What should a newbie buy?

[SKS_madman]

What all (besides a gun, of course) do I need to start muzzle loading? :thanks:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Blackpowder
Horn or flask to hold it.
Powder measure
Flints or percussion caps
Round balls
Cotton patch material
Small screwdriver or nipple wrench
Hunting pouch (army surplus bags are great)
Cleaning jag
Ball puller
Vent pick or nipple pick (straightened paper clips or small feathers)
Oil

Options:
Lube other than saliva
Short starter
Cleaning patches (or, just use the same cotton as the patch material)
Black powder solvent (like water & Ivory Soap)
Ball block to hold pre-lubed patched balls
Nipple capper
Cow's knee (waxed leather to keep rain & snow off lock)
Mainspring vise (flintlock)


I also carry a small piece of 1" wide leather strapping for flint leathers & added purchsed when pulling the rammer (especially when pulling a ball). A shoelace and rolling hitch will do, also.
You can carry solvent or liquid lube in 1 oz spice bottles, and grease/wax lubes in candy/mint tins (burn the paint off & they look like old japaned tin).
A knife (or scissors) of some type to cut patches
A small pouch to carry the balls in
A priming horn or tiny flask if a flintlock
A bore mop to save having to cut a bunch of patches when cleaning

That's what I'm down to after 25 years of shooting. The father I get into it the less I lug around

Other nice items are a cleaning rod, a shot snake for smoothbores ( and wads and cards for same), a belly box/cartridge box for muskets, a dedicated patch knife on the hunting pouch, equipment to cast your own balls from scrap lead, a slip on sling for when the deer is down.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

What all (besides a gun, of course) do I need to start muzzle loading? :thanks:

Depending for what you are going to do with said firearm.

If its go to rondies and blanket shoot. Id say, dont BUY, MAKE!

You cant buy a rack gun, thats anywhere as good as one you can make from some of the kits out there.

Every thing you need to go along with it, you can make.

Now if yer going hunting, you might want to buy all that modern waterproof stuff.

 

[SKS_madman]

Stumpy (from my lurking here I think this is your nick name?),
I should have specified that I am wanting a flintlock pistol kit (preferably a pair of them :shocking: I wish guns weren't so addicting!!) So it seems allot of the stuff wouldn't be needed for a flint pistol, could you give me another list? :redface:

Johnny, I want to make a pair that are worthy of hanging on my wall and still shootable. ::

 

[Stumpkiller]

Flint pistols, eh?

Blackpowder
Horn or flask to hold it.
Powder measure
Flints
Flint leathers
Round balls
Cotton patch material
Small screwdriver
Hunting pouch (army surplus bags are great)
Cleaning jag
Ball puller
Vent pick (straightened paper clips or small feathers)
Oil

Options:
Lube other than saliva
Short starter
Cleaning patches (or, just use the same cotton as the patch material)
Black powder solvent (like water & Ivory Soap)
Ball block to hold pre-lubed patched balls
Mainspring vise


I also carry a small piece of 1" wide leather strapping for flint leathers & added purchsed when pulling the rammer (especially when pulling a ball). A shoelace and rolling hitch will do, also.
You can carry solvent or liquid lube in 1 oz spice bottles, and grease/wax lubes in candy/mint tins (burn the paint off & they look like old japaned tin).
A knife (or scissors) of some type to cut patches
A small pouch to carry the balls in
A priming horn or tiny flask if a flintlock
A bore mop to save having to cut a bunch of patches when cleaning

Other nice items are a cleaning rod, a dedicated patch knife on the hunting pouch, equipment to cast your own balls from scrap lead.

 

[SKS_madman]

Thanks!!! I added this thread to my favorites! :: :: ::

BTW, I want a kit from pendesoli(sp?) and I am curious, are the bores on their kits rifled? Particularly the The .50 Flintlock S# FK0940 that costs $185? This is looking like a very expensive hobby to start in, gunna have to save for a while/sell something.


*begins rummaging through stuff to find e-bayable items...* :crackup: :crackup:

 

[Dave K]

Also one more thing, get a range rod and bore guide. The wood rod may be ok for hunting but at the range and at home cleaning the gun use this rod. You will thank yourself many times for it. :imo:

 

[graybeard]

Don't forget some way to carry those pistols. A belt hook screwed to the side will help, or you can wear a sash and tuck the guns into it. Or you can make holsters out of a piece of backing and a wide leather loop. If you are making them, you might consider one lefthanded gun. Otherwise you pretty much have to carry them both for a right-handed draw or else the lock will wear a hole in your skin. :shake: graybeard

 

[SKS_madman]

Will a lefty gun be more expensive if I am buying a kit?

 

[CrackStock]

If you need one -- buy one. It is not that much more from most companies.

CS

 

[SKS_madman]

Thanks guys! but there is still one more question I have... Are the flint pistols from pedersoli rifled bore or smoothbore? :: After I finish the homebuild on my 2 AK kits I want to try muzzle loading. ::

 

[walruskid1]

sksmadman - gotta tell ya, been shooting 31 yrs - the older i get, the less exciting is is to put a ton of lead downrange rapidly with the modern rifles. went the ak/fal route, even tried belt fed. one round in the xring is much more satisfying when it comes from a smokepole you built, and a bullet you cast yourself. shooting muzzleloaders offhand even improves highpower scores, you sure have to follow through. :imo:

 

[SKS_madman]

I only own 2 semi-autos. I also own 2 bolt actions and am about to buy a couple enfields. :: I value accuracy over volume too. :: :RO:

 

[CrackStock]

Pedersoli makes a number of pistols. A few are smooth bore but most are rifled. You need to read each one. The ones with gauge are smooth and cal are normally rifled, but DP has put them all in cal.

The Kentuckys, LePage and Moore are rifled for sure. The Harpers Ferry and Queen Anne should also be smooth if I recall correctly. I would call Cherry's through their site at:
http://www.cherrys.com/ped_pist.htm
and ask them. They were a pleasure to deal with.

CS