There is so much more to muzzleloaders than a person would think. How in the world do I narrow down a topic? I could cause drama and say that black powder is better than modern cartridge rifles. While I may be right there are many that would disagree, so I’ll skip that theme.

I couldn’t even tell you the proper names for all the parts on my Hawkins. I’ve got names for them, they just aren’t the proper terms. I’ll just tell you why I like front loading smoke poles so much.

First off–Black powder is like napalm. It’s just a smell you like in the morning.

Fresh out of the Army, and deep in a soul crushing divorce with an ex-wife sucking the life out of me, I met Grandma Reynolds. She was a lonely old bird that I would visit from time to time. We would sit and talk, she would show off her intricate beading. We found a common ground in a love of history, and this led to her bringing out her late husband’s kit. She showed me each hand made piece, and I was in love with the idea of living history. It came time to move away, and Grandma Reynolds gifted me with a huge tepee, eighteen foot Base.

She told me. “Use it or trade it to build your kit.”

During this time I did lots of studying. I learned it is better to look at primary source material than anything else. I began reading journals, lots of journals. The first thing I learned is that the history we were taught in school that it has more bull poop than a ranch with a million head of cattle. I felt like a rebel learning what really happened, vs what I was told. This opened a whole new world to me.

Then one slow and boring Saturday someone walked into the gas station I worked at. Of course being the chatterbox I am, we talked. This led to me trading the tepee, for a very nice Thompson Center Pennsylvania Hunter. A fifty cal Hawkens style rifle with the proper twist for a round ball. There is not a scale to measure the joy I felt. I had just gotten my first muzzle loading rifle–just like I wanted, round ball. People had been hunting with round ball longer than we have had Minnie Balls, and modern projectiles. So the round ball was going to do just fine.

Beside it’s what I wanted.

Now it got interesting. I had my rifle, half a pound of powder, some balls, and ticking. I was lacking so much, yet felt like I had the world. This led to one of the greatest adventures of muzzleloading. Making things, scavenging for supplies, and bartering for what I needed. This led to a trip down a rabbit hole that a decade later still isn’t over, and I’ve learned so much.

I made picks, powder measures, enough bags for an army, and even a simple powder horn. I’m still not done. There is so much to make and try out. Ten years into this crazy trip and I still don’t have a bullet board. I’ve never had the need to speed load so I haven’t made one. Maybe this summer I’ll make one. Hahaha I say that every year.

Truth is I have a simple hunting pouch with everything I need for a trip into the desert. Besides, it’s not like I gotta fight bandits, Indians, or an old grizzly bear. Though there was that problematic cougar, that is a whole other tale.

Why is making everything such a big deal?

Here is a list of the skills I have now because of this:

Leather working,

Sewing,

Flint Knapping,

Beading,

Weaving,

Spinning,

Knitting,

Nalbinding,

Wood Carving,

Patience,

and

Embracing my mistakes.

Most important of all, I’ve learned that I don’t have to go running to the store to buy what I need. I can make most of what I need. If I can’t make it then there is some around that can make it, and I can barter with them for it.

Becoming brave enough to make things opened a whole crazy world that I was eager to join, and now my life’s obsession is to make things just to see if I can. It doesn’t really cost much either. With a little bit of patience you can find what you need at thrift stores, and by trading with friends.

I did pick up a weird quirk when it comes to making things. I hate using power tools. Sure they are faster and more efficient. But hand tools are quiet. As a result I’ve had a small herd of deer eating grass ten feet away from me as I was whittle tuning pegs for my diddley bow, and sanding wooden spoons.

To me that is far more wondrous than making something in a fraction of the time.

Sure black powder doesn’t have to involve all of this. You can go buy everything you need and start shooting, and there is not a dang thing wrong with doing that. But the joy of muzzle loading to me is the immersion into history, the skills I’ve learned, and the people I’ve met along the way.

The biggest complaint I’ve heard from people around me is that it takes forever to reload. Well yeah that’s true. You can mag dump three or four times with an M-16 by the time I get a couple of shots off.

In my experience these mag dumpers don’t even care if they hit the target, or cheer for hitting it twice. Sorry, but to me, that is a waste.

Powder, patch, ball, ram it in. Fiddle with a cap. The process of loading is like a meditation. Taking the time to aim, cause you only got one shot. Your mind is focused. You know your sight picture, you’ve memorized it cause otherwise you won’t hit the target. You know exactly where your cheek bone sits on the rifle. You’ve even learned to gently press the trigger with the tip of your finger to keep the rifle stable.

Each shot has value because you often won’t get a follow-up shot. If you don’t make this one count, then you may not eat.

There is a peace that takes over when your fingers first touch your muzzleloader. You need that calm clear head to make that one shot count. It could be a matter of life and death, or whether you feed your family that day.

Compare this to the Ma Duce, M240, or M-16 from my time in the Army. Belts of ammo.

Hundreds of rounds a minute. Bursts of ten rounds at a time. Adrenaline filled raging as you put up a wall of lead that could cut down trees. Sure the machine guns were so much fun, and I’d love to shoot them again. There is a calm quiet peace that soothes me when I pick up my muzzle loader, and after the chaos of war, I like it, and need it.

Should you decide to embark on the trip and get you a front stuffer, go all in. Learn the history, and recreate it. Let go of your fear of failing. You’ll make mistakes, that’s just part of life. Most important, keep your powder dry, have fun, and stay safe.

About the Author: Daniel Forbes is an author and self-proclaimed “Utah desert rat” who lives in a ghost town. He loves history and living archaeology. He’s a sarcastic pipe-smoking Army vet addicted to yarn.