Any blackpowder shooters here?

[indyguy]

Just returned from Friendship Indiana after spending 4 days at the NMLRA spring shoot. Did anyone else from the forum attend?

Anyone other than me into muzzloading guns for hunting or as a hobbie? Im talking about old school flinters and percussion lock arms, not modern day inlines.

Rob

[sher]

i have been to frienship, great time, my brother builds and shoots blackpowder- he has a gun in the gun makers hall of fame in friendship- it is an over and under percusion- he just completed an over an under flint/percussion-i am about 90 minutes from indy- did you shoot in any matches when you were there or just go to look- gun maker alley was pretty cool when i was there

[AzLoneRider]

I love shooting black powder. My family and I used to go to rendevous' here in AZ. I have hunted several season with my bp rifle. I have never been to Friendship but one day hope to make it out there. If I do I will break out my old wall tent and lodgepoles and go primitive.

[flatwater]

Been shooting cap & ball for the last 30 years. The only time I haven't got my deer was one year when some friends talked me into going modern rifle

[indyguy]

I have only a few modern guns with the rest being muzzloaders. I build a new one every winter but did not get my current project finished this year.

I hunt only with my muzzloaders and I bag deer along with other game. I enjoy the challange and the smell of black powder smoke plus I have learned that having a one shot weapon has made me a better shot.

[flatwater]

In the early years I made a few BP rifles from cva kits then I upgraded to a thompson/c but didn't like the combo barrel so a purchased a green river barrel with a 1 in 60 twist. I't shot great but I didn't like the looks of it. Then I went to a lyman plainsman with a 1 in 66 twist. Nicest BP rifle I have ever owned. Never could afford a custom one.

[Tuckahoe]

I shot muzzleloaders back in the late 80's pretty much got hooked on em. My favorite rifle was a W. G. Bill Large would buy another one If I could find one. Bill Large was legendary and without him muzzleloaders would likely not be around today.

[indyguy]

Tel me a bit more about this Bill large guy. I know some of the old timers that started the NMLA and the groups history but his name does not ring a bell.

I know there were a few old gun makers in the hills that pretty much kept the interest alive until a new generation came along who had interest.

One of the problems today is the NMLA membership is falling off due to members dieing off and lack of new blood for replacements.

[Tuckahoe]

W.G. Large called Bill was building muzzleloaders for accuracy when the rest of the world was looking toward center fire rifles. He created a revival among black powder shooters. His story is also featured in one of the FOX FIRE books but I cannot remember which volume. He hailed from eastern Kentucky and was a great rifle maker. Bill is best known for his gain twist barrels. If you find one of his rifles it is stamped WG Large in a half moon style.

[indyguy]

Thanks for the info. I have the Fox Fire series and will read up on him. His name just dident ring a bell.

[oeb]

Some of you have mentioned that you build your own black powder (ML) rifles. Do you actually build them from scratch, from various parts gathered out of diverse sources, or from commercial kits? What are the best sources to get kits and/or parts to build a ML rifle. Man, I'd love to build a ML rifle and actually hunt with the thing so I'm all eyes and ears when it comes to advice about getting started. I must add that as of now I'm a blank slate about such things, too.
Otis

[Mr.B]

I picked up an older CVA .45cal Kentucky rifle (percussion) for $75 not to long ago, I havent taken it out to shoot yet. Besides that I have a Lyman .50cal flintlock tradegun, the barrel is rifled though for dear hunting.

I'm only 31 years old but I'm starting to like the "older" way of shooting now.

As far as building a rifle. Id like to build a Jezail but finding a rifle barrel around 4 or 5 feet long would be a chore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jezail

Id like to convert the percussion Kentucky rifle to a flintlock.

Most of the BP rifles Ive seen built are basically mongrels made from random parts.

Ok heres a shot in the dark, anyone ever use a matchlock? I was thinking of trying to build one?


-B

[hunter63]

Used to be a guy with Smoky Hollow Muzzle-loaders, West Bend WI, that not only built a match lock, but all the armor for being a "Conquistador".
Used to shoot it at the range, and was being kidded for being "out of period".
I would guess about 250 years.

Anyway it can be done, and I will warn you, they get additive.
DW bought me a rifle on Christmas about 30 years ago, now I haul around about $20000 bucks worth of Rendezvous gear.

Lots of fun, but you have beem warned!