Where to start?

[wilesbd]

Looking for some help on either recommended books or good pages on how to get started into muzzle loading. My wife bought me a traditions Kentucky Rifle percussion 50 cal kit for my birthday, I've long made a hobby out of picking up parts guns and restoring them for fun, but i've never even touched black powder and other than a basic knowledge of how they work and the differences in flintlock and percussion, im pretty well in the dark here, tried searching around the net and seems like everything i find is going off the assumption your already shooting. Living in Pennsylvania and a hunting community i would have thought i would know someone that uses it, but everyone ive talked to shoots inline

I have the basic idea of loading down, but the big things im looking for is a idea of all the little goodies i need, any differences in cleaning and maintnence vs a standard firearm and most importantly what to do when things go wrong like the powder wont ignite for some reason or whatever else im not thinking. If anyone could point me in the way of a good book aimed towards beginners that would be great.

thanks for the help guys, im realy excited for the project especially the more i look around and get ideas for the inlays.

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

what to do when things go wrong

Having managed to get a lot of things wrong myself as a beginner, I can assure you that no book is as useful when things go wrong as an experienced M-L shooter to advise you. There are enough competent M-L shooters in the USA, so just get out and find one. To push you in the right direction, I recommend that you contact the MLAIC and ask for help in finding a local club.

http://www.mlaic.org/members.htm

Your MLAIC representative will be able to point you more accurately than I can.

[jamie5070]

You wight take a look at Muzzleloading.com: The Best Search Links on the Net. It is a pretty active black powder website with a lot of knowledgable people.
john

[Patrick Chadwick]

any differences in cleaning and maintnence vs a standard firearm

!!!!! Boy, is there a difference.

Black powder residue is very hygroscopic. If you put away a BP firearm uncleaned after a shooting session, you can look forward to a rusty barrel in a day or two! There is a lot of snake-oil being sold on the BP scene, and some of it is just industrial materials in fancy packages. Many of us just use soluble oil - the stuff used in machine shops as a coolant and swarf flusher on lathes, milling machines etc. And they don't rust when covered with that stuff. Smells a bit on the skin, but it is cheap and effective.

It would be a good idea to get the Lyman Black Powder Handbook and Loading Manual, which contains a lot of common sense. Forums tend to be for initiates who are discussing fine tuning of XYZ, and you need ABC. Find a club and go there for at least 1/2 to 1 year, even if it's a long drive. Flying solo as a raw beginner is hazardous!

[gsimmons]

You may also try the North - South Skirmish Assoc. And the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Assoc.

[wilesbd]

Thanks for the advice guys, im still looking for someone who shoots black powder, i live in the country and a big hunting community im sure i have to know someone, im a bit hesitant to find a club and take advice from a stranger never know if they know what their talking about, i hear guys at the range all the time spouting complete bs to their friends trying to seem knowledgeable.

Ill pick up a copy of the Lyman book and go from there, Once the weather gets nicer ill check with some of the old timers at the range, im sure some of them have atleast used BP in the past if not still, with all the snow around here latley the range has been dead, even the club house, almost 16" on the ground as of today with more coming tonight.

[Patrick Chadwick]

i hear guys at the range all the time spouting complete bs to their friends trying to seem knowledgeable.

True, alas! But isolation doesn't help either. Go along with the B-S, at least until you know better yourself. then you can get selective about who you listen to. You'll soon learn to recognize the B-S-ers. They're the ones who say loudly "with my XX-rifle I never come out of the 10" but are never seen at a competition. They claim it, but rather strangely you never see them do it. Really serious shooters think more and claim less.

The Lyman book does some good exploding of the dafter myths you are likely to hear. Nevertheless, learning what to do when it goes wrong is something one can hardly learn out of books. If you can find a B-P shooter who actually competes, you will pick up a lot. And picking the grains of truth out of the verbal chaff is part of the learning process.

[Doug Rammel]

E-mail the NMLRA and ask for a complimentary copy of Muzzle Blasts. It's their monthly magazine. In it you will find a list of all the ML clubs in the association. A contact is listed for each club.

[Jim]

I second getting in touch with the NMLRA. Another thing you will have to get is Dixie Gun Works Catalog. Besides being full of really great stuff associated with Black powder shooting and related historical activities but is chock full of tid-bits of info. It's just great reading. Might out to let your wife hold your wallet though...

Now here's an oldie! This would be my #1 recommendation and it's a book from 1969. It is the same edition I read back when I first started into Black powder. It may be obsolete in terms of modern advances in Black powder shooting but, let's face it. Most things relating to Black powder shooting far predate 1969 anyway and hasn't changed much since then either!
Familiar with the "Shooter's Bible" series of books? Well, this is an edition dedicated to black powder shooting, cleaning, care and et'al. http://www.amazon.com/Shooters-Bible.../dp/B000PTA81C Paper back, 215pp with numerous b/w photos & drawings. "The complete guide to muzzle-loading rifles, pistols & shotguns - flintlock & percussion. How to load, fire, repair and care for them." Prices start at $5.
It's not an end all, no book is but, read this one and you'll be well equipped to start handling these with some idea of what you're doing. It was designed with the beginner in mind I expect since BP shooting was only just making a resurgence following the 100th anniversary of the War Between the States.
For the record- I listed Amazon as a source. You can find copies wherever you might find used books and might even find a copy though your library but, you'll want your own, I assure you.
I am confident this book will satisfy what you are looking for. For the record, I looked on-line and it doesn't seem like they made any newer versions of these. Go for it.

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[mmppres]

well wil i would like to help you out i live is the pa state been shooting black powder since i was 10 best advice is find a local black powder club near you an go visit. The NMLRA is a great source of info. there is a list of club in the mag with shoot dates. alot of items needed for you to shoot you already have handy. or can make quick.
keep your powder dry
mike