Blackpowder Shooters

[Craig's Outdoor Sports]

How many Blackpowder shooters do we have here?  I really enjoy my muzzlestuffers almost as much as my conventional guns.

Currently I own a Hopkins & Allen underhammer Buggy Rifle and a CVA 12ga muzzleloading shotgun.

Looking to build an underhammer with a fast twist barrel this winter to shoot long distance.

Anyone else here like muzzlestuffers?

[jdmidwest]

I have been shooting black powder since I was a kid.  I have a Traditions Hawkin 50 cal and the matching Hawkin pistol in 50 cal, both shoot round ball pretty well.  I also have a Traditions break over inline that drives sabot jacketed pistol bullets like lasers down range that is fun to shoot.

I have a Thompson Center carbine that I am looking for a barrel for.  I picked it up cheap, but the bore was not taken care of.

I am always on the lookout for a Ruger Black Powder pistol built on the Blackhawk style frame back in the 70's at gunshows and online, I used to shoot my uncle's as a kid.

I have taken several deer with my percussions.  I have yet to have a chance to hunt with the inline, but will give it a try in Dec.

I have entertained the thought of a long barrel Kentucky Rifle in 36 cal, a black powder shotgun, and possibly a civil or revolutionary war era rifle for the collection.

Black powder is the best for shooting.  I never was a fan of Pyrodex.  I have used Triple 7 lately with good luck.  Always use loose powder for reliable ignition and accuracy.  Not a fan of pellets.

[Craig's Outdoor Sports]

Good to see other bp enthusiast!

I've only shot the substitute powders but plan on getting some Goex next time I get to Bass pro or a gun show with some for sale.

[Seth]

I have an old cheap CVA inline and a CVA Optima Elite with a 50 cal barrel that I have taken several deer with out to 148 yards. I've always just used 100gr of 777 pellets and a Hornady 250gr SST sabot. That load gives me 1.5" MOA accuracy at 100 yards. My rifles don't shoot much if any better than that so I can't really imagine gaining much from using loose powder. I'm tagged out on fire arm tags for this year so they will have to sit until next year unless I can convince the fiance to go out. She hates cold weather though so I doubt that will happen.

[MOPanfisher]

I have hunted with ML off and on since I was a teenager.  most fun was a CVA .32 cal cap and ball, that little rifle would spin a squirrel out of a tree like it was hit with a turkey load.  25 grains of pyrodex and a lead ball.  since then I have owned 2 or 3 traditional before I ended up with a used Knight DISC, .50 cal.  that thing a blast to shoot, it has been fed different things over the years, but now lives on a diet of Hornady SST 250s and 2 pellets of 777.  I have used it with a scope and with its excellent iron sights, just remounted a fixed 4X scope last night.  best story with it involved my then 8 yr old daughter sitting next to me in a blind when 2 does came within 100 yards of us one calm evening hunt.  BIG boom, and clouds of white smoke, she turned to me and said "that is the coolest thing I have every seen".  took her with me to look for the deer, explaining we were looking for blood.  a deer jumped out and rand about 50 yards and stopped, I was about 8 ounces from shooting it when it hoped off again and repeated the almost long enough to shoot before completely bolting off into the timber.  I was crushed, missed the deer wit my daughter beside me.  may daughter who hadn't even seen theas deer and had been dutifullylooking for blood says "daddy isn't his blood", sure enough a nice blood trail going the other way about 50 yards to a large very dead doe.  Of course she had to go with me to the check station and proceeded to tell an Agent who was there that it was HER deer.  after telling him the story he just laughed and said, pretty sure should just let her claim it as hers.  Anyway I will be sighting it in again soon for the ML season tatting Christmas eve since I have 2 tags to work with.  

[grizwilson]

Have been shooting muzzloaders since the early 80s.  Have a set of Thompson Center Hawkins, .54, 50 and 45.  Have killed many deer and a Longhunter Society Elk scored well over 300 in the 90's.  I actually think that I am more deadly with my longbow, but there is a feel I get carrying the smoke pole through the timber.  Shoot only black powder, but my boys each have 50 cal inlines they shoot pellets with sabots, makes them simple but very functional guns, one is a traditions one a cva.  Love the darn things.  Working on a lighter load for my 54, it's best load is a 425 plains bullet with 110 gr of ff, kicks like a mule, makes my 338 winmag seem like a kids gun.  Maybe 70 gr fff?  Sure like to fiddle with them, and find the sweet spot.

g

[oneshot]

I started shooting Muzzleloaders since the ‘60’s right now have a 54Cal. Sidekick, couple Inlines, Inline Shotgun and a Double Barrel Precussion Shotgun.

oneshot

[Deadstream]

How long can you leave an inline loaded?  Pellets and sabot.

[jdmidwest]

Modern powders are non corrosive for the most part, all season would be fine.  Kept inside in a low moisture environment.  If water has a chance of getting in barrel in rain, I would reload.

I would pull it or fire it and clean it after season.