Is black powder shooting more "pure"?

[Blakenzy]

I would just like to see what members here have to say on this... I feel that black powder shooting is a more pure and organic form of shooting, when compared to more modern weapon systems. It seems to me that when using black powder weapons, specially muzzle loaders and the such, that the shooter and the weapon blend into each other more naturally.

Please share your thoughts.

 

[Plink]

I had never thought about the word "pure" for black powder guns, but it really does fit well, I think. They're definately more basic and fundamental. When you strip away all the trappings of modern guns, you're left with shooter, gun, powder and ball. The very essence of muzzleloading.

Each shot is a mini handloading session and we're responsible for the quality of our load, rather than some factory. It tends to make us slow down, focus, and get the best out of each shot. I think "pure" fits that very well.

 

[mec]

It may be more Natural in that many natural functons are quite organic and nasty. *

*attempt at humor which may very likely, fall flat.

 

[DrLaw]

Yes. As a matter of fact, I grow my own black powder using only non-chemical fertilizers and pick my percussion caps off my percussion tree on which I only use natural soap insecticide. I was concerned about using trees for the stocks, so I switched to recycled paper wadded together. Only natural pure lead is used and not some chemically treated alloy.
Being politically correct, I do not actually shoot my guns, but I paint them pink or purple so that they cannot be mistaken for polluting machine made guns.

(Dang, I can't keep going on like this. "Pure?" Is this a karma question? Maybe you had some hemp that you were using for a slow match? "Pure"?
Sheesh! )

The Doc is out looking for a drink now.

 

[Blakenzy]

Well, excuuuuse me Dr. Law!

I meant "pure" as the way Plink put it, and by "organic" I meant visceral and raw

 

[DrLaw]

Oh good.

For a while I thought we had been invaded by 60's hippies!

I believe that all forms of shooting are not visceral or raw, but a connection to history and inalienable rights of man to protect his life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. B-P shooting is a closer connection in the manner of which the gun is loaded, fired, handled, etc... However, shooting targets today had its start with contests like the Turkey Shoot and V-notch shoots. Military guns have evolved from hande gonnes to the micro-processor equiped super guns of today. Where guns are not, liberty is not and you become a sheep among the wolves.

Okay, there is my two cents. Sorry if I interpreted your question in the wrong way, but quite frankly, I get really, really tired of the politically correct who believe that guns are the source of evil or who think that if we just 'go back to mother earth', everything will be utopia, and nobody speaks up against them. That's the way your question struck me. I just had to respond!!!

Apology accepted?

The Doc is out now.

 

[roundball]

Terminology aside, I think I know what you're getting at...

I have several fine, high quality CF rifles with big Leupold scopes that have just laid oiled in their cases for years since I took my first Flintlock buck.
Have hunted exclusively with Flintlocks for a long time now...fill all my deer tags with them every year, take some squirrels, and just a couple weeks ago filled both my spring Turkey tags with a Flintlock smoothbore.

Killing a deer, bear, etc, with a Remington 700/.30-06 and powerful light gathering Leupold scope was child's play...after sighting them in it was just performing target practice at an unsuspecting deer 300 yards away across a beanfield...no challenge what-so-ever as far as I'm concerned.

Switching to iron sighted Flintlocks with patched round balls put the hunt back in hunting for me...nothing like being so close to a Buck outside his sanctuary that you can see his nose hairs and put a lead ball through his heart from a Flintlock...or having a big Tom in full strut 25yds away and send a load of #6's his way from a Flintlock.

To me, no other form of hunting comes close to the satisfaction and accomplishment of hunting with Flintlocks, real black powder, and patched round balls, just like our forefathers did...

 

[mec]

It really is the way to get some continuity with history and experience, more or less, the same things our ancestors did.

 

[Sistema1927]

It is only "pure" if you use a flintlock. That fulminate of mercury is straight from the devil.

 

[O.S.O.K.]

for me

BP shooting is just another interesting shooting manifestation that I enjoy.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Never thought about it being a more pure form of shooting. Just thought it was more fun. But then again, I'm simple minded.

 

[oneshooter]

I guess my matchloch just takes it another step toward "nervana"!

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[arcticap]

I'm sorry, but as much as I enjoy muzzle loading, I think that airgun shooting is a much more pure and organic form of shooting. Why? Because it's all about shooting form without having to compensate for any of the recoil. And airgun shooters can shoot unpatched round balls and skirted conicals from smooth or rifled barrels too. They existed in the 1700's, so they are an old form of shooting.
I think that one of the next purest forms of shooting is with the rimfire calibers, again because it's so much about shooting form & technique purely for accuracy, without the unwanted recoil or smoke. This certainly helps to see the target better, especially indoors. Being able to shoot repeaters rapid fire can sure be pure, organic fun. And the .22 rimfire was once a black powder round.

Oh, was the question about pure shooting or shooting pure firearms?

 

[BigG]

I think muzzleloading has its own charm that folks that only shoot fixed ammunition don't realize. I like shooting BP, i.e., muzzleloading, myself.

And like MEC says, BP smells a WHOLE LOT more organic than smokeless powder, also.

 

[jeep-2]

If you are hunting with a BP shotgun, the game is well earned and it gives hunting the real name... today many hunters ride an ATV, carry night vision glasses and use the largest cal auto rifle they can get and call themselves hunters when in fact they're just shooters. I wouldn't even call them sportsmen.

 

[Plink]

Hi Roundball! *wave*

Articap, I'm a big fan of airgunning and rimfires, myself. They have an attraction all their own.

The one thing I actually prefer about muzzleloading though, is "building my own load" tailored to the gun and the particular purpose at hand. I find the smoke and fire, and the slight ignition delay to be a big help increasing my discipline. Time spent with muzzleloaders has improved my results with smokeless and airguns also.

 

[J.T. Gerrity]

As an "old '60s hippie" myself, I have to say that I feel BP shooting creates its own form of "zen": the act of loading the chambers... getting the loads right... applying the wad or filler... loading the ball... concentrating on getting the correct "crush" on the powder... applying the cap(s)... and, finally, cocking the hammer and acquiring the target. The whole procedure tends to create a type of concentration and anticipation that is missing totally in modern shooting; by the time you have completed the above mentioned steps, your mind is "in the BP zone". You tend to take a little more time before you pull the trigger, knowing the steps you'll have to take to re-load. I think the closest you can come to this in cartridge shooting is if you load your own, which, certainly, creates a "zen" of its own... JMHO

 

[Jim K]

I once knew a guy who cleaned his C&B revolver while taking a shower; I guess that made everything pure.

Jim

 

[O.S.O.K.]

us vs them

From Jeep-2: "If you are hunting with a BP shotgun, the game is well earned and it gives hunting the real name... today many hunters ride an ATV, carry night vision glasses and use the largest cal auto rifle they can get and call themselves hunters when in fact they're just shooters. I wouldn't even call them sportsmen."

While I tend to agree with you, in today's reality of Brady Bunch and George Sorros, we can ill aford to splinter ouselves into "factions". This was driven home recently by Mr. Zumbo's "terrorist guns" comments and resultant backlash, which was very healthy occurance IMHO.

No intention to hijack the thread.

Black Powder shooting is fun and has its own rewards. I don't see it as being any more "pure" though. After all, if you have that opinion, you really should be driving the game over a cliff or using snares - that's even "purer" by the standard being applied (I'm skipping bow and arrow and lance) - or better yet, look for a recently deceased game animal and help yourself to the meat - that's even more "pure" no?

 

[roundball]

Blakenzy and Jeep.....I thought the points of your posts were very clear so instead of playing terminology police or trying to split hairs, I responded to their central theme...and totally agree with them.

 

[O.S.O.K.]

hair splitting, terminology

I too understood their posts and was just disagreeing with the whole idea of "pure" equaling "superior".

Anyway, I like cap and ball and muzzle loading a lot and still like to shoot my AR-15's and scoped bolt guns....and cowboy guns and milsurp guns and and....

I certainly understand the satisfaction that increasing the "challenge" can bring. I think that's the real point being made.

 

[DaveP (UK)]

I do find that a target session with a muzzle loading rifle can leave me with a profound sense of calm afterwards. I enjoy other types of shooting too, but not in the same way.
Shooting better or worse than on my previous session depends only on me, on how carefully I measure, pour, select, ram, present, aim and release. All simple steps, but each one susceptible to being done well or otherwise.
As I go through the sequence, time and again, everyday cares are pushed aside and a feeling of peace descends...
Now, if I only knew why I wasnt shooting possibles all the time...

 

[mike101]

Muzzleloading is purer, for many of the reasons stated by everyone. And you can't beat the sparks, flame, and smoke for a pure, primally satisfying experience. Manly men are we.

 

[gezzer]

Pure What? (bull%%$#)

And My only BP long guns are Rocklocks.

 

[Gewehr98]

Only if you refrain from using that nasty Pyrodex crap, and stick with the real thing. No Triple Se7en, either.