Knowing what you know now?

[azmntman]

Life's a learning experience. I can't say I'd change a thing. Maybe kept my first ML rifle from 1970-71, but I swapped it for a 1958 Ford truck, which I needed back then, so maybe not too bad a deal.

I guess I wish I'd kept my .45 TC Hawken, but maybe not. Wish I'd shot more often.

I'd like to swap one of mine for a 58 ford truck? anybody?....

 

[coloradoclyde]

Sacrilege! :nono:

 

[Col. Batguano]

If I'd have known then what I know now there would have been no point in living all those years in between! :applause:

 

[larry wv]

Would have used a bit less powder per shot starting out. Would have kept a few rifles I now miss.(got one back :grin: ). If I were you I would stock pile some real Black powder for a rainy day bound to come.

Larry

 

[tlallijr]

Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have waited 25 years to build a rifle. I don't know why I waited so long! If you really want to build a rifle I suggest you do it now. Tony

 

[Grenadier1758]

Would have bought a few rifles 30 years ago when a highly respected gunmaker passed away and his family put his finished rifles for sale at garage sale prices. Except I couldn't afford them then.

 

[tenngun]

Read more historic jornals and visit more museums. I started out not knowing that John Wayne and jerimiah Johnson were a little less then hc. I spent a lot of money and time in the Tandy yellow buckskin brigade.
On the other hand learning as you go is lots of fun, unlearning old falsehoods is an adventure in it self.

 

[BigBoreBLR]

Wealth is about experience, not stuff.

Get a gun or two, but then focus on getting your own place to hunt and ways to be comfortable doing it.

Hit that dixons fair.

Focus on enjoying what you have and what you can do with it, rather than obsessing over what you do not have.

Shooting with friends is much better alone.

Hunting and shooting is the experience, not necesarily the results.

Equipment wise.....

Paint the front sight for hunting.

Good Warm clothes is much better than another gun...

Camp and hunt.... so much more fun that way. I got a woodstove tent and would rather have 1 gun and that tent than 20 without it.

I love the equipment, but blackpowder is the social aspect. I regret every woodswalk shoot I miss.

Speaking of that, I bought a RH flintlock. I am left handed. I've had alot more fun loaning out than gun.

 

[necchi]

I never would have wasted money on;
*Store bought cleaning agents
*Pre-lubed patches
*Bore butter
*Musket caps and the nipples for them

 

[coloradoclyde]

:haha: .... :thumbsup:

 

[Kapow]

You can apply this principle in lots of areas of your life. When seeking advice, go to the top. Everyone has an opinion but good advice is worth all of those opinions together.

If you need legal advice, track down the best lawyer don't ask some knuckle head in the pub. If you need medical advice find a good doctor. There's plenty of bad ones. If you need specialist advice then find a specialist and when it comes to muzzle-loading, of course ask the forum!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Not much different. It was, and always will be, a continuing learning process. But, I would be less gullible when being 'taught' by an old timer. They (we? :shocked2: ) aren't always right. Lots of things that were 'musts' just ain't so. e.g. You must use FFg in calibers .50 and larger and never use FFFg in them. We now understand that is pure :bull: Learn from others but keep an open mind.

 

[bender20]

Thanks guys it been very fun/interesting to read your posts. Not to mention helpful.

 

[AZbpBurner]

In the early 70's an old gent at my range would bring a handful of flintlocks to shoot - every weekend, and never the same rifles. Initially I thought he was a gunmaker, but his name wasn't familiar. Every rifle was a work of handcrafted beauty, all were flintlocks, and only when I began to pay attention did I notice they weren't at all brand new, but just meticulously cared for by previous generations. He taught me the basics of flintlock shooting I still use today for the most part.

The gun collection was to be kept intact and passed on to the next generation from the last, selling one only allowed to fund something vital to keeping the rest of the collection together. Not sure how many in total, but I'd seen over 40 and fired at least a dozen myself.

Knowing what I know now, I should have dumped my fiance at the time (now ex) and married one of his shapely, but HOMELY daughters. I'd be cursed even to this day with the compulsion to take some of the rifles out every weekend to shoot, and spend an inordinate time cleaning and polishing every one :wink:

 

[biliff]

Let somebody who know what they're doing build my rifles for me. I really suck at it.

 

[Otter]

I got interested in MLs when I was a kid. Started going to rendezvous' as a "pilgrim"/spectator about 35 years ago and chatted with several members of the ML Club that put on the shooting competitions there. Eventually got my first front stuffer and joined that club before I got too deep into this pastime. They took me under their collective wings and the wealth of knowledge those guys (and gals) shared with me was priceless.

I don't know I would do much of anything differently in giving advice to anybody else . . . FIND a club . . . LISTEN to the "oldtimers" . . . SORT OUT the BS from the real stuff (it is easy to do, believe it or not) . . . HAVE FUN ! ! !

 

[azmntman]

In the early 70's an old gent at my range would bring a handful of flintlocks to shoot - every weekend, and never the same rifles. Initially I thought he was a gunmaker, but his name wasn't familiar. Every rifle was a work of handcrafted beauty, all were flintlocks, and only when I began to pay attention did I notice they weren't at all brand new, but just meticulously cared for by previous generations. He taught me the basics of flintlock shooting I still use today for the most part.

The gun collection was to be kept intact and passed on to the next generation from the last, selling one only allowed to fund something vital to keeping the rest of the collection together. Not sure how many in total, but I'd seen over 40 and fired at least a dozen myself.

Knowing what I know now, I should have dumped my fiance at the time (now ex) and married one of his shapely, but HOMELY daughters. I'd be cursed even to this day with the compulsion to take some of the rifles out every weekend to shoot, and spend an inordinate time cleaning and polishing every one :wink:

and to get away from the homely wife!! :slap:

 

[Pete G]

and to get away from the homely wife!! :slap:

I knew a guy that claimed that he had an ugly wife; he loved her dearly but she was just plain ugly. She was so ugly that he took her with him everywhere he went so he wouldn't have to kiss her good bye.

 

[54ball]

Ownership...
Personally I think every gun owner who is the least bit interested in history should own at least one really nice flint longrifle. I'm talking about a full custom by an honest to goodness maker with a reputation, not a so called semi custom. Anything else is just a make do.....you'll end up buying or wishing you had bought the real thing anyway. Same for a smoothbore if that's your thing. Were talking about a 2500 to 3500 dollar or so rifle but when you think about it you can spend close to that in a top end bolt action and top end scope. Some spend that and more on black rifles and all the tactical doo-dads that attach to them....
Building...
If you are seriously interested in building, buy a top quality parts set like Jim Chambers has along with the very few top quality tools you'll need and attend a NMLRA assembly class taught by real masters. Another option in to find a master and study with them, maybe he'll help you build one from a blank. Likely you will have to pay some for these sessions just like Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman did.....studying under masters.
Hunting....
Black powder only, why waste time on the fake stuff? Develop the skill of hunting in close...it's exhilarating. Honestly when I shoot a modern scoped rifle now I feel the deer need a blind fold and cigarette. Most importantly test every load in every position before you head out.
Historical accuracy....
If that's your thing research every item for place and time.

 

[Col. Batguano]

What's the difference between a custom and a semi-custom rifle? :idunno: