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| The Outdoor Sports Shop carries all of your muzzleloading gun needs. We have the black powder guns and accessories you want! Gun powder, flintlock rifle, flintlock pistol, balls, sabots, bullets, caps, and more. |
Sub Categories
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Barnes Bullets,
Hoppes,
Hornady,
Knight,
Thompson Center,
Traditions
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Barnes Bullets,
Hornady,
Knight,
MDM,
Nosler,
Speer,
Thompson Center
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Traditions
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Knight,
Savage Arms,
Thompson Center,
Traditions
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Getting Started with a Black Powder Pistol
The black powder pistol has a certain attraction for hunters and target shooters who like the back to basics approach. There is a simplicity about a black powder pistol that is very appealing. First of all, the design and the workmanship of the flintlock pistol is really a thing of beauty. That's why many people who don't even have an inclination to shoot collect them and mount them on living room walls. Black powder pistols are a connection to our past--to the wild America of the 1800s. There are also black powder pistols for those whose interest lies in guns used in the Civil War.
Getting started in shooting with a black powder--flintlock pistol isn't as hard as many people think it is. Black powder pistols> are relatively inexpensive compared to many of today's semi-automatic weapons, and may be even cheaper to use, considering the high cost of center-fire rifle ammunition these days. For hunters though, the black powder pistol makes life a little more challenging.
First you have to learn to load the black powder pistol for which you need the black powder, powder measure, patches, lead balls and a ramrod. The best thing to do is get a kit when you buy your black powder pistol. It should have some lube in it as well. In the beginning loading goes slowly, but after the first few times it starts to become more and more routine. You should get how-to instructions when you buy your black powder pistol, and there are also many good how-to directions and even videos of what do online.
Next you need to get out to the range and shoot the black powder pistol over and over again until you really start to get the feel of it inside and out. Once you feel comfortable with the black powder pistol and your ability to shoot it accurately, you are ready to think about hunting with it.
The black powder pistol is best when used as a small game weapon. While some have the power and speed to kill a deer, you should check your local hunting laws for whether or not a black powder pistol can be used during muzzleloader season. Some states allow both black powder pistols and rifles but some only allow rifles.
If you are planning on hunting with your black powder pistol, don't buy anything under a 45 caliber. 50 caliber is the standard used in muzzleloading rifles and what you will need if you intend to hunter larger animals. Many experts recommend starting out hunting rabbits with your black powder pistol. This is incredibly challenging given the speed of a frightened rabbit. However, it not only makes you a better shot, it hones your stalking ability. The best hunters are great at stalking and this is even more important with a black powder pistol as you will need to be within 40 yards or nearer and you only have one shot. Even the most experienced hunters skilled at reloading a black powder pistol need around thirty seconds to reload. That's why you have to be close, accurate, and make the first shot count.
Most black powder hunters are purists, wanting to recreate as accurately as possible the experiences of early Americans in providing meat for the family. For those who don't want to hunt without bringing something home, there are many new technological developments in black powder pistols and rifles, such as sabot and modernized bullets, primers, powders that are pelletized, inline actions and scopes which make black powder pistols, rifles and shotguns more modern. You can be much farther away and still get a good shot. It's a matter of personal choice if you want to go this route, or if you still want the challenge of the traditional black powder pistol and rifle with iron sights.
Whichever you choose, get a black powder pistol or rifle and practice up. You will be able to extend your hunting season beyond the traditional rifle season and you might even bring home some meat for the table.
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