Show off your first muzzleloader!

[Larry (Omaha)]

Post your first muzzleloader and chime in a little history about it.

My Tower Flintlock after conversion to percussion:

A Japanese made 69 cal "Tower" flint pistol is my first muzzleloader. I purchased it right out of high school in the early to mid 60s from a hardware in Omaha NE. The first pound of Dupont BP at the same hardware was $1.95 a pound. It was a flintlock and being ignorant as how to make a flintlock reliable, got discouraged and converted it to percussion. It sparked very poorly and just needed a new, or case hardened frizzen. I had no idea where or how to obtain RB for it. I had not even heard of DGW. A school mate's father dabbled in gun sales at his home. I went to him and he measured the bore and ordered me a mold from somewhere. It worked like a charm even though it is a smooth bore. Not knowing the laws of Omaha I called the Omaha Police department with respect to owning and registration. Don't laugh, I had no idea so I asked them. Oh, sure you have to register this pistol they said! Off to the police department I went with my non trusty flintlock . When I got there the PD said "This gun does not have a serial number, we will have to put one on it" They did, and the number is shown in the second photo. There are unfortunately too many illegal guns in Omaha, but mine at the time was legal. You no longer have to register a muzzleloader pistol in Omaha.
The faceplate where the pan was removed is all pitted as you can see. I had a friend chemically treat ( I think acid bath) the steels before applying a chrome plate. Not too historically correct, but it shoots reliably!

Flintlocklar

 

[kje54]

My very first was a Cook and Brothers artillery carbine, I think I paid under $200 for it.

 

[B P Arn]

My first black powder muzzleloader was this hacked-up, abused .36 caliber Pietta Remington 1858. I bought it about 10 years ago for $92.

I shortened the barrel even more, rounded the butt, and did other modifications. Then I hot caustic blued the gun.

After I was done with the gun, I made this crossdraw holster for it.

 

[hanshi]

That's about as cool as it can get!

 

[hanshi]

Way back in the 1960s I ordered this .45 rifle - followed a couple years later with a nice Minuteman flintlock - and shared many adventures taking varmints and deer. Still have it but its retired, just like me.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

My first black powder muzzleloader was this hacked-up, abused .36 caliber Pietta Remington 1858. I bought it about 10 years ago for $92.

I shortened the barrel even more, rounded the butt, and did other modifications. Then I hot caustic blued the gun.View attachment 44861
View attachment 44862
View attachment 44863

After I was done with the gun, I made this crossdraw holster for it.
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How’s the pin stay in.

 

[Robby]

My first muzzleloader was a left hand Dixie mountain rifle.

It was a nice gun but it had 'made in Japan' stamped on the top barrel flat, because of that I never could warm up to it and sold it.
Robby

 

[Greg Blackburn]

My first muzzleloader was the CVA Bobcat. Let me find a representative pic online.

Hmm....all the pics I have found are ads. Anyway, basic CVA with epoxy-coated black stock. I put TC adjustable sights onto mine (big change in hitting the target!) and a musket nipple.

 

[RB POWELL]

My first black powder muzzleloader was this hacked-up, abused .36 caliber Pietta Remington 1858. I bought it about 10 years ago for $92.

I shortened the barrel even more, rounded the butt, and did other modifications. Then I hot caustic blued the gun.View attachment 44861
View attachment 44862
View attachment 44863

After I was done with the gun, I made this crossdraw holster for it.
View attachment 44864
View attachment 44865
View attachment 44866
View attachment 44867
View attachment 44868
View attachment 44869

I love it

 

[B P Arn]

How’s the pin stay in.

I put a set screw in the bottom of the cylinder pin.

 

[tenngun]

A Mowrey Allen and Thurber, .50, wish I still had it now

 

[Nessmuck56]

My first BP was a Lyman Great Plains 50 cal cap lock....shot very well ! 1980

 

[Sun City]

My first was a TC .45 which I gave away 60 years ago!! It wouldn't hit DUE EAST!!

 

[toot]

Post your first muzzleloader and chime in a little history about it.

My Tower Flintlock after conversion to percussion:

A Japanese made 69 cal "Tower" flint pistol is my first muzzleloader. I purchased it right out of high school in the early to mid 60s from a hardware in Omaha NE. The first pound of Dupont BP at the same hardware was $1.95 a pound. It was a flintlock and being ignorant as how to make a flintlock reliable, got discouraged and converted it to percussion. It sparked very poorly and just needed a new, or case hardened frizzen. I had no idea where or how to obtain RB for it. I had not even heard of DGW. A school mate's father dabbled in gun sales at his home. I went to him and he measured the bore and ordered me a mold from somewhere. It worked like a charm even though it is a smooth bore. Not knowing the laws of Omaha I called the Omaha Police department with respect to owning and registration. Don't laugh, I had no idea so I asked them. Oh, sure you have to register this pistol they said! Off to the police department I went with my non trusty flintlock . When I got there the PD said "This gun does not have a serial number, we will have to put one on it" They did, and the number is shown in the second photo. There are unfortunately too many illegal guns in Omaha, but mine at the time was legal. You no longer have to register a muzzleloader pistol in Omaha.
The faceplate where the pan was removed is all pitted as you can see. I had a friend chemically treat ( I think acid bath) the steels before applying a chrome plate. Not too historically correct, but it shoots reliably!

Flintlocklar

View attachment 44858View attachment 44859

thanks for sharing it with us. so the 0-1, makes it a serial # until you replace it or remove it? times rely have changed! BTW, the way I rely like it!

 

[toot]

in the early 1950's there were no reproduction guns, except cap guns. so we used to shoot original ones. every house hold seemed to have one kicking around from years gone by. then VAL FORGET brought out repos of historic weapons from I beleave JAPAN, and the rest is history. BTW, the one that I shot back in the 50's was an origionally BROWN BESS, yes that is right. and yes I wish that I had it today! but 70+ yrs ago will never be again!

 

[mooman76]

My first was a used 51 Navy. I don't have any pictures because it was a long time ago. I was young, I was disappointed in it because mostly because I knew nothing about them. It did shoot good though. Better than I realized at the time. I hadn't even shot pistols before and this one was so dirty by the time I got to the 6th cyl, I could barely pull the hammer back. Fast forward about 10 years and I got a used CVA Kentucky rifle. Got it because of the hunting advantage during primitive season. That's when I found out how fun they were and started learning about them. I still have that one, in fact I later converted it to flint.

 

[Marshhawk]

Mine was a CVA .45 cal. flintlock. Built it from a kit back in 1983 to hunt deer with in New York area that was limited to shotgun or muzzleloader. Never did get a deer with it, but now in S.C. I've pulled it from "retirement" and will try to get a deer this year with it. Range time shows it's still minute-of-deer at 50 yds.

 

[Cherrybow]

traditions “Springfield Hawken” 54 cal. purchased at Bass Pro in the late 90’s. They were selling the rifle for 100.00. There was a big box of them to pick from, no box or packaging. I didn’t take as good of care of the bore as I should have, I was learning, but it is still a tack driver shooting buffalo bullets.

 

[Dale Lilly]

Mid 50s I ordered a imported 410 shotgun [advertised??] It was a real piece of junk. I could not buy black powder anywhere around. Fixed it up pretty and sold it for $11 as a fireplace decoration. Polecat

 

[Flinty Scot]

I echo Toot's comment. When I was first corrupted, only originals were available, in one condition or another.
My first was(I was told) a British offer's fusil/forager's fusil. 'The muzzle is worn paper thin. I recently used a simple wedge gauge to guesstimate .72-75. Still sparks well & fires on first try.

If my dad hadn't hung onto it for me, it'd be a memory too. Thanks to him, it's a memory I can still occasionally fire.
I've only ever fired blanks or light shot loads but it still has great handling and patterns decently.

The infection took; I'm still in love w/ the smell of BP.