I built the kit. Still didn't know much except to read and re-read the T/C manual. Then heard of a small shop run by a man who sold all the necessary materials needed to fire my first shots. That was almost 40 years ago. Many muzzle loaders are in my possession. Some factory made models and some that I put together from parts. Flint wins out over percussion, but both types are still being used.

 

[deermanok]

Back in the mid 70's, a friend of mine was talking about getting a civil war gun, as he called it.
I'd seen all the old tv shows and movies but never knew that you could actually buy a muzzleloader.
We went to a gun shop and found a couple of Zouave rifles. I got the calvary model and he got the infantry one.
No one we knew was involved with muzzleloaders, so we were pretty much self taught. I'm still learning, all these years later.
Since I retired, I have the time to tinker with loads and related stuff. I shoot at least once a week and love every minute.

 

[RicM]

What ignited my interest in shooting muzzleloading ?

Well it was inevitable as I have been collecting original US issued war time rifles (no wall hangers) for some time now.
Late 2018 I stumbled on a .410 round ball black powder musket in a thrift store for like 60 bucks. It had a nice carving of a Duck head on the stock. I cleaned it and found it’s a Spanish Import late 1800s to early 1900s to Mexico. They called it a Monkey Gun. I guess reason being it was used to hunt fowl small critters and monkeys in the trees. Fast forward it cleaned up well and inspected to be in good shape and became a nice wall hanger.
Then 2020 the ammo shortage hit with Covid. So one afternoon I was staring at it and thought why not. Ordered .395 balls .010 patches, caps & some ff black powder. Did an inspection and good cleaning research. I loaded it up 35 grains mounted it in a wooded held vice and with a string hid in case it blew up, with video going. And she fired!!! Straight and true!! That was it, I was HOOKED!!!
I’ve since I had a blast shooting it many times and and within a year acquired my originals, 1863 Springfield .58 cal minie and 1854 Johnson 54 cal round ball (not wall hangers) Well it’s been a while since I’ve shot any of my 15 other brass cases War time rifles Hahahah. A close friend who owns an indoor range let’s me shoot the BP indoors which really turns heads with the young guys with all the modern ARs etc. the questions and curiosity is pretty cool. They love em.
I even enjoy cleaning them. It’s relaxing, some music, alone time from my wife, little scotch and make the cleaning after shooting part of the entire experience. Then searched the net found this site and I’m in pig heaven!!!!! Love this site, it’s a wealth of information!!
Now I’m on the hunt for a decent Kentucky or PA Flint lock Long Gun or Brown Bess. As my addiction continues!! So my saga continues. Yeah I’m a bit goofy in the video, heck it was fun!!

 

[Woody Morgan]

Lack of available unmentionable primers.
I'm an old Boy Scout and take the motto "Be Prepared" seriously. Started playing with flintlocks with preparedness in the front of my mind and realized just how much black powder is to shoot. Getting lots of history kinda goes along with it.

wm

 

[user 49399]

Several things. The Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett shows on tv when I was a kid. Then came the Jeremiah Johnson show later.

Grew up in East Tennessee not far from Cumberland Gap and the Wilderness Trail. There was always discussions about Daniel Boone in my family.

Had grandparents who were born in the 19th century and taught me a lot about the old mountain ways which go hand in hand with muzzleloaders.

 

[Nazgul58]

Mrs.Payne's class, fifth grade, Pine Forest Elementary. I was minding my own business when a chap dressed in Civil War garb strolled in with a rolling tray loaded with Muzzleloading guns. He handed me a Springfield rifle musket and the rest is history. Of course that was back when America was still a free country, and teachers weren't a bunch of azz kissing liberal freaks. I can't begin to imagine that scenario nowadays.

Actually this still happens. My wife just retired aft 38 years as a High School teacher, History. Every year her minister, a CW reenactor would come in in Union uniform with 4-5 rifles and pistols. The Administration was fine with this. He was a part time college history prof as well so did a very good job of teaching. He is also a reserve LEO.

I worked there for 4 years as well and carried a radio. Last year it was the day for the demo and he showed up at the back door which is the closest to her classroom. Every year there is an email reminder to everyone, including our School Resource Officer, so no one gets freaked out by the weapons. I hear on my radio from the cafeteria ladies "We have a man with guns at the back door!!". The Principal/Vice Principal responded quickly and defused the situation but for a few seconds it was exciting.....

Don

 

[tenngun]

I was about 5 and my brother built a model of the Cutty Sark. There was a box under the poop skylight letting one look in to the saloon.
he told me there was a whole cabin there but it was just a little box. Still ive been looking through that little window ever since.
About ten I got in to middle building, but I was taken with old stuff, old cars, wagons, ship models. All old things got my interest.
Got my first gun at twelve as a gift, bought my first gun at thirteen, had to be a lever action. At seventeen got my first ml been sucked in.
I was not a Daniel Boone fan as a kid, but liked historic movies and shows. And always wondered what happened between Lewis and Clark and Bonanza of gunsmoke.

 

[SolidLeadSlug]

The thunderous boom of the rifle. Feels like a real gun.

 

[mmb617]

I'm a very recent convert. I'd just never given black powder shooting much thought till the great reloading component shortage hit. Even though I had a pretty good supply of both components and loaded ammo, I started thinking about ways to keep shooting if components remained unavailable long term. Then I read an excellent book about the Revolutionary war and the light came on.

I already knew that caps were about as unavailable as primers but didn't see any signs of shortages in the consumables needed for flintlocks so I bought a rifle, then a pistol, both flinters.

Now I don't worry about running out of ammo as I don't shoot my modern guns much. Instead I take my flintlocks to the range 3-4 times a week. I never knew what I was missing.

Much as I enjoyed the reloading process about as much as the shooting with the modern guns, so too do I enjoy the futzing with the flintlocks to keep them working. I even enjoy the breaking them down and cleaning them after every range session.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Just after the Bicentennial, one of my closest friends wanted me to join a ACW reenactment group. I tried it and got hooked. I was a member of 1st Maryland Battery, Dement's Battery, Maryland Light Artillery. As a lad in his teens, this was by far the least expensive way to participate..., and we made a lot of noise which is always fun.

After college, the service, I got a Law Enforcement job, and some of the folks I worked with did Rev War, so that's how I got back into living history. Still here....

LD

 

[GANGGREEN]

When I was 12 or 13 years old (late 70s), K-Mart used to sell ball and cap pistol kits that they actually hung out on display racks. As I recall, the guns alone were $59 and were 1850s Army type reproductions. I think the "kit" was $79. Every time that I went in the store I'd stand and stare at those things and that Christmas my dad purchased kits for my older brother and I. I honestly don't know what ever become of the gun (my brother says he traded or sold his at some point), but I've never looked back and moved from one muzzleloader related hobby to the other.

 

[desi23]

I guess I would have to say it was a combination of things. Really enjoyed the old Daniel Boone series but I loved history in general and the Civil War Centenial was going on when I was a kid. Traveling to the battlefields, looking at the guns in the museums and reading books led to a real fascination with the weapons of the day. The more I read, whether history books or historical novels the more I wanted to own and shoot the old style guns.

Eventually as a teenager I got my first one, a flint pistol kit (the first gun I ever bought with my own money actually) built it and after a while figured out how to shoot it. Next was an 1851 Navy style revolver...... A true gun nut came into being! I have owned and shot many different guns from the most modern to the pre-flintlock era. For sheer fun and pride of use the oldtimers are still my favorites

 

[Ironoxide]

Me, I always liked guns. Where I live black powder guns don't require a permit no residence requirements etc and at the time I was working in one country and had my home in another. I was also building a house in a middle of nowhere so I wanted to explore the idea of a replica revolver for self defence. I got one. I realised I really like shooting it much more than modern guns. I then got my first muzzleloader rifle and the rest followed until fairly recently(about 2years ago) I got my hands on a used flintlock pistol. The story repeated itself and now I have two more flintlocks that I enjoy shooting a lot