Reviving A Blast From The Past Muzzleloader Shooters Bring Back Some History

For some, it’s a love of history. For others, it’s the challenge of target shooting, while still others are drawn by special hunting opportunities.

Whatever the reason, interest in shooting muzzleloading firearms is growing around the country.

As the name implies, muzzleloading firearms are loaded from the front. There are two basic types of ignition, percussion and flintlock. Percussion, more reliable in wet weather, is also more popular with shooters.

The loading process is the same for both types. A measured load of black powder is poured down a clean, dry barrel. Then a bullet, usually a round ball enclosed in a greased patch, is rammed down the barrel with a ramrod until it rests firmly on the powder charge.

When the shooter is ready to fire, the weapon is primed, either by placing a percussion cap on the nipple or by pouring a small amount of fine-grained powder in the pan of a flintlock. The hammer is then cocked and the trigger pulled.

If all is done correctly, the result is a loud boom and a cloud of white smoke drifting on the wind, with the ball speeding toward the target at 1,500 to 2,000 feet per second.

Within their range, muzzleloading rifles are accurate in the hands of a good shooter. For most people, 100 yards is the maximum effective range, and most competitive shooting and hunting is done at shorter ranges.

The sport is growing in popularity. For example, the odds for drawing permits for special muzzleloader deer and elk hunts are getting tougher as more hunters apply.

In 1994, for instance, there were 900 muzzleloader permits available for a November deer hunt near Roseburg, Ore. About 1,700 people applied for those tags, based on a 58 percent success rate for obtaining the permits.

Special hunting seasons are just one of the attractions of black powder firearms. The historical connection is also a big draw, and many clubs sponsor annual get-togethers patterned after the yearly rendezvous held during the heyday of the fur trade in the Rocky Mountains, between 1825 and 1840.

Many people involved in the sport make their own arms and accouterments. Doing it yourself is not only fun, but historically accurate. Many of the original mountain men and eastern longhunters made their own gear as well: a necessary skill when the nearest store might be a thousand miles away.