I would like to try out black powder but I am unsure if a rifle or pistol would be better to start with. It would mainly just be used for plinking/target shooting. From what I have seen the rifle would be cheaper initial investment but the pistols are much better looking and would at the very least be a good wall hanger if I dont like the hobby. What do members here recommend? Thanks
First black powder purchase
- Thread starter SgtMcMop
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Both. You're welcome.
Rifle is easier to load, cheaper to buy, cheaper to shoot, and gets you hunting earlier in the season if that's your thing. Pistols are fun but totally impractical and use 6x as much ammo.
Yes, both.
I started with a pistol because, well, they're cool. Only shot it a few times. It's mostly a shelf curio.
The rifle was a long sought after item. Finally found one in .45cal from a member. Love shooting it. I can spend a couple of relaxing hours at the range shooting 20 or so shots. Each is a challenge.
I started with a pistol because, well, they're cool. Only shot it a few times. It's mostly a shelf curio.
The rifle was a long sought after item. Finally found one in .45cal from a member. Love shooting it. I can spend a couple of relaxing hours at the range shooting 20 or so shots. Each is a challenge.
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I like shooting my rifles more than the pistol. The pistol is fun, but its very labor intensive for 6 shots. It takes a few minutes to load, a few seconds to shoot, and a lot of cleaning. I get maybe 3 cylinders worth of shooting before it get too fouled to cook easily.
The rifles on the other hand are not that hard to clean and I can get 10-15 shots before it becomes hard to load. Cleaning is easier on the rifles IMO.
The rifles on the other hand are not that hard to clean and I can get 10-15 shots before it becomes hard to load. Cleaning is easier on the rifles IMO.
If you're into percussion, I'd start wth a pistol. You can also get a single-shot pistol; it doesn't have to be a revolver.
If I were to start with a muzzle loading rifle all over again, I'd save up more shekels and get a flintlock. Just because/cool factor!
If I were to start with a muzzle loading rifle all over again, I'd save up more shekels and get a flintlock. Just because/cool factor!
MacEntyre
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I like 'em all... flintlock rifles, percussion rifle (32 cal squirrel gun in particular) and percussion revolvers. A stainless Ruger Old Army revolver is the strongest and most resistant to fouling, as well as the most expensive.
Speaking as both a certified muzzleloading instructor and long time black powder shooter here’s some things to consider-
first, what is your ultimate goal, hunt? compete?, plink?
second-what’s the budget? More on this later
third- rifle/pistol which are you most comfortable with now
I suggest you shoot with somebody who is knowledgeable and has a range of black powder arms to try before buying anything. Revisit what you’d ultimately like to do and then look for a quality gun within the budget. When I go to the range with friends, all we shoot is black powder and that includes percussion and flintlocks, rifled and smooth bore, rifles and pistols. PM me if you want to find out how deep the rabbit hole goes.
first, what is your ultimate goal, hunt? compete?, plink?
second-what’s the budget? More on this later
third- rifle/pistol which are you most comfortable with now
I suggest you shoot with somebody who is knowledgeable and has a range of black powder arms to try before buying anything. Revisit what you’d ultimately like to do and then look for a quality gun within the budget. When I go to the range with friends, all we shoot is black powder and that includes percussion and flintlocks, rifled and smooth bore, rifles and pistols. PM me if you want to find out how deep the rabbit hole goes.
The main goal is just to plink for now and if i enjoy the hobby i will see where it goes. As far as the budget goes I wouldn't like to spend a ton of money on my first purchase but I dont want the cheapest stuff available. Lastly im comfortable with both long guns and pistols. My biggest concern is giving the hobby a fair try without breaking the bank. I have not done enough research to know what a reasonable budget would be for that expectation though.
PM sent.
As for budget, I generally don't recommend going cheap on the first gun but to buy a quality used gun like a vintage T/C. Money would generally be comparable and consumables the same. One other consideration is if you want to cast your own bullets. That will keep you in projectiles as long as you care to keep casting. Round ball is easiest to cast, conicals next but none are really hard if you understand how the process works. Flint v Percussion- tons of arguments over that one and each has merits. The National Muzzleloading Rifle Association has a very big tent regarding black powder. They welcome traditional stuff, modern stuff and black powder cartridge. Just as in modern arms, you can play about any gun game or plink or you can make up your own fun. We were shooting skeet last Saturday with a 1720s Fusil de Chasse (modern repro of a french smoothbore) and we moved over to a 1720s Dragoon pistol. A 1842 Macon Civil War era smoothbore is a very capable skeet blaster. I shot a match last weekend in Statesville with the North South Skirmish Association. We competed with revolvers, carbines, smoothbores and muskets.
As for budget, I generally don't recommend going cheap on the first gun but to buy a quality used gun like a vintage T/C. Money would generally be comparable and consumables the same. One other consideration is if you want to cast your own bullets. That will keep you in projectiles as long as you care to keep casting. Round ball is easiest to cast, conicals next but none are really hard if you understand how the process works. Flint v Percussion- tons of arguments over that one and each has merits. The National Muzzleloading Rifle Association has a very big tent regarding black powder. They welcome traditional stuff, modern stuff and black powder cartridge. Just as in modern arms, you can play about any gun game or plink or you can make up your own fun. We were shooting skeet last Saturday with a 1720s Fusil de Chasse (modern repro of a french smoothbore) and we moved over to a 1720s Dragoon pistol. A 1842 Macon Civil War era smoothbore is a very capable skeet blaster. I shot a match last weekend in Statesville with the North South Skirmish Association. We competed with revolvers, carbines, smoothbores and muskets.
Echo what others have said. Have both; rifle is easier to get started.
Just realize cleaning is different... there is no "good enough for now". Clean like your drill Sgt is going to inspect and use a microscope... every time you shoot it.
Just realize cleaning is different... there is no "good enough for now". Clean like your drill Sgt is going to inspect and use a microscope... every time you shoot it.
Cleaning isn't the bugaboo everybody says it is unless you shoot Pyrodex. I don't know a worse black powder sub. The fouling is abrasive and highly corrosive and must be squeaky clean within hours of shooting and then you'll still have to clean it again in a week or so.
Not so much with real black powder. I clean my competition muskets with nothing more than Windex. Windex contains water and ammonia. Water dissolves black powder fouling and ammonia neutralizes the acid. First the breech scraper, then a few shots Windex down the barrel till it runs out the nipple then patch till clean. Take out nipple and clean it and flash channel area with Windex. Lightly lube nipple threads and reinstall. Wipe down bore and outside with Marvel Mystery Oil and done. Entire process takes less time than to clean an AR15.
Other information for anyone considering coming over to the dark side, there is a parallel organization to the NRA for black powder and muzzleloaders, the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association. It encompasses nearly anything muzzleloading and black powder. The NMLRA started in the 1930s and was initially focused strictly on long rifles and roundball stuff. Fast forward and with membership dwindling and ground approaching, they opened up to more forms of black powder and muzzleloading. Now they have traditional round ball, Civil War arms, modern inlines, black powder cartridge, muzzleloading shotgun and more. They also are a very deep store of knowledge on real old school gun smithing and how the make all the stuff from back in the day. I can't recommend membership in the NMLRA for a black powder shooter enough.
The average modern shooter is too young to remember the heyday of muzzleloading in the 1970s. It was quite popular and guns were easily available. As time moved forward, many of those folks got older, died off or just quit. It just a factor of age, a person into shooting in the 70s was likely about 20 and that would make that person now 70+. Some stayed with it but many shooters migrated over to mainly modern arms. The problem there was a loss of knowledge and expertise in the black powder and muzzleloading fields. The NMLRA and those of us in black powder today are active in reintroducing black powder to the new generation of shooters (and that's partly why I work with Scouts and kids during summer camps). There's more to life than a "black rifle" namely Black Powder! It can be loads of fun and a great way to connect with history at the same time. How does that history benefit a new generation getting into black powder? Well, the old guns are often for sale a prices under the cost of a new one and usually much better made. If it's in good condition, a quality T/C can be had for about $400 or less. I've seen more than one in the past couple years sell for under that figure and be excellent shooters. In the world of Civil War live fire, there is no source deeper than the North South Skirmish Association. There's lots of Utoob reenactorisms, but if you really want to know how to make the old war horse do it's thing, come shoot with the N-SSA.
Not so much with real black powder. I clean my competition muskets with nothing more than Windex. Windex contains water and ammonia. Water dissolves black powder fouling and ammonia neutralizes the acid. First the breech scraper, then a few shots Windex down the barrel till it runs out the nipple then patch till clean. Take out nipple and clean it and flash channel area with Windex. Lightly lube nipple threads and reinstall. Wipe down bore and outside with Marvel Mystery Oil and done. Entire process takes less time than to clean an AR15.
Other information for anyone considering coming over to the dark side, there is a parallel organization to the NRA for black powder and muzzleloaders, the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association. It encompasses nearly anything muzzleloading and black powder. The NMLRA started in the 1930s and was initially focused strictly on long rifles and roundball stuff. Fast forward and with membership dwindling and ground approaching, they opened up to more forms of black powder and muzzleloading. Now they have traditional round ball, Civil War arms, modern inlines, black powder cartridge, muzzleloading shotgun and more. They also are a very deep store of knowledge on real old school gun smithing and how the make all the stuff from back in the day. I can't recommend membership in the NMLRA for a black powder shooter enough.
The average modern shooter is too young to remember the heyday of muzzleloading in the 1970s. It was quite popular and guns were easily available. As time moved forward, many of those folks got older, died off or just quit. It just a factor of age, a person into shooting in the 70s was likely about 20 and that would make that person now 70+. Some stayed with it but many shooters migrated over to mainly modern arms. The problem there was a loss of knowledge and expertise in the black powder and muzzleloading fields. The NMLRA and those of us in black powder today are active in reintroducing black powder to the new generation of shooters (and that's partly why I work with Scouts and kids during summer camps). There's more to life than a "black rifle" namely Black Powder! It can be loads of fun and a great way to connect with history at the same time. How does that history benefit a new generation getting into black powder? Well, the old guns are often for sale a prices under the cost of a new one and usually much better made. If it's in good condition, a quality T/C can be had for about $400 or less. I've seen more than one in the past couple years sell for under that figure and be excellent shooters. In the world of Civil War live fire, there is no source deeper than the North South Skirmish Association. There's lots of Utoob reenactorisms, but if you really want to know how to make the old war horse do it's thing, come shoot with the N-SSA.
Ben W.
Well-Known Member
+1 on what Dave951 says. I do like the revolvers, and they can be used in Cowboy Action shooting as well! Rifles, I prefer percussion Hawken-style rifles. Some of those are crazy accurate, too.