getting into BP shooting...

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Drgong

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ok, not buying any more guns this year except for what I have already laid away for. but blackpowder has always made me grin when i see people do it. Just wondering what would be the best way to get into blackpowder for me. (of course, gonna give you more info)

1. I am not a hunter, I don't own land and it is a pain to find places to hunt, and due to my job I really can't hunt on land in my county (I am a planner, and if someone let me hunt on there property, it could be called favortism to a landowner :banghead:) Thus it does not need to be a hunting rifle.

2. I am looking for a inexpensive shoot, this is going to be a "fun gun" and fun is better when your not spending a ton of money.

3. I am perfictly happy with a percussion cap gun, but it does not have to be a replica of a historical rifle.

4. Rifle or revolver or single shot is fine, no cannons ... yet :p Though it would be best to recommend both revolver/single shots and rifles, never know, might pick up both.

won't be till january before i even THINK about buying anything, but just wanted to know what to look for...
 
First read the sticky; "Black Powder Essentials"

Cost-wise, a Pietta cap and ball revolver is a decent choice-- 1851 Navy, or '58 Remington New Model Army (recently got one of the latter for 200 bucks on special from Cabela's). Steel frames are generally prefered over brass frames, for better longevity. For something simpler, a single-shot percussion pistol isn't bad either. For a rifle there are the "Hawken" style rifles by Lyman (the Deerstalker) Thompson Center, and many others. The choices are endless.

There've been others who recently asked a similar question. Scroll down through this section and you'll find many more answers to your question.
 
Cabelas Hawken or the Lyman Trade Rifle (same manufacturer, slightly different furniture, barrel length) - Both very sturdy, capable, and good value.
 
Or go with an inline. Non traditional. they are very easy to use will get you into black powder shooting. Then as time goes on and you start to really get into black powder shooting you can get some revolvers and then go traditional. For someone just getting into bp shooting inline is very easy and affordable. Take a look at the following link for as low as 139.99. you cant touch that with any traditional.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...a&type=product&cmCat=cchart_mdrn_blk_pwdr_rfl

If you get the starter kit with it all you will need is the powder and shotgun primers.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...rid=&parentType=&indexId=cat370001&hasJS=true

i also recomend looking at black powder essentials and look at black powder 101 you will learn a lot on that one.
 
Or go with an inline. Non traditional. they are very easy to use will get you into black powder shooting.

I have to disagree here. IF you want an INEXPENSIVE gun to shoot, and inline is NOT the way to go. Sabot rounds run between $1.50 - $2.00 per shot to shoot, and an inline to be accurate needs a scope, so tack on extra cost.

Out-of-the-box, a traditional caplock bought at a Pawn Shop (hint hint) shooting a round ball runs under 20 cents, and shooting a conical is still under 50 cents. The same is true for a revolver, only you use 1/3 the powder so the cost per shot is about 12 cents = 60 cents per 6 shot cylinder.

LD
 
Re: pawn shops - a dissenting note.

Not a good place for a new bp shooter to get his first gun. You really need to know your way around a bp gun to buy one from a pawn shop - there's no information about the condition (read: safety) of the gun except what you can see with your own eyes, and if your're buying your first one, well, you're not likely to have the experience to look for the clues that the gun is abused/unsafe.
 
I have to disagree here. IF you want an INEXPENSIVE gun to shoot, and inline is NOT the way to go. Sabot rounds run between $1.50 - $2.00 per shot to shoot, and an inline to be accurate needs a scope, so tack on extra cost.

Out-of-the-box, a traditional caplock bought at a Pawn Shop (hint hint) shooting a round ball runs under 20 cents, and shooting a conical is still under 50 cents. The same is true for a revolver, only you use 1/3 the powder so the cost per shot is about 12 cents = 60 cents per 6 shot cylinder.

This is wrong completely wrong

AGAIN I WILL REPEAT. The inline is the cheapest way to get into shooting bp. You do not have to go with shooting only sabots. NOw if you wanted to go on the cheap on shooting sabots. You can buy just the plastic and add whatever bullet you want. OR you can go cast. I shoot cast i purchased a .50 cal. R.E.A.L bullet mold from lee precision. so i am shooting less than 10 cents a round. As for powder thats up to you. traditional cap lock you still use more powder than you do a revolver. Same time you can purchase a good pietta revolver also from cabelas for about 130. Either way its a good start.

But to say that shooting inlines is expensive because you have to shoot sabots is wrong. I shoot cast all the time.
 
I don`t know anyone that target shoots with an inline ...My local black Powder Club ..has put up a sign that says Inlines welcome ..we only see these guys to sight in their inlines rifles right before deer season , Talking to one of them I was told it was costing a dollar a shot ..for them to play ..compaired to pennys for us round ball shooters depending on what we paid for our lead .
I thought it was interesting at how little they know about traditional muzzle loading ..Most folks that shoot inlines are in it for the extra deer season ..I have converted one or two of them ...Now they shoot side locks and enjoy Mountainman rendevous ...They just had no idea how accurate patched round ball could be ...After watching us shoot quarter size targets at 25 yards with out traditional muzzle loaders with open fixed sights ..guess they felt a little over gunned for primitive deer season with a scoped inline rifle ...considering 90% of the deer killed in this part of the country are shots under 50 yards .
 
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