Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Why Do You Muzzleload?

Hello,

I was wanting to post a poll with this, but don't see a way to do so, so I'm just asking outright: Why do you muzzleload?

Some do it just to extend deer season. Others really get into the old designs, and even reenacting.

Myself, I got the trading itch last summer, and after some swapping around, ended up with a CVA Bobcat (sidelock with a black synthetic stock), caps, ball, and powder.

I ended up with two more sidelocks in short order, first a Kentucky Rifle replica and then a T/C New Englander.

I then taught a kid I know to shoot muzzleloaders, and he now has the Bobcat.

Got to making my own patches, made my own powder horn, and started casting my own balls.

In short order, I was quite addicted to the sidelocks shooting patched round balls, and on my best day I can plunk two of three balls through the same hole at 50 yards with open sights. The third ball only slightly elongates the hole.

Additionally, I very much appreciate the power of the round ball. Its aerodynamics suck, and for this reason it's one of the better projectiles for terminal ballistics.

Though the round ball has killed at over 500 yards in war time (especially in the hands of rifle units and sharpshooters -- I believe the record was 800 yards), for hunting, I believe 100 to 150 yards is the limit for the round ball from a rifle one knows well.

I grew up shooting slug guns, so I do not perceive this as any sort of handicap. I'm used to what rifle shooters would refer to as "close range."

On the other hand, many of my beloved, affordable sidelocks are disappearing in deference to inlines. While I have nothing against inline shooters, those rifles do not appeal to me. The proliferation of these rifles, too, tells me that more folks are buying the for hunting than for general shooting.

So, do you prefer modern muzzleloader designs, or sidelocks? Why?

Thanks,

Josh

Wow... answers to this question cover a LOT of "ground"... but here goes...

First, a friend let me shoot his percussion cap Hawken... and showed me how to load it. He got me "hooked" with the fun of shooting black powder, the wonderful aroma of burnt black powder, the allure of shooting part of history (the round, patched ball in a side-lock, black powder rifle) and the pure ENJOYMENT of holding a "piece-of-history" in my hands and shooting it.

Following that "romantic aspect" of shooting BP, I bought a commercially-made flintlock Pennsylvania Long Rifle... and learned some lessons in all the different ways a flintlock will fail to fire. Once I learned all those reasons "why"... I bought my first side-lock (percussion cap) rifle in a used, standard CVA Hawken in the same caliber (.50 caliber) as my Long Rifle.

Owning and shooting the commercially-made Pennsylvania Long Rifle made me "appreciate" the beautiful custom-made Long Rifles I saw in Friendship (Indiana) with their full "tiger" maple stocks and browned barrels, beautiful, shiny brass butt-plates and muzzle caps, trigger guards and handsome inlays... rifles I'd love to own, but can't really afford to buy... and don't have the workplace, tools, talent and expertise to build for myself.

I was surprised when I began shooting the Hawken... it SEEMED so much more simple to use and shoot. While both rifles were "accurate"... the Hawken seemed MORE accurate... or at least EASIER to shoot, to clean... and to handle since it was shorter.

Then I found and bought a percussion cap Hawken CARBINE... 6� pounds of .50 caliber rifle with a short 26" barrel which I felt would be very handy in the woods to use for hunting whitetails.

And so, now... I have three (3) "traditional" .50 caliber muzzle-loaders with double-set triggers in all three rifles.

Admittedly, I felt using a muzzleloading, black powder rifle would extend my deer hunting season plus here in Ohio, we can't use center-fire rifles, but can use muzzle-loading, black powder rifles (traditional and in-line) in place of shotguns or handguns for deer hunting.

But even if that wasn't so... I'd still find it fun & interesting in owning and shooting black powder, muzzle-loading, traditional sidelock rifles, but while my two sons use in-lines, I'm not at all interested in owning or shooting in-lines. In-lines just don't seem "traditional" and it's the "traditional" part of these muzzleloaders that interest me.

Another factor in enjoying these rifles is the low cost of shooting due to the fact you just can't shoot these rifles very fast!!! A long, pleasant afternoon of shooting might end up costing $5.00 or so... not a "big deal" even for a retired guy and his wife like us who are living on a lower, more limited income than when I was working.

What you younger fellas don't realize (and I didn't either when I was your age) is that 'most EVERY week has 6 "Saturdays" followed by a Sunday day-of-rest!!!


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

I like the extended season, the accuracy/killing power over standard rifled slugs (not the new stuff, though), the look and feel of wood and steel, the ergonomics of a rifle designed for and by, humans. Most of all, I like to be Dan'l Boone, bringin' home some supper.

"Armed recon" for two weeks prior to firearms season, and often right in the early stages of pre-rut; great time to get a look/shot at a good buck.

Great chance to fill the freezer with a couple does before the season gets going and they start shifting patterns.

Great transition from bow season to rifle season.

It's fun.

There's NOTHING like the smell of pure black burnt on a cool morning, and that flat, rolling "BOOOOOMM" that accompanies it.

Because it is a hell of a lot more fun. Modern cartridge rifles simply are not challenging.

A little history goes a long ways too.

Personally, I have no use for the modern inline, but not all "traditional" muzzleloaders are sidelocks. Indeed, the single most American style of rifle might well be the underhammer percussion rifle. About as mechanically simple as a folding pocket knife and just are reliable.

I muzzleload for more hunting time. I go both modern smokeless and blackpowder sidelock (caps) and enjoy them both.

its basically 14 days more hunting time for me.

More time to hunt. I do think they are fun to fool with, cheap to buy, and cheap to shoot.

Josh,

I bought my first ML rifle in '93 to go on mule deer hunting in Utah during a special late season, and that is why I continue to use them. They do have their own charm though. I use both an inline .50 and a handmade reproduction .451 English Sporting Rifle.

jim

I started fooling with them 40 years ago with an el-cheapo full stock percussion gun in .45. Made all the mistakes you can think of because I had no one to teach me, but learn I did. I've done Civil War re-enacting (with original muskets- no repros back then) and more recently Revolutionary War (as a Highlander). Artillery both times too. The underlying interest of hunting and target shooting with MLs saw me through a plethora of "civilian" arms that whole time. No re-enacting now (not many 58 year old enlisted guys back then, although I do a staff officer impression from time to time).

Here in Eastern Maryland it's shotgun only or ML for deer, so when I hunt around here it's ML, no shotgun deer hunting for me. And I use a traditional gun too, of course. My interests are pretty varied as far as guns in general are concerned but ML shooting/hunting is still a constant.

Years ago when special ML seasons were set up I took the spirit of the reason for them to heart, and still do. They were intended to give ML guys a chance to deer hunt without being crowded by all of the "civilians" during the regular season- much the same reason why there is an archery season too. Now, the DNR views the ML season as just another tool for deer herd management which prompted them to ok the use of inlines. Now the woods are full of guys, mostly toting inlines, shooting the hell out of stuff and the ambience of doing it the "old way" is gone. I guess that is what lies at the heart of my dislike for inlines. That and the fact that a lot of them are way more powerful than a .30/30 but are legal around here for deer, but the .30/30 isn't. Doesn't make sense. Small wonder that I go further afield where rifles are legal.

The fun of actually hunting.
A friend and I chased a nice WT buck last January with our flintlocks. We never got a shot and hardly got a glimpse of the old boy. He spent most days in a cedar patch surrounded by sandhills. I could have sneaked up a nearby hill with my 7mm Mag and spotting scope and waited for him to give me a shot - probably could have killed him that way. But, I would have cheated my buddy and me out of a lot of fun planning sneaks and strategy. None of our planning worked but I came close enough that I heard him move around and I could actually hear him take a leak and could smell the urine. I would rather have the memories of trying to outwit that deer than a few pictures and some venison.
Just my thoughts and worth exactly what you paid for them.


Johnny $

Here in CO,it gives me two elk seasons for areas where two tags are available.So I draw for ML seaosn cow and then do an OTC later.
I have never felt underguned,nor distance limited with a ML. Very seldom have I ever needed two shots on an elk.

The weather is niceer, better for these old bones,but there is more of a chance of rain.I'd rather hunt in snow than rain,and I don't go out if it is raining.
Big problem is at that time of year,early Sept, there is a lot more daylight left at the end of me.

Its puts me back in time ,also there were not many hunter in the 60 -70 muzzleloaders ,mostley tiral an error back then. Now I just listen to what all seams to think know an smile a little

gnoahhh, you could have written my reply, almost, including the age.

I started shooting muzzleloaders 36 years ago, as with gnoahh, with a cheap Kentucky cap lock in 45 cal. I'd bet we made all the same mistakes and for the same reason, no mentor. But learn we did, and learn well. I hunted with them from the beginning. The love of squirrel hunting led to a 36 cal. TC Seneca that was soon traded for a Southern Mountain flintlock. I still hunt squirrels with a 36 cal, Southern Mountain flintlock but not the same one. As things got better for us so did the quality of my rifles.

I did the Mountain Man thing for near 30 years then about 7 years ago got into the Long Hunter scene and that evolved into reenacting my home area, Missouri Ozarks, from about 1800. Along with a couple like minded friends we do a half dozen seminars/demonstrations every year for various groups of kids from elementary school age through high school.

I shoot rifles and smoothbores from the pre-Revolution period to the end of the rondesvous period, all but two are flintlocks.

Used to be muzzleloading season was a wonderful time to be in the woods. You knew anyone you ran into was going to be of a similar ken. The woods were quiet, deer largely undisturbed, the occasional flat boom of another muzzleloader far away was almost pleasant and you hoped another hunter such as yourself put his round ball in the right spot. Lots of guys set up primitive camps and hunters really tried to emulate our forebears and actually learn, as much as is possible, how things were "back in the day". As gnoahhh said, the spirit of muzzleloading seasons as established. As with many things I guess those times are gone for good. These days there isn't much difference between muzzleloading season and regular rifle season. If you set up a primitive camp on public ground the ambiance of the old days is soon lost unless you get "way back in there". Even then a camo clad hunter toting a scoped in-line, range finder, cover scents and a half dozen other high-tech toys will clomp into your camp, (making enough noise to raise the dead), and proceed to tell you how much better his $99.00 plastic in-line is than your custom made $1500.00 American longrifle, that there's no way you can kill a deer with that rifle, dressed in those clothes, how miserable your camp is and how he's covered "at least 15 miles", since sun-up and there ain't no deer around. Sure ain't none around him.

for me its the added challange , knowlage and history .. i also find i enjoy the slower pace

here it doesnt give you more hunting time as we only get 1 tag .
so really if one was hunting to fill the freezer . you could be completely don by the first week in September
also if your note smart about what you apply for , you may actualy find yourself with only a few days over months

My first ML was a T/C kit gun in .50. The early kits had barrels in the white that had to be filed smooth and browned. We cast out own maxi-balls and shot 3-F black Goex in them.

They were cheap to shoot. Conddidering the lack of shotgun slug
accuracy at the time the sidelocks from T/C were like sharps rifles even at 50 yards.


I still have the kit rifle but don't shoot it much anymore, I still lift in off the deer foot gun rack it sits in and look down the sights and recall the hunts it has scored on.

Doc

Well said

I swore I'd never ML but, after I shot one, I realized how fun they were to shoot so I thought I'd give it a try.

That being said, I personally wouldn't mess with one if it weren't for the month long December statewide ML season here in NE. It get's pretty nippy here in December and I have a hard time putting in the time I like to when bowhunting so ML is really the next best thing IMO.

Setting up in your bow stands makes you realize what an advancement the firearm was! Slam dunk!

'cuz they're so much FUN!!! I even carry one of my flinters frequently during regular BG season when we can use nearly anything that goes "BANG"!