Why do you shoot Black Powder

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for me it is just a way of extending my hunting time. if there was not a seperate bp deer season, i just wouln't own one. they are ok to shoot, but it takes such a long tome compared to a regular rifle to shoot. the cleaning is different, but that is not really a big deal. when i shoot anything, i clean it when i get home, or VERY shortly afterward anyway. with the exception of a cap and ball revolver. someday, i would like to shoot one of those.
 
Interesting. I have just started shooting black powder in a cap and ball revolver I bought before Christmas. How did it happen? Well, I discussed going shooting with a friend, the traditional kind of target shooting, and he suggested going to a gun show. Before the gun show I stopped by Barnes & Noble and looked for books on handguns. Not much there. But there was one on black powder and CAS. Not really interested in the latter, but I thought those old Colts and Remingtons looked NEAT. So I bought a cheap one to get started. Then I started buying stuff to go with it -- you know, a loading stand, and a capper. Found a few web sites, like Dixie Gun Works. Wow, this looks cool. First time ought, I got some pretty tight shot groups with the cap and ball pistol. I stank for two days, but what the heck? Then, well, you know, one thing leads to another and pretty soon you're thinking about getting a muzzleloader or a flint lock...
 
Smoke and fog... plus it pisses people off when I fire off the Walker in rapid mode and obscure their targets.... ;)
 
Have to admit that I initially got "into" it because it was one more legal means to deer hunt.
After owning a bp rifle,I've developed an an appreciation for them that I didn't think I would.
I've realized..I enjoy just about any device that "throws" a projectile,and can be used to hunt game.
 
Smoke and fog... plus it pisses people off when I fire off the Walker in rapid mode and obscure their targets....
Click to expand...

I have to admit I get a big kick out of shooting black powder at the range and sending a big cloud of smoke drifting across the firing line. Pretty much every time I take my Sharps to the range someone ends up walking over to see what the heck I'm shooting. Can't say I've really P.O.'d anyone yet, maybe somewhat annoyed a few :D. Usually they're just curious.
 
I may have mentioned this before on this forum - stop me if you've heard it before...

Many years ago I took my 2nd Dragoon to a local public outdoor range for a little practice. Two stations to my right there was a woman with a young (about 12) boy shooting a .22 semiauto; there were also three or four other guys shooting various smokeless pistols as well.

I loaded all 6 chambers and proceeded to fire them as fast as I could cock and fire, resulting in a complete shutdown of the range due to the smoke; the fire and boom was pretty impressive, too. The woman screamed and then broke an ran; the young boy cheered, shouting, "All right!" The range master laughed and then said, in his most official voice, with a great big grin, "Don't you EVER do that again." The other guys on the range just grinned.

The boy came over and asked about the gun, and asked if he could shoot it. I told him he'd have to get his mother's permission, so he retrieved her from the parking lot, and I let him fire a cylinder full. The grin was permanent and priceless.

I shot with him and his father a number of times after that. The dad eventually bought the boy an 1851 Navy.
 
When I first started in BP circa 1990-1, the outdoor range I used once had to shut down, so I called the rangemaster at an indoor range to check if they allowed BP, and was told I'd be permitted to fire at the last 30 minute round before they closed for the evening.
I brought my Colt 1860. When I lit off the first round, I heard someone a few stations away exclaim "what the h3ll was that??":D
I didn't really enjoy loading and shooting it indoors as the lighting conditions weren't that great ... but it was fun stinkin' up the place!!:evil:
 
This one is easy, and has been asked before.

I prefer the hunting season in September when the weather is warmer, the elk are in rut, and fewer hunters are in the field.
 
Well living in the UK you might immediately think: ‘that’s because you can’t shoot ‘real’ handguns anymore’. For some of us, that statement would be true but for me, I would still shoot BP even if I could still own a centrefire handgun.

Why? … well there is something almost natural and organic’ about it – it just grows on you. Anyone can shove a few rounds into a cylinder or mag and blast away but not everyone has the patients or skill to load and fire a BP pistol accurately.

I love the fact that you have to ‘work’ at shooting BP. There is so much to experiment with: e.g. ball sizes, different loads, what lube to use - how much and where to place it, what size caps to use and the best method for discarding them, accuracy issues, timing issues, POA issues etc etc etc and that’s before the various processes for cleaning are tried and debated before you settle on a method that works for you.

With all the above, shooting a BP pistol is almost an additional bonus and hitting the target only part of the experience – sparks, smoke, boom and recoil add even more.

The smell of BP in the air on a cold and frosty Sunday morning in January is almost a spiritual experience:)
 
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