What was your first Muzzleloader?

[JohnnieT]

I used boiled linseed oil on the barrel... weird, I now, but it worked.

I’ve heard of things like that before. If it’s weird but it works, maybe it isn’t so weird?

 

[ffg]

A Kentucky kit from Dixie gun works in1968

 

[fishmusic]

Mine was a Lyman's Plains pistol kit (see my avatar) in .50 cal. Almost simultaneously my sister gave me her late husband's CVA mountain pistol in the same caliber. I just had to have the matching rifles so I got a GPR and built that and found an old CVA Mountain Rifle kit on line. The CVA Mountain Rifle is my go to gun because it shoots so nice. Added a Pedersoli Kentucky flinter to that but have never been totally satisfied with it. Lord what fun!

 

[Norsk]

A P Webley single barrel shotgun,I paid 400 New Zealand Dollars for it from an Antique shop in Rotorua in about 1997.

A guy in a gun shop made shot and powder scoops for me from cut down 12 gauge Hulls.I used to hunt wild goats in thick forest using 8 fishing sinkers as buckshot was unavailable, toilet paper as an over shot wad.

I still have the gun,shot some Hares with it last time I was home.

 

[OhioHawkeye]

I’ve heard of things like that before. If it’s weird but it works, maybe it isn’t so weird?

..what's weirder,,,, I boiled the linseed oil again outside on a camp stove to get rid of what modern additives I could. I may be doing that to the two Kiblers I'm putting together. The other one I blued (more traditional than brown)

 

[jsb30]

J N Scott 10 gauge double barrel. Musket nipple on one side and a percussion cap nipple on the other. Barrels held together with electrical tape. Used newspaper for wadding. Had to make sure all the fires were out after firing. This was about 1967. Killed a few pheasants with it. To heavy to hit doves with.

 

[RicM]

Mine was about 4 years ago. Was in an antique store upstate NY. Saw a double barrel percussion shotgun and a smaller single barrel Percussion smoothbore with a carved duck head in the stock. They wanted 200 for the shotgun (had a nasty split stock) The other was 100. They wouldn’t budge on the prices, so I walked away. One year later at the same place the shotgun was gone but the other was still there. They took 80 bucks. I figured it was a wall hanger and was in nice shape too with the duck head carving on both sides of the stock. So that’s what I did.

Fast forward Covid with severe ammo shortages. I haven’t gone shooting in a while. After looking hard at it I though... maybe? My wife looked at me and said just buy the balls and use yours and go shoot the darn thing! Lolol What the heck!! I broke it down inspected it, cleaned it first. Then did homework on it. It is an early 1900s .410 round ball BP imported from Spain to Mexico used for hunting water foul and monkeys, no name but tracked the numbers stamped on the barrel. It’s called a “Monkey Gun”. Sooooo.

Got me some .375 cal round balls used a .010 lined patch researched the the powder amount, used 28 grains of ff BP, the small number 11 caps. I first mounted it in a wood vice outside with string to the trigger and did a test shot while I stayed protected. Perfect! Next up I shot her, and damn! I was hooked on BP muzzle loaders from that point on!!!

 

[11th corps]

Mine was a Ruger Old Army. I purchased it from a little gun shop on the east side of Indianapolis. I worked at a local Drug Store, and dropped by the shop just to browse on my lunch break. Saw the ROA and iirc I paid about $150 for it NIB. that was in 1975. I had been an unmentionable gun owner/shooter since I was a kid. Not sure what drove me to buy this, but I still have it. I also have my Dad's ROA which he purchased after seeing and shooting mine.

 

[deerstalkert]

a 9mm Spanish made something or the other. 1970 I traded a pocket knife for it. luckily it came with a ball mold.
standing inside the garage with the doors closed I still couldn't hit the broadside of anything. but it made white smoke , belched a long flame of fire at night and started a life long addiction.

 

[RayjHindle]

Mine was also a CVA Kentucky Long Rifle in .45! I eventually graduated to a TC Hawken in .50, so I could hunt deer with it!

 

[Jakeytoo]

Actually, I‘m not sure of the make anymore, that was back in 1976(?). It was a kit gun, the kind with a two piece stock. Percussion lock with a main spring so weak it would take five or six drops of the hammer before it would go off.

 

[WesB]

I've only been shooting a couple of years. I stated with a Traditions 50 cal Woodsman and shifted to a 54 cal Trade rifle. I've also been using a Traditions 32 cal Crocket for squirrels.

Now,saving up for a Kibler SMR kit.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

This is a great thread…lots of fun stories about how people entered this hobby.

 

[stickmann00]

My first is a 45 caliber Southern Mountain Rifle with a Green Mountain barrel and a Siler large flintlock. I then converted it to percussion with a Siler conversion lock. The rifle was built by the late Jay Olson of Dry Ball Rifle Works in Seattle. I also have a Pennsylvania Longrifle built by Jay. It has curly maple stock, a 42 inch swamped .50 cal Getz barrel, and a Durs Egg flintlock by L&R. Both of these rifles are 40 years old.

 

[Hawkin’]

T/C New Englander about 30 years ago. Bought it with the 50 cal and 12 gauge barrels. Shot my very first deer ever with it. Have since shot deer, turkeys, ducks,geese, grouse, squirrels and rabbits with it. Used to love using it for rabbits when I had beagles. Now my daughter uses it for turkeys. It’s one of two guns that I’ll never sell.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I'm curious to know what was your first BlackPowder firearm? Was it a rifle or a smoothbore?
What made you want to buy it?
How experienced/knowledgeable with this sport/hobby were you, when you bought your first BlackPowder gun?

I asked for a .58 Zouave kit. I wanted to do ACW reenacting with some friends who did artillery. I was almost 15.

My Dad bought me a TC Hawken in .50 Percussion, kit, instead. My dad had a knack for being the shlemiel when it came to buying outdoor stuff. OH the TC was a fine rifle, but it was what the salesman had and wanted to sell..., he didn't sell the kit rifle that I wanted, SO..., he fast talked my dad into thinking I didn't know what I was talkin' about. This was a constant theme all through my teenage years.

So I finished it, put it on the shelf, and saved up to buy the Zouave kit. So it was another year before I did any black powder.

LD

 

[Frontier's]

TC Renegade 50cal

 

[Apollo55]

An Armsport 45 cal Kentucky Flintlock kit. In 1978 for $99.00 so could hunt in PA after Christmas season. The lock broke beyond repair, so bought a 54cal. T/C renegade flintlock. I sold the Armsport barrel and hardware to a fellow who built his own rifle. From my parts and some he had.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

My first is a 45 caliber Southern Mountain Rifle with a Green Mountain barrel and a Siler large flintlock. I then converted it to percussion with a Siler conversion lock. The rifle was built by the late Jay Olson of Dry Ball Rifle Works in Seattle. I also have a Pennsylvania Longrifle built by Jay. It has curly maple stock, a 42 inch swamped .50 cal Getz barrel, and a Durs Egg flintlock by L&R. Both of these rifles are 40 years old.

I would love to see images of those guns….

 

[Gkarp429]

Richland Arms Pennsylvania pistol kit, .44 cal Flintlock. Back in the mid 70’s.