• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

8 shots later.....

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I totally agree that black powder smoke is a wonderful cure for stress. It's also a powerful lure to attract new ML shooters. One day at a local range, I was "exercising" a long flinter that had been neglected for too long (They sometimes sulk when that happens ...) and was just reaching for my horn to pour another charge when I realized I was the object of attention for two youngsters and their Dad, all standing safely back and watching carefully. After several minutes of questions, I asked if they'd like to shoot it and explained that they first needed Dad's permission. They did, he agreed, and for at least an hour they took turns loading and shooting --- off sandbags --- at 25 yards, and with light loads. My ol' Pennsyltucky .50 caliber is a Wolf Haga replica with a 42-inch barrel and she's a mite heavy for 10 and 12 year-old's.
By the time they had to leave, the boys were asking Dad when they could get a ML of their own and he was smiling and nodding (He took a turn shooting too!) and I was grinning myself and very relaxed too.
Shinin' times!

I had a fairly similar experience more than a year and a half back at the range but with a twist. It was all AR builds and flying brass. I was between a bunch of pilots from the nearby Air Force base and a dad and his son and daughter — probably 12 to 14 year age range. They seemed disinterested in him showing them his fancy build. I was taking my time 2 slots next to them at the 100 yard range and when I touched off my smoke pole .50 cal. GPR for the first time they immediately took notice. So did the pilots, who let out a collective “damn” when I boomed the range, rather than that sharp crack. One pilot came over and asked all kinds of questions. After my second shot the two kids kept watching me and asked a question or two, which ****** off their dad. He didn’t appreciate my smoke or the kids’ interest. I guess he wasn’t into history and Olde Eynsford lol.
 
Both are great range stories....always cool to "pass it on." And then yourself ending up "de-stressed," knowing how much the youngsters enjoyed the experience.

Very cool. :ThankYou:for sharing the outings.

I totally agree that black powder smoke is a wonderful cure for stress. It's also a powerful lure to attract new ML shooters. One day at a local range, ….I realized I was the object of attention for two youngsters and their Dad, all standing safely back and watching carefully.... By the time they had to leave, the boys were asking Dad when they could get a ML of their own and he was smiling and nodding (He took a turn shooting too!) and I was grinning myself and very relaxed too.
Shinin' times!

I usually have a cheap Spanish made caplock 56 cal blunderbuss with me when I go to the range with my BP stuff. Has a 12” or so barrel. When the little ones express any interest in BL smoke I pull it out...... cap it and the kids blast away at the clay pigeons. I won’t get much shooting done myself, but got to believe I am planting the seeds of future muzzleloader shooters (possibly even traditional). Had one father offer to buy the thing.
 
When becoming familiar with the various muzzleloading acronyms it is very important to understand the difference between a PRB and a PBR.
 
I think it is time to get back to the original post and reflect on the importance of proper preparation before going to the range even while appreciating the benefit of only being able to get off eight shots. That gives you three shots to gauge the range conditions and five shots for a group. Still not bad for a trip to the range.
 
Burning black powder at the range with my .50-cal. GPR or Renegade are the best de-stressor, mind cleanse EVER. It slows me down and makes me concentrate. Nothing on earth beats that special muzzleloader boom and following burst of smoke, that AKWAYS turns head
Love the smell of BP .....whatever the day, reason or occasion
 

Latest posts

Back
Top