When getting started with muzzleloaders there are a few essential tools you will need or want to get started loading your muzzle loader. Whether you are going to shoot a muzzle loading rifle, shotgun, or revolver you will want a flask for powder. A traditionalist might want a powder horn. A capper for holding caps and getting them on the nipple is another item you will want. If you are shooting a revolver, it is much easier to load the cap on the nipples with a capper than to try to start them onto the nipples with your fingers. A powder measure will be needed to measure the charge and dump it into the gun. For rifles, a short starter is used to start the ball or bullet into the bore before ramming it on down with the ramrod. Another essential tool is a nipple wrench. This tool is used for removing the nipple to clean the gun. If shooting a modern style inline gun instead of a traditional gun you will want a breech plug wrench instead of a nipple wrench .If you are going to shoot a a modern inline. the capper will need to be one that holds 209 primers where the traditional guns will use one that holds percussion caps. Most other tools will work for either type gun.

Powders For Muzzleloaders

There are a number of powders suitable for use in muzzleloaders. Getting started with muzzle loaders can be confusing if you don’t know a little bit about them. Black powder is the original muzzle loading propellent, Black powder comes in several sizes, or granulations, and is designated as 1F (F), 2F, (FF),#F, (FFF),4F (FFFF).The ones used for the guns that are commonly encountered are FF, used for rifles above 45 caliber and Shotguns, FFF, used for rifles 45 caliber and under and in cap and ball revolvers and muzzle loading pistols. FFFF is used for priming flintlock firearms. There are a number of modern powders designed for use in black powder firearms. Pyrodex is one of the first to be manufactured and comes in RS granulation for rifles and shotguns, and P for pistol. Triple Seven comes in granulated powder and pellets. Triple Seven has become very popular in the last few years and some people find the convenience of pellets a plus. Jim Shockey’s Gold is another muzzleloader propellent that many people like as it burns clean and usually produces good velocity. In some traditional guns some of the black powder substitutes can be somewhat difficult to get good ignition. They are better suited to modern inline guns. Black Powder or Pyrodex has been preferable, in my experience using traditional style guns, In the modern inline guns the advantages of some of the other propellants can be utilized. There are several other black powder substitutes available as well. Never Use Smokeless Powder In Any Firearm Designed for Black Powder. The pressures from smokeless powders may cause the destruction of your gun and injury or death. Use black powder or black powder substitute powders only in muzzle loading firearms.

Projectiles for Muzzleloaders

Projectiles for muzzleloaders come in several different styles. When getting started with muzzle loaders you may not know which ones to use. The round ball is the oldest and is loaded with a patch ( as shown in the video below). They are generally easy to load and cheaper than the other projectiles. While not the most efficient bullet to use on big game, they have been used to kill big game for centuries. For a traditionalist they may be the bullet of choice. They may not be as accurate as conical bullets in some of the modern guns. Many of the modern guns don’t have the proper twist rate for round balls. Usually they will still be fine for plinking and are cheaper. Round balls are also the most commonly used projectile in revolvers. Conical bullets are generally a better choice for big game because of their greater weight and aerodynamics. Depending on individual guns, some of the sabot bullets are harder to load than the maxi style bullets. It is always fun to try different bullets and loads to find the ones which shoot best in your rifle.

Muzzle loading Shotguns

For shotguns a wad is placed over the powder, the shot and a thin wad is placed over the shot. As seen in the video, equal volume of powder and shot is the traditional starting point for the load. Powder can be varied in small increments to try and find the load which patterns best.

The videos in this article show several different muzzleloaders being loaded and shot. Watching the videos will give visual step by step instruction on loading muzzleloaders. Shooting muzzleloaders is lots of fun. Whether you like the history and challenge of the traditional guns or the performance of the modern guns, there is lots of enjoyment in muzzleloaders.