New to Muzzleloaders!

Shop deals on ebay
L & R
Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
StoryWriter85 said:
Hi all! My name is Ryan and I’m new to this forum. A year ago I began reading about muzzleloaders and percussion revolvers as research for a frontier-era novel I’m writing. In my reading (and many YouTube videos) I became fascinated with these historic pieces and now hope to own a few someday.

I’m 39 and have never owned a gun of any kind. I joined the forum to learn more about black powder guns for my story, but also to understand them for myself. I’m looking forwarding to learning all I can, and am excited to shoot some of these someday!
Click to expand...
Howdy from North Texas. We all started not knowing much, if anything, about muzzleloaders. This site has helped me tremendously.
I hope it does the same for you.
 
Welcome aboard and good luck on your novel.

I will say do your research and learn from handling these firearms personally. The Black Powder enthusiasts of this forum are a rather well informed lot. You want to learn historic information you found the right crowd. These fellas constantly amaze me with the sheer depths of their collected knowledge down to the minutia and esoteric.

I'd suggest finding the guns your protagonists and antagonists will use and focusing on those weapons and the time periods before.
 
You don’t need an expensive outfit to get started. If you ask around, you might find a rifle that’s fit to shoot for a pittance….

Most of the accoutrements can be homemade. Most of us on this forum started out that way, and continue that way. Making stuff is actually simpler than it looks. You just have to sort out in your mind’s eye how to go about it, and then set to it. Specialized tools aren’t particularly necessary and can come later. Just make do with what you can scrounge up cheaply (or borrow).

Recycling materials from other uses can save a lot of money. Browse the thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets with “materials” in mind, and you’ll be surprised what you can come up with.

Good luck with it! Holler if you have questions. There’s lots of help and advice to be had here in the forum.
 
cynthialee said:
Welcome aboard and good luck on your novel.

I will say do your research and learn from handling these firearms personally. The Black Powder enthusiasts of this forum are a rather well informed lot. You want to learn historic information you found the right crowd. These fellas constantly amaze me with the sheer depths of their collected knowledge down to the minutia and esoteric.

I'd suggest finding the guns your protagonists and antagonists will use and focusing on those weapons and the time periods before.
Click to expand...
 
Terrier said:
You don’t need an expensive outfit to get started. If you ask around, you might find a rifle that’s fit to shoot for a pittance….

Most of the accoutrements can be homemade. Most of us on this forum started out that way, and continue that way. Making stuff is actually simpler than it looks. You just have to sort out in your mind’s eye how to go about it, and then set to it. Specialized tools aren’t particularly necessary and can come later. Just make do with what you can scrounge up cheaply (or borrow).

Recycling materials from other uses can save a lot of money. Browse the thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets with “materials” in mind, and you’ll be surprised what you can come up with.

Good luck with it! Holler if you have questions. There’s lots of help and advice to be had here in the forum.
Click to expand...
 
Eterry said:
Howdy from North Texas. We all started not knowing much, if anything, about muzzleloaders. This site has helped me tremendously.
I hope it does the same for you.
Click to expand...
I'm an E. Tennessean presently in N. GA a.mile from the line. Eagerly looking forward to deer muzzleloader season with a new to me .50 CVA percussion pistol. Dunno the period your novel's set in, but folks here can almost certainly advise on period likely weaponry + dragged along from past likelies. Nothing like accuracy & detail to draw readers of discriminating tastes.
 
.50 + 11 said:
I'm an E. Tennessean presently in N. GA a.mile from the line. Eagerly looking forward to deer muzzleloader season with a new to me .50 CVA percussion pistol. Dunno the period your novel's set in, but folks here can almost certainly advise on period likely weaponry + dragged along from past likelies. Nothing like accuracy & detail to draw readers of discriminating tastes.
Click to expand...
The book will be set in 1870. It will feature a variety of black powder weapons used in the Civil War, and before that. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of questions, because I want to describe them accurately!
 
Terrier said:
You don’t need an expensive outfit to get started. If you ask around, you might find a rifle that’s fit to shoot for a pittance….

Most of the accoutrements can be homemade. Most of us on this forum started out that way, and continue that way. Making stuff is actually simpler than it looks. You just have to sort out in your mind’s eye how to go about it, and then set to it. Specialized tools aren’t particularly necessary and can come later. Just make do with what you can scrounge up cheaply (or borrow).

Recycling materials from other uses can save a lot of money. Browse the thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets with “materials” in mind, and you’ll be surprised what you can come up with.

Good luck with it! Holler if you have questions. There’s lots of help and advice to be had here in the forum.
Click to expand...
I appreciate it, thanks!
 
Terrier said:
You don’t need an expensive outfit to get started. If you ask around, you might find a rifle that’s fit to shoot for a pittance….

Most of the accoutrements can be homemade. Most of us on this forum started out that way, and continue that way. Making stuff is actually simpler than it looks. You just have to sort out in your mind’s eye how to go about it, and then set to it. Specialized tools aren’t particularly necessary and can come later. Just make do with what you can scrounge up cheaply (or borrow).

Recycling materials from other uses can save a lot of money. Browse the thrift stores, yard sales and flea markets with “materials” in mind, and you’ll be surprised what you can come up with.

Good luck with it! Holler if you have questions. There’s lots of help and advice to be had here in the forum.
Click to expand...
I appreciate it, thanks
cynthialee said:
Welcome aboard and good luck on your novel.

I will say do your research and learn from handling these firearms personally. The Black Powder enthusiasts of this forum are a rather well informed lot. You want to learn historic information you found the right crowd. These fellas constantly amaze me with the sheer depths of their collected knowledge down to the minutia and esoteric.

I'd suggest finding the guns your protagonists and antagonists will use and focusing on those weapons and the time periods before.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Among the guns featured in the book will be the Kentucky rifle, Leman Trade Rifle, Springfield 1861, a Ketland musket, Colt Dragoon, Colt 1851 Navy, and a few others. I’m researching all I can on these guns specifically.
cynthialee said:
Welcome aboard and good luck on your novel.

I will say do your research and learn from handling these firearms personally. The Black Powder enthusiasts of this forum are a rather well informed lot. You want to learn historic information you found the right crowd. These fellas constantly amaze me with the sheer depths of their collected knowledge down to the minutia and esoteric.

I'd suggest finding the guns your protagonists and antagonists will use and focusing on those weapons and the time periods before.
Click to expand...
 
StoryWriter85 said:
I appreciate it, thanks

Thank you! Among the guns featured in the book will be the Kentucky rifle, Leman Trade Rifle, Springfield 1861, a Ketland musket, Colt Dragoon, Colt 1851 Navy, and a few others. I’m researching all I can on these guns specifically.
Click to expand...
Sounds like 1858 Army could rid
 

Similar threads

F
New to Muzzleloading
2
Replies
24
Views
723
RobertIN
RobertIN
C
Hello, new member from California
Replies
16
Views
137
CharringLight
C
FrkeyFlint17
New member
Replies
16
Views
203
x_count
x_count
L
New guy in Oregon
2
Replies
27
Views
324
x_count
x_count
Itsjweaver
New to everything!
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
BackDraft
BackDraft

Latest posts

Back
Top