Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Before you buy that smokepole consider this.

I was so tempted by that dirt cheap Omega, then I found out I coudn't buy primers or powder for it.
Why do places like Walmart and Dicks sell Blackpowder rifles, but not sell any Black Powder?
The price is tempting, but I can't help but think it's just foolish to buy a rifle somewhere you can't buy the powder.

Walmart sells triple 7 and pyrodex plus primers here. Don't know about Dicks. I've either ordered real black powder or bought it at real gun shop.

Bass Pro in my area sells all powders, real black and substitutes

Dan

Here in my area of Indiana, you can find all the BP subst., but finding real black is tough! Talked to my local gunsmith about it, and the license/ liability insurance is so costly, you have to sell a bunch just to break even. With the number of people shooting modern inlines, and using the substitutes, I don't think there is much call here for real black except for a few traditionalists.

maddog

Wow, I didn't realize (But I'm not surprised)that this is a New York thing. I can not get any powder, in any form, from either Walmart or Dicks.

Do just a few seconds of surfing and one can have 25 lbs of black delivered to his door in about 2 days. Even during the worst of the component shortage. Given a Haz Mat shipping fee, one is ahead to buy in bulk.

I've not seen a mainstream retailer anywhere here in Oregon that carries real black. A few mom and pop stores, but they are rare too. Here's one source for a starter. 1Minute

Black powder link..

Most stores sell muzzleloading firearms and Black Powder substitutes since the restrictions on storing commercial black powder is onerous.

We must be very lucky here in PA. You can buy Blackpowder at alot of places.

None of the stores here in SE Nebraska carry real Black Powder, but if you jump across the river into Iowa the Bass Pro srore will sell you all you want, go figure.

That's because friggin' PA still requires a flintlock to be used in muzzleloader deer season. The last I knew, none of the black powder substitutes gave reliable ignition in flintlocks.

Learn your subject before you cast aspersions on who's "foolish" in your eyes. LouisB gave you your answer. Bona fide black powder is classified as an explosive and as such, is required to be stored in a very specific manner. Black powder substitutes are unencumbered by those restrictions and can be stored just like smokeless powder.

And if I was shooting something as modern as an Omega, I'd consider it pretty damned FOOLISH to waste my time and effort on black powder since it was designed around Pyrodex and 777 in the first place.

And as for Wal-Fart, the last I looked, those bastards wanted $21.37 for a pound of Pyrodex and $29.99 for a pound of 777. Low prices my ass.

Bricktop, no personal experience with it in flintlocks but Black Mag3 or XP or whatever the heck it is called now SHOULD work reliably in flinters. The stuff is easily ignited.

Since it's nearly impossible to get and high dollar as all get-out, it's not a practical consideration.

Tend to agree with that.

I seem to have created some confusion,let me reiterate and elaborate;Here in New York I can not buy any Black-powder,Pyrodex,777 or any other form muzzleloading propellant from either of these places.Foolishly, I originally assumed that this was a national corporate policy for both Wal-Mart and Dicks sporting goods.

Sorry for the Confusion.

I still maintain that it would be foolish to buy a Muzzleloader somewhere you cant buy any powder.

On a side note;since I created this Post I have found and bought a used Thompson/Center TreeHawk. It's a sweet little fully camouflaged rifle. It has an oddball 1:20 rifle twist with a 21 inch barrel that keeps it just a tad over 3 foot,yet it's reasonably accurate(still playing with loads).

Just for the sake of info; black powder substitutes DO NOT work well in flintlocks at all. Just check out some of the traditional muzzleloader sites to find out.

And as far as Penn. is concerned; I am glad they only allow flintlocks during their special muzzleloader season as inlines are no more than a slow loading centerfire rifle. I wish NY would do the same and allow them to hunt the week before regular season.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!

I savvy. And I still wouldn't waste a minute worrying about that.

And what's your logic on that? I'd buy the rifle wherever I could get the best deal and worry about the other crap later.

The dealership where I bought my pickup didn't sell gasoline.

I agree.

Gotta agree, if you can get a good deal then go with it, no point in passing it up because they don't sell the powder.

Perhaps it's a bit of a theoretical stretch but my reasoning is this: If we don't support our local shops eventually we will only be able to buy what the national chains are selling, and if your like me and live in a location where those national stores don't sell powder....