What got you started?

[dlpowell]

What got you started in muzzle loading?

For me, an article in Field and Stream by Jim Carmichael hunting some large ground squirrel with a bp way back in the early 70's.

Beeen hooked ever since. :thumbsup:

 

[playfarmers]

The extra deer season. Bin at it now for 17 years, and just got my first flinter last year.

 

When I was in high school the centennial of the Civil War started (1960) and repro BP arms became available. A friend got a .58 Zouave musket and we used to go to an old coal strip mine in E. PA and shoot it. I lived then in the hallowed land where the longrifle was developed and alot of originals were still floating around. I always loved the "Kentucky" (Penn) rifle--and Davy Crockett on 1950s TV didn't hurt any. I always liked the early history of our country and read alot on it. Drums Along the Mohawk was an early influence (the book--people used to read back then). In the US Army in about 1970 I bought a .36 MLer and worked up accurate target loads--that thing would group 1-1.5" at 100 yds with a tang peep sight! But I traded it off for a .308 in 1974. When I moved to Tulsa in 1977 I met a bunch of local buckskinners including the noted Willie Cochran, who made locks, triggers and rifles. They got me back into MLing and I took a short course from a local on BP riflemaking. Built a nice [if I don't say so myself] .45 longrifle in 1978. Been at it ever since. It was only a few years ago, however, that I got deeply into reenacting/living history. Before that it was mainly the love of the old guns and their history that kept me in it....

 

[roundball]

What got you started in muzzle loading?

For me, an article in Field and Stream by Jim Carmichael hunting some large ground squirrel with a bp way back in the early 70's.

Beeen hooked ever since. :thumbsup:

Got caught up in the hype about modern muzzleloaders giving me an extra week of deer season...couple years later saw a TC Hawken caplock...been going backwards through technology ever since...somebody up in Maine now owns that first rifle that loaded from the front. :grin:

Have hunted entire deer seasons exclusively with Flintlocks for the past several years now...and have begun expanding to go after squirrels, turkey, coyotes, crows and doves

 

[Brasilikilt]

I think I was bitten pretty bad when a friend took me and another kid to the reconstruction of Ft. Clatsop (Lewis and Clark's Columbia river winter quarters)
During the summer they have a bunch of park rangers dressed up in buckskins and other period clothing demonstrating the different skills such as flint and steel, making moccasins etc etc.

The best part is every hour they bring out a Harper's Ferry repro, talk about hunting and different rifles of the time and then they go through the loading procedure and fire it off :grin:

Really spectacular stuff for a 9 year old, still pretty fun to watch today........I would volunteer there if I lived any closer

 

[MikeChapin]

I was always interested after I saw the Davy Crocket series on TV. Did not get around to anything until my grandmother gave me a CVA Patriot pistol kit when I graduated college in 1976. I played with it and started looking around for a rifle. When I was in Laramie in 1977 I finally could afford a rifle. I picked up a Navy Arms Hawken Hunter in .58 and was completly hooked.

 

[Slowpoke]

The good Lord help me a Cabela's catalog. :rotf: I remember flipping through it at the barber shop, looking at the Blue Ridge rifle and thinking how cool it would be to have it. Then I found the Dixie catalog and that about blew my mind. I cut grass, washed cars, and sold baseball cards to get enough money buy a Dixie Mountain rifle in 32 caliber.

 

[2172]

had been fascinated by the F&I time period ever since the movie, "Alleghany Uprising' in about 1940, and "Northwest Passage"...in the '60's met Jac Weller and had a chance to see his collection and talk about building a bp gun...by 70 I'd bought a collection of parts and got started...Hank

 

[bwhoffman]

I think I was bitten pretty bad when a friend took me and another kid to the reconstruction of Ft. Clatsop (Lewis and Clark's Columbia river winter quarters)
During the summer they have a bunch of park rangers dressed up in buckskins and other period clothing demonstrating the different skills such as flint and steel, making moccasins etc etc.

The best part is every hour they bring out a Harper's Ferry repro, talk about hunting and different rifles of the time and then they go through the loading procedure and fire it off :grin:

Really spectacular stuff for a 9 year old, still pretty fun to watch today........I would volunteer there if I lived any closer

Brasilikilt, We cant get much closer than we are!, Portland, newberg! We are 1 1/2hr max from the fort!
You can volunteer on the new reconstruction now, contact chip at the fort and they can schedule you in!
Neat museum and re-enactors huh! That site is addictive.
I am glad to hear how you got bit by the ML bug.
Pretty much the same for me...used to own a cattle ranch in central OR, shot song dogs and rock chucks daily, moved back tot he flatlands and took up trap shooting. That got boring and $$$.
Took my son to boyscout summer camp and they had an old geezer come up from salem way and put on a 12 shot mini trail walk for any dads that were bored. Talk about set the hook!
anyways, the tualatin hertitage center has a mountain man "show"/feature this friday at 10 and 1:30 should be pretty neat and the spirit mt casino is doing lewis and clark all this week.

Brett

 

[bob1961]

this site back in sept 03....when i started :hatsoff: ...........bob

 

[TANSTAAFL]

History, pure and simple. From the time I could read, I have been drawn to early American history, the muzzleloaders were just a natural extension of that interest.

 

[Norskie]

Friend with a caplock pistol and real BP. It was the smell...

 

[Old Ironsights]

The desire to have a few non 4437 firearms that I could manufacture all the consumables for.

Started with a .45 Huntsman and .45 Ruger Old Army and Tap-O-Cap.

Now I have a TC Firestorm Flinter for a bit heavier work.

 

[thehorn]

My father, God rest his soul, back in about 1967 when he saw me fascinated with his copy of Dixie Gun Works catalog. We started building together then and I have continued since.

 

[Swampman]

A CVA Kentucky Rifle kit I bought at J.C. Pennys in the Mall. Imagine buying guns in the Mall.

 

[Rebel]

You can still buy BP guns through the mail.

 

[Legionair]

Been shooting cartridge since I was a kid, and about 10-12 years ago I got into the western movies. Always liked the Clint Eastwood, and Jimmy Stewart westerns. So it followed to get myself a sixgun.

First was a '58 rem, then a '51 navy colt.

Then about 3 years ago, my wife got me a flintlock for Christmas, and it's been downhill ever since (making tools, horns, moccassins, etc).... :youcrazy: :haha:

Legion

 

[Stumpkiller]

I bought a .36 T/C Seneca in 1976, but I don't remember what actually prompted it. The bicentennial, maybe?

 

[Forster]

After I got out of the Air Force [74] I ran into a friend who I used to shoot with. He had a new Senaca rifle and we took it down to the sand pits. I remember to this day we set up a few gallon jugs filled with water and put them out at 100 yards or so. I remember hitting one of the jugs sending it and a spray of water 10 feet in the air. That is what planted the seed. Well he sold the gun [to much cleaning involved]...Any way about 14 years ago I was talking to a group of guys and told them the same story, shortly after that I was invited to go shooting with them and thats all it took. I had four side lock before the year was up and have been shooting muzzleloaders ever since...Jim

 

[user 2647]

My then new brother inlaw took to the spring shoot at Friendship in 1974, saw the primitve range and was hooked. :grin: