Getting started in black powder

[Jackrabbit1957]

As a quick sidenote on revolvers, you can make paper cartridges out of curling iron papers, ask the wife or girlfriend about them. Another tip is to pack the innards with hi temp bearing grease, makes the clean up so much easier. Clean the cylinder and barrel as usual, wipe down the frame, good to go. You can detail strip once a year or so and give it a real good cleaning, repack with grease and good for another year. Paper cartridges simplify the loading process, there are several good threads here on how to make them.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I've been shooting '58 Remington pattern pistols for fifty years. They're my favorites.
Ruger Old Army comes in second.
Then the bored-out '51 Colt, then the Walker and all of the rest of the revolvers.

I don't really have a favorite rifle.
In-lines are fun and shockingly cheap out of season. I rarely pay more than $30.00 plus shipping for one.
Folks usually want more for the more traditional-looking rifles simply because they look so good when hung on the wall.
Original flintlock muskets are catch-as-catch-can, and their prices and shootability are a matter of pure luck.
Double-barrel guns are a hoot.

Y'all have fun!

 

[American_Fusilier]

I keep seeing the word "in-line" being used. What does that mean?

 

[.38 Special]

I keep seeing the word "in-line" being used. What does that mean?

Think plastic and stainless rifle using compressed pellets of powder, a shotgun primer, a pistol bullet in a plastic sabot, and topped off with a scope. It is essentially a way for for modern shooters to take advantage of muzzleloading hunting seasons without actually having to know anything about muzzleloading.

In my completely unbiased opinion.

 

[American_Fusilier]

Think plastic and stainless rifle using compressed pellets of powder, a shotgun primer, a pistol bullet in a plastic sabot, and topped off with a scope. It is essentuially a way for for modern shooters to take advantage of muzzleloading hunting seasons without actually having to know anything about muzzleloading.

In my completely unbiased opinion.

I know exactly what you are referring to, thanks!

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I keep seeing the word "in-line" being used. What does that mean?

I know exactly what you are referring to, thanks!

In-lines were developed as an end-around the laws for muzzle loader only seasons to gain range, accuracy, reliability and ease of use. I have shot deer with them and have nothing against them.
An in-line is a muzzle loader in the same way a crossbow is a bow.

 

[American_Fusilier]

In-lines were developed as an end-around the laws for muzzle loader only seasons to gain range, accuracy, reliability and ease of use. I have shot deer with them and have nothing against them.
An in-line is a muzzle loader in the same way a crossbow is a bow.

Makes sense. That's a good analogy.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

Exactly what I wrote and even posted a chart showing the amount of difference between some of them.

just adding details to the discussion

 

[Jim Watson]

“Primitive weapon” in Mississippi includes single shot breechloaders, smokeless allowed.

 

[Rustmangler]

My inline pistol is set up "converted" to caps and blackpowder .

 

[armoredman]

May I add if you DO get a revolver, then Jackrabbit is the guy to go to - he upgraded this fine Uberti 1860 to an excellent shooter.

My favorite, seemingly one of the only imports that Jackrabbit examined and said was actually go to go right out of the box...but purists hate it because stainless steel didn't exist during the Civil War.

I am still experimenting with paper cartridges, interesting stuff and not really that hard to make. I forget where I got my kit...

A group shot at 10 yards with the New Model Army and paper cartridges.

OTOH, a rifle is easier to clean and load, and can be TONS of fun - my T/C .54 caliber Renegade, next to some new fangled modern rifle...

It's a brand new world, and for someone on a tight budget, it CAN be pretty cheap to get into, truthfully.

 

[jmorris]

just adding details to the discussion

I was just giving a heads up, I was pushing 128gn balls out of a 45 rifle over 2100 fps right before I figured that out.

 

[J-Bar]

The Ruger Old Army is a cap and ball revolver that is no longer in production, but considered by many to be the best percussion revolver ever built. Pristine ones are expensive, but you can still find used ones, with perhaps some rougher bores and chambers, that still function well. Adjustable sight models are cheaper than the stainless and fixed-sighted ones. They are also easy to convert to firing cartridges by using a conversion cylinder, allowing you to shoot both black powder and smokeless cartridges. The ROA is strong enough to handle them.

Getting started in Blackpowder, it's understandable to dabble with cheap guns, but their problems can be discouraging. If you take the leap and invest in a Ruger Old Army, you really are not taking much financial risk. You can sell it, probably at a profit, if you keep it a few years. You are not going to do that with a Uberti or Pietta.

 

[Lefty38-55]

I don't have but one BP pistol myself, but I buy out estates and such around me - as none of the modern 'toy' shops - will touch anything BP, so they all call me or have the families/widows do the same. I have too many to list here, but always have an assortment - AT ALL BUDGETS - of BP flint and percussion arms (e.g., T/C Renegades, Hawkens or 1863 Remington Contract Rifled Musket (Zouave) to sell ... PM me if interested.

 

[Eyrie G. Dogg]

If I were new to black powder shooting and wondering which gun to buy, I would first decide whether I wanted a handgun or a long arm and go from there.

 

[Lefty38-55]

... and then decide percussion or flint ... then style, period or era ...

And then to get really in depth ... where you live (if doing anything like experimental archaeology) or from (could be Anglais or French or Dutch descent, each had their cache of arms brought 'over here').

 

[.38 Special]

...after which you can look into the truly important things, like whether the amount of zinc used to alloy the brass trigger guard is historically appropriate, and where the tree used for your ramrod was grown.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

And then learning how to make your own powder, knap flints, make home brewed lubes and beer.

 

[Rustmangler]

Mmmmmm beer then distill it to shine

 

[Mike OTDP]

If you have the itch for a revolver, scratch it. Buying a rifle won't satisfy you. The Colts aren't bad, except that they are a PITA to work on...you have to completely disassemble them to get at the lockwork. Remingtons you can pull the internals out of much more easily. Not that I recommend it, except for an every-six-months-or-so detail scrubbing.