Having moved to Texas and taken up with the aptly-named Gunslinger, I’ve decided to also take up with the slinging of guns myself. Guns in general don’t really interest me that much, but black powder shooting intrigues me for its historical aspect. There seems something almost artistic about the method of loading and firing, to me, with the powder, the patch, the ball, the flint, the other powder in the pan… Plus, a flintlock pistol makes a dandy accessory to a pirate or highwayman costume!
My weapon of choice is going to be built from scratch: a Pedersoli Kentucky Flintlock pistol kit. (See it finished.) I’m hoping to get kinda fancy with it, sand down some of the edges to make it smoother and use a wood-burning tool to make a design on it (for instance, I intend to write “Stand and Deliver” in a fancy, 18th-century script along the wooden part of the barrel, and do some scrollwork on the grip). Note: those links go to the .54 caliber version, I’m getting it in .50 because Gun already has some shot in that size lying around his house.
I’ve never shot anything in my life, or even touched a gun. I don’t know many technical terms, although I’m learning, and building my pistol is going to be a learning experience in many ways. I look forward to finishing it, putting on my pirate coat and making some targets at the shooting range “stand and deliver…”
Anybody else do black powder shooting? Have any comments or discussion at all? Talk about it.
Especially if you have knowledge of that particular gun and know what size flint it takes…
I haven’t been blackpowder shooting since they closed down the shooting area I used, but I really like blackpowder revolvers. Here is some loading data for them. (Sorry, just revolvers; not flintlocks.)
I have a bunch of blackpowder revolvers, but I’ve moved them into storage and I don’t remember exactly how many. IIRC I have three Uberti Colt Navies, a Colt 2nd Generation Navy (pictured above), a Colt Signature Navy, an Uberti Colt Walker, a couple of Pocket models (a Colt Signature and an Uberti), and maybe one or two others.
You’re right about loading and firing. It’s a bit of a ritual. I like the smoke. Steve Earle has a song called Devil’s Right Hand where he sings, “My first pistol was a cap-and-ball Colt / It shoots mighty fast, but it loads mighty slow / It’ll get you into trouble, but it won’t get you out…” (or something like that).
racinchikki, I think that’s very cool! I’m not much into guns either (see my username), but I’ve always thought that black powder would be the way to go if I was.
I think putting “Stand and Deliver” on your gun is a wonderful idea!
I got to shoot a shotgun for the first time last winter, and that wasn’t too bad either. The other thing I’d like to do is fire a cannon some day.
I can’t offer much, but I always found this handy.
If you want to cut down on your reload time, whether you’re hunting, sport shooting (reenactment/competition, let’s say), or just want to target shoot a bit faster, get yourself some film cannisters.
Specifically, you use those little black plastic tubes that commercial film comes in. You pre-measure your loads into those, and you’ve got a “speed loader” for your black powder weapon. Of course, for a lotta folks, actually using a powder horn, and eyeballing it, is part of the fun.
We found out what size flint I need (half-inch), now we’re trying to find 4Fg powder for the priming pan. There’s a place in town that has 3Fg for the load, but apparently they don’t make the substitutes in 4Fg and noplace sells the real stuff (needs special storage thingummies and there’s not enough of a market to justify installing 'em, I guess).
I’d go ahead and try the 3f, maybe it will work. On occassion I have ground down some 2 or 3 between a couple bricks to get the finer stuff. Don’t fill your pan heaping full, you want less commotion going on there as possible and too much priming powder will give a big flash and you will flinch. You will probably get bes results with a round ball patched with a bit of your worn out blue jeans and maybe about 40 to 50 grains of powder. Don’t try using your ram rod for loading , its too short, make yourself a long ball starter,much easier.
Why do I suspect that this is more a rifle thing (and I have never loaded a black powder rifle)?
Sure it would work for a revolver, but I have had quite nice luck with a powder horn that has a powder measure built in the tip – hold your finger over the end, press the button, a flick of the wrist and a perfect measure.
NinetyWt, the problem is that you can’t get black powder shipped to you. The few places that WILL ship black powder (which is classified as an explosive and thus has major federal restrictions on it) have minimum orders of at least $50 and generally charge $30 per order in HAZMAT shipping fees.
Also, the 3Fg we found was actually black powder replacement, which won’t work in a flintlock. Fooey.
minor7flat5, you’re spot on there. Black powder rifle, both target shooting and hunting.
It’s been many a moon since I did any BP shooting, and I never have used a pistol, that I can recall offhand. That precalibrated powder horn sounds nifty, don’t think I’ve come across one.
(Actually, after a few minutes’ thought, I b’lieve my father’s got one for his BP pistol, but I never used the thing.)
Sounds like you’re fitting right in. Lovin this East Texas sweatbox are ya?
Next weekend is first Monday trades day at Canton. Down the road from you, an hour I guess. See if the Gunslinger will give you a tour. It’s the biggest damned yard sale in the world AFAIK. There should be plenty of black powder fans there. Unless they’ve changed the law & didn’t tell me.
It takes all day just to walk through it. You cannot see everything there if you took the whole weekend. Theres a lot of junk of course…but you know what they say about one man’s junk.
There’ll be lots to see and do, plenty of food and many a time I’ve been there you could find live music playing. Dress for the heat though.
Just thought I’d give you a clue in case you didn’t have one. Parking may cost a couple of bucks but entry is free. It’d have to be I guess. It’s the whole damned town practically.
Steve Earle has a song called Devil’s Right Hand where he sings, “My first pistol was a cap-and-ball Colt / It shoots mighty fast, but it loads mighty slow / It’ll get you into trouble, but it won’t get you out…” (or something like that).
