Muzzleloading is another pastime that I can't believe more people aren't involved in. It is an important part of history that can still be used. My primary hobby is archery but the bow I shoot today looks vastly different from the bows of yesteryear. Your firearm looks practically identical. Absolutely fascinating.
Thank you kindly! Thankfully there are tens of thousands of muzzleloading enthusiasts keeping this great sport alive. Odds are there's a group in your area! I hope you continue to enjoy them and make the leap to giving them a try sometime.
@@ILoveMuzzleloading You are doing a great service to share the sport with others and educate them on safe handling and proper techniques. It's too bad that you have to bother with disclaimers about your method and how there are others, otherwise the comments may get out of hand. Humans!?
Iam more of a archery guy but if I was to gun hunt would be muzzleloader got some performance of center fire rifles in a traditional way lewis and clark
@@flushot6513 You and I have a similar way of looking at things. I live in Wisconsin and purchase the Purple Heart Conservation Patron license, which has a gun buck tag as well as an archery buck tag. I figure that the flintlock will require me to still get close to the deer and give them a fighting chance if I can't keep my powder dry. Good luck this fall
I know you said you shoot modern bows, but Making and shooting your own (real) bow from a wood stave is probably one of the most rewarding hobbies out there. You should try it. Similarly, this is something that I am surprised more archers aren’t into.
hey man you are becoming the face of historical muzzleloading keep up all the hard work thanks to you I finished my traditions kit just in time to hunt the primitive firearms season this year cheers!
I remember an old timer telling me when I was starting out in this hobby that there were two kinds of shooters: ones who had loaded a dry ball, and those who hadn't yet. Boy, was he right.
Thanks for a great instructional video. I have been shooting traditional muzzeloading rifles and pistols for more than 53 years. Back about 1990 I began all of my large game hunting with flintlock rifles. I use fffg for all of my rifles that range from .32 - .58 caliber rifles. For hunting, I use bear lard as a lubricant and .018 pillow ticking as patch. My rifles are accurate, reliable and hard hitting and ignition is fast.
Well done. You gave someone who has never shot one but is considering it the starting info they'll need. I like too how you stated that other people may have different techniques. All too often someone will act as if their PREFERENCE is the only right way and everyone else is wrong.
Yep, I'm just one guy who does it one way. Nothing I put out is the ONLY way to do it. I'm glad that comes through in the videos. Thanks for watching and writing.
@@BlackPowderTherapist I'm not new. Been shooting flintlocks for over 40 years. I was responding to the video in terms of it being a good one for a beginner but appreciate the offer! Don't see a FB link.
I get it - the patch is esentially like a 'sabot' engaging the lands & grooves of the rifling - not the lead ball itself. Also noticed when he measured the ramrod inside the barrel it went BEYOND the touchhole, so the primer flame thru the touch hole ignites the main powder charge between the patch & the powder AT THE TOP of the powder chartge and NOT AT THE BOTTOM as in self contained metalic cartriges primed from behind (or at the bottom) of their powder. Needle guns also did this in the first primitive bolt actions of the 1870s. Very interesting. Been muzzle loading 50 years and thought I 'Knew it all" HA! Nice wake up call. Very well done this instructionasl video. Thanks - I love muzzleloading!
When I was shooting a BP rifle, I had marks, small V grooves, filed on the ramrod to indicate loaded or unloaded. This had the added advantage of when setting the loading round, it would show whether the round was fully seated.
Ethan, Nice job showing how flintlocks work. They are my favorite and the one I shoot the most. Everyone at the range wanders over when I crack off 100 grains out of the .62 smoothbore. I like how you are exposing people to all types of muzzle-loading weapons. I own flintlock cap lock and in-line rifles as well as percussion shotguns. I just love blackpoweder
Absolutely gorgeous longrifle. Since living in Maryland I haven’t been able to find a black powder friendly range and have only been able to shoot my longrifle once at a friends place. Something I love about muzzleloading is the process of loading. That to me is half the fun of shooting black powder. I fell in love with flintlocks when my dad gifted me one a few years back. Great video of the loading process with safety at the forefront. It really showcases the relaxation of loading and then firing. You’ve earned a subscriber. Keep the content coming
A safety issue that comes up in range shooting are people who load from a container that is not properly plugged. Powder horns and powder containers must be capped and safely away from the firing position. Sparks have an amazing life span as they ark from your gun to that powder container.
Just bought an antique .58 cal flintlock, I’ve shot a lot of cap lock before but never flintlocks so this really helps. Hoping to try it out when the weather clears up.
is there a standard measurement of powder on these old flintlocks or percussion guns talking about antique ones in general? is there a lower load that is generally considerd safe in all lets say smoothbore muskets in a particular caliber like i wanna learn this but seems like a topic with little information
Excellent teacher for all of the shooters. I did screwup with thick lube that pushed into the flash hole divot . Took a while to clear out the grease that stopped the first or second shot. I went to much less and vary hard to soft per season. Love, peace and awareness precious youngun!
Enjoyed that, very well done. I’m hoping to get a flintlock one day hopefully soon, just don’t want to break the bank to get one! I have a .32 caliber percussion Pedersoli Frontier rifle that I squirrel hunt with, lots of fun shooting muzzleloaders.
@@ILoveMuzzleloading it’s actually spot on, will definitely direct new users to this video, as you stated, some people will do things differently, and that’s ok as long as they do them safely…. I load differently between period dress and modern, or if I’m loading blanks, and also when loading things other than rifles, muskets and fowlers loaded with shot takes a slightly different technique… a good tutorial…
Another great Video. Maybe you could make a deep dive video especially for priming the Pan. There are may different opinions out there from putting the powder far to the right end of the Pan too fill in although the touch hole... Every one has to find out for himself, thats part of the fun....
A very relaxing and enjoyable instructional video.. thank you. Of note, you have given me my first instruction here at the very beginning of what promises to be a wonderful and fulfilling journey as I endeavor to practice and learn the art of muzzle loading, as it were. I’m very grateful for the kindness. Again, thank you.
Brilliant video again ethan .our fieram history is so rich . Like myself more and more people are getting involved in this . A great way to keep history alive as well as a sport and hunting means in some states . Thanks again .
Thank you for the great tutorial. I like the looks of your rifle - I could see it in the hands of a young man during the founding and early years of our country. Thanks again.
@@ILoveMuzzleloading My wife is a master gardener - she will allow some predation on the garden as long as it isn't excessive. A relocating male groundhog stepped over the line and I came to the rescue.
Any opinions on the premade charges? My wife bought me a nice flintlock muzzleloader, and im not sure about it. It seems like a FAR larger amount of powder than if i just had regular powder. Wanna take it out to fire, but also dont want to destroy it on its first time out.
The Traditions offer an affordable entry. From there, Investarms and Pedersoli are more expensive. It's hard to go wrong with a Kibler or Chambers kit if you want to build one your self.
I find the flintlock interesting however I live in the Southeast where high humidity is the norm and have concern that while hunting and sitting for hours the charge in the Pan may not ignite . Thoughts are appreciated. I currently own and use 7 percussion rifles for deer and squirrel hunting.
A little humidity is good for a good lock. Mine works better in the weather. I hunted all season and reset my charge each week, it fired fine each time
Excellent video Ethan. Nice Woods Runner. In Washington state they are not considered loaded until primed or capped. But once the main charge is in they are loaded as far as I am concerned. Good stuff Buddy.
That makes sense. That's been driving me crazy. I understand triggers in bolt actions and semi-autos, so it felt like a dumb question. But this video made me feel safe to ask. Thanks!
Yes. This is how it is done. If flintlocks were so complicated and unreliable our ancestors would have starved to death if not been gutted and baldened before then.
Just a comment on what I first do prior to the first cleaning patch. I purchase from the drug store alcohol swabs, the kind that one would use to wipe your arm prior to getting a needle, they are very inexpensive. I run that down the barrel. Then I follow up with a patch. The reason I do this is it does start the cleaning process and allows the patch to go down the barrel much easier. I have had a patch almost refuse to go down the barrel if I don't swab it first with an alcohol patch. The alcohol will evaporate so there is no worry about the powder getting fowled.
I noticed that your field rod sticks out considerably further than your muzzle. I suppose that is a personal preference. It would be nice to have a little more grip on it. Did it come from Kibler this way? Or did you fit it with a longer rod?
The long rod came from Kibler and is normally cut down. I like the look of period photos with long rods and it helps my hand get a better grip, though it could be shorter.
I'm not sure many realize these are the some of the best shtf weapons. When the regular ammo and reloading components eventually run out, then these come into play. You can find/recover/find-other-option for lead/bullets. If you can find sulfur (or make it?) you can make black powder. Not too awful difficult. Cases and primers (and percussion caps), on the other hand, are not easily made by most people. Those are the real sticking points in sustainability. Granted, cases can be used over and over, and their life can be extended by loading them to lower pressures. Eventually though, they're going to become unusable. Yes, I know you have 150,000 rounds in your garage and will never, ever run out. Run along now, and make sure it's not on fire. Those of us not so fortunate are talking. If you have the knowledge to make primers in teotwawki, you will be a very sought after commodity, to your benefit, or perhaps detriment. With a flintlock, all you need is a rock, preferably flint. Gunpowder. Finely ground gun powder. Some sort of patch material, and something to use as a projectile (doesn't even have to be lead). Boom, you're golden. Granted, you'll use your regular firearms while the ammo lasts but thereafter, these will be nice to have around. Excellent video, btw.
I’m really into archery, I have a recurve, pulling 50lbs on that bad boy. But I’d really love to get into muzzle loading rifles and muskets. Particularly flintlocks. Maybe get a caplock but something about priming that pan makes me all warm and fuzzy😂😂😂😂😂
Have a question for you. I use an inline muzzleloader for now. I have a pound of 3f powder and was wanting to know what powder charge would you recommend to start with to be safe. I do like the traditional muzzleloader I've been trying to find a good flintlock rifle. What would you recommend
I recommend starting with a 'square' powder charge, so if your muzzleloader is 50 caliber, start with 50 grains of powder and work your way up from there, shooting a 5 shot group, then going to 55 grains, shoot 5 shots, rinse and repeat until you get up to 100 grains or so for hunting and then compare targets. It's hard to go wrong with the market available muzzleloaders. If you can swing it, the quality in the Investarms and Pedersoli lines are really nice.
Hey I had a question, I just ordered my first kit, and now idk where to get black powder, it seems like there just isn’t any in stock, I was just curious where you got powder for your flintlocks from?
Check out the Schuetzen Powder website, they have a full list of distributors and dealers around the country. This way you can find a legit business and order from one close to you to save on shipping
I am just getting started with a 45 cal flintlock. I have 3F powder, but need to know what to buy for my ignition powder. A local gun shop said to use a pestle and mortar to grind up some powder finely, but that would be my last resort. Any help would be great!
4f powder is a common priming powder and not a bad way to go when learning and figuring out all the other particulars but priming from the horn is far more historical and practical. I shoot 3f from my 50's and 54's and prime with such and notice no difference in ignition speed at all. I shoot 2f in my .62 cal Fowler but sometimes I feel like priming with 2f seems just a bit slower and at other times I don't notice it at all. To each their own but priming from the horn has been great.
I always reccommend the traditions line of muzzleloaders for getting started. They are affordable and functional. If you want something better down the road you can upgrade then, but Traditions offers a great place to get started to see if you enjoy it.
I hate to say it but “it depends”, some muzzleloaders have a direct channel from the touch hole to the bore, others have a “patent breech” that keeps the rod from going beyond the touch hole
Ok, I was told that FFG was for pistols and FFFG was for rifles. I have a 45 cal. flint lock. You state 55 gr is a good load. How do you determine that? Do you use the same load whether it is FFG OR FFFG? My rifle is Italian made (if it matters).
3f can be used for any caliber muzzeloader though it is USUALLY used in .50 and under but some larger caliber firearms will shoot better with it. It just depends on the gun. 2f is USUALLY used in .50 and bigger with 1f for the largest like .62, .69. 75. I use 2f in my .62 and .75 and don't bother with 1f. .45 would PROBABLY prefer 3f. Starting loads are usually 1 grain per caliber so 45 grains would be a good starting point. Work up (or down) from there. 4f is usually recommended for priming the pan but it isn't neccessary. I shot my .62 Fowler today with 2f as my main and priming charge. If it was any slower I couldn't detect it. Start with a .440 ball and .015 patch material. It should be a snug fit. Again play with ball and patch thickness to find the most accurate combo. Experiment. Change one variable at a time and have fun!
The reverse is common for substitutes, you’ll find Pyrodex 3F is recommended for pistols, 2f for rifles, but in “real” Blackpowder it’s generally as I stated but it’s not a hard rule. Check out my video on load development if you have a moment. I start with 40 grains of powder and shoot a 3-5 shot group, up the charge by 5 grains and shoot a new group. This process continues to about 70 grains for this particular caliber and then I see what charge grouped the best, and I shoot that charge. Hope this helps!
FFFg is better suited for pistols as it is faster burning which is what you want for a short barreled arm. I use FFFg for all but my biggest Handgonnes as that is the same principle.
If you hold it wrong, yes very uncomfortable! You only make mistakes a couple of times before you learn to make sure you shoulder it properly. Otherwise they generally aren't to bad and you'll see a few very old style lever guns carry this forward.
These rifles aren't designed to be shot like a modern rifle pulled into the "pocket" of the shoulder. Rather, they are meant to be shot hooked into the "crook" of the upper arm where it meets the shoulder. To ensure a proper hold, it works better to shoot this style of rifle across your body versus straight out from your body. Hope this explains it well!
@@miller39687 Well explained. It was a "mountain" style of holding a gun, and the guns were designed to accommodate the people who used them. Larger bore guns that used higher powder charges tended to have wider butt plates to distribute the recoil.
What kind of powder are you using? What kind of lock, flint? Is your touchhole clear? Sorry to answer a question with a question, but sometimes it takes some digging.
I wonder how much powder was spilt and wasted back when people fought with these? I imagine alot, pretty fascinating how this works and how it became the way to fight.
Good video but, I must admit I'm tired of hearing the word "SAFE" ! This is just about your use of the word but, rather a more generalized statement that is directed at this insane fixation on so called safety.
I understand completely. My use of it in this video is more for those totally new to flintlocks who constantly ask if they are going to hurt themselves by using one.
It seems like everyone that is talking about guns and showing how they work or how they do things with their guns always talk to people as if they are talking to a child and not an adult. It seems like they are talking to a stupid person. That is how it seems to me.
"...we know". That's a pretty good assumption that EVERYBODY has been educated about safety practices. There is no such thing about "going overboard" when it comes to safety. The one who thinks they've heard it all, and know it all, are typically the dangerous ones.
I've seen instances where a slight departure from safe practice ended in an incident that had potential for a catastrophic outcome but only reminded us to keep our minds on the task at hand!! This is a very fun sport/ pastime, but can be tragic at the same time. Let's all keep it fun!
@@ILoveMuzzleloading Could you please tell me what the overall lenght of the rifle is? I need a case for transportation and this will probably be the lonest rifle I will ever have.
