Beginning Muzzleloading - The Basics

By Denny L. Vasquez

Sometime back around the beginning of the 10th century, approximately 904 A.D., the renowned Chinese scholar, Siui-Tung wrote a paper which was one of the first to mention the incendiary qualities of a medicinal mixture known today as blackpowder. The formula that he gives for this “wonder drug” is equal portions of sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal.

Later, in the 13th Century, approximately 1266 A.D., Roger Bacon wrote his Opus Tertium in which he refers to the use of this blend of ingredients in toys of the period. It seems that the young and old alike found the bright flash and gray smoke, which resulted in this mixture being ignited, rather exciting. Not long after, around 1300 A.D., Europeans began utilizing this same mixture as a missile propellant in the first recorded firearms. These primitive firearms, though crude by modern standards, were cutting edge technology during their time. And like all of the muzzleloading firearms ever manufactured, even the ultra modern inline designs of today, these first firearms were loaded from the muzzle.

An appropriately safe amount of blackpowder for the firearm being loaded has to be dropped down the barrel ahead of the projectile before it is rammed home. And, even though the designs of these firearms and ignition systems changed radically, evolving from firelocks, matchlocks, flintlocks and percussion locks, over the next 500 years, they still remained muzzleloaders. A newer and some say better, loading system didn’t appear until the mid-1800s. These were the first variants of the new cartridge arms that were based upon breech-loading systems. However, even after the invention of these newer breech-loading firearms, the vast majority of guns used in America up until the 1870s were still muzzleloaders. It was at the beginning of the 20th century that the success of smokeless powder cartridge firearms finally took over the shooting world and turned most muzzleloaders into decorative wall-hangers. That is in all but the most rural regions of the US. It has always amazed me that an ignition system that dated back 500 years could all but be forgotten in so short a time as a couple of decades.

Because I have spent my time in the blackpowder world mainly shooting the various forms of percussion ignition firearms, I have decided to focus this article on the more common styles of percussion-ignition rifles, and commercially available products. We will leave things like flintlocks, casting your own bullets, historical reenactment and patch-cutting knives for another writer and another time.

One of the cardinal rules of blackpowder shooting is NEVER, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES and no matter how your gun is made or how strong you think it is, USE ANYTHING BUT BLACKPOWDER OR A BLACKPOWDER SUBSTITUTE IN A MUZZLELOADING FIREARM. (The only exception to this rule is the Savage ML10-II, but that is a topic for another time.) Just because a powder is black, does not mean that it is blackpowder or the proper powder to use in a muzzleloader. Unfortunately, I have had the opportunity in the past year to interview 2 novice muzzleloading shooters for a local newspaper who had done just that. In the first case the shooter tried H4831 and in the second case R22 was tried. Both of these cases produced disastrous results. In the first case, the shooter lost most of his right hand and his right eye. In the second case the shooter was relatively unhurt, while his 9 year old daughter suffered a horribly disfigured face. She had been standing to her father’s left hand side when the firearm came apart and suffered shrapnel wounds and hot gas burns. Enough said.

The two most recognized propellants suitable for use in muzzleloaders are blackpowder from manufacturers such as Goex, Kik, Wano, Swiss or Petro-Explo, or black powder substitute powders such as Pyrodex and 777 that are manufactured by the Hodgdon Powder Company and Cleanshot. (At one time Goex manufactured another alternative called Clear Shot. However, after an explosion at the Goex plant, it is uncertain when and if they will resume manufacturing ClearShot again.)

Blackpowder, Pyrodex, 777 and ClearShot are available in different sized granulations that are designed for different applications. FFFg is the smallest size of blackpowder granulation that muzzleloader shooters are concerned with while the Pyrodex equivalent is size “P.” Both of these are very fine, fast burning granulations that are intended for utilization in muzzleloading pistols or small caliber rifles of .45 caliber and below. I have used this granulation in some of my .50 caliber firearms and had good success, while the performance in others left something to be desired. The next size of granulation that a muzzleloading shooter will use is FFg blackpowder or its Pyrodex equivalents of “RS” or “Select”. These are slightly slower powders and are intended for firearms of .50 caliber or larger or muzzleloading shotguns. Pyrodex Select is simply RS processed under stricter manufacturing tolerances that are designed to provide a more uniform powder. It may or may not work better with a specific gun than FFg or Pyrodex RS. There are coarser and finer granulations of powder than these, but their applications are for specific applications. For example, FFFg is for priming powder for the pan of a flintlock or Fg is cannon grade powder for the larger field pieces.

Hodgdon has also designed pre-measured pellets of Pyrodex and 777 for those of us using the modern in-line style muzzleloaders. Pyrodex comes in pre-measured weights of 30 grains for .44 caliber firearms, 50 grains for .45 caliber firearms, 30 and 50 grains for .50 caliber firearms and 60 grains for .54 caliber firearms. At this time, November 2003, 777 pellets are only available in 50 grain charges for .50 caliber firearms.

There are three types of projectiles that are encountered whenever muzzleloading firearms are found. They are the patched roundball, conical bullet and saboted sub-caliber bullet.

The patched roundball is still king of the pack with traditionalists and their historically correct firearms. It is also the favored son for many of the competitions that are held each year. But for most of the modern muzzleloading hunting community it is the conical and sub-caliber saboted bullets that reign supreme.

For the traditionally style firearms, whose barrels usually have a very slow rate of twist, a properly fitted roundball will be slightly under bore size and will use a lubricated patch to seal the bore. This same patch in turn serves to transfer the spin from the rifling of the barrel to the ball. Consequently, as large a ball and as tight a patch as you can ram down the barrel usually works best for achieving the best possible accuracy that is obtainable with a given barrel, patch and ball combination.

When I am shooting my custom .50 cal. Hawken rifle with a 1 in 66 rate of twist for accuracy, I use a Hornady .495″ roundball with a Ox-Yoke Original .015″ pre-cut, lubricated cotton patch. This combination fits my rifle’s bore very tightly and with the appropriate load of Pyrodex Select, provides the best accuracy achievable with this firearm. However, the bore must be cleaned between shots in order for me to be able to load this patch/ball combination. Whenever I am hunting with this rifle, I use a slightly smaller Buffalo Bullets .490″ ball and a thinner Ox-Yoke Original .010″ pre-lubed cotton patch. Accuracy is not as good as with the tight- fitting ball, but it’s easier to load if a follow-up shot is needed and I can still shoot into 2 inches at 100 yards.

With their faster rate of twist barrels, often 1 in 24, most modern, and some traditionally styled, muzzleloading firearms are designed to utilize an elongated conical lead bullet or a sub-caliber saboted bullet. Let’s take a look at conicals first.

A muzzleloading conical bullet is usually constructed of as pure lead as is obtainable or of a soft lead alloy. In most instances, the base of a conical is usually slightly smaller than bore diameter of the intended firearm and is tapered to a front driving band that is groove diameter. Conicals should be grooved or knurled around their bearing surface because this allows them to hold the lubricating grease that assists in not only loading them but in reducing the fouling that is retained within the barrel.

Once the powder of a conical firing firearm is ignited, the force of the powder gases upsets the base of the bullet by swaging it to fit the bore of the barrel. The lubricating grease is needed to keep the resulting powder fouling soft so a subsequent shot can be easily loaded. In some cases, it may also provide some protection against barrel leading. In an effort to achieve better accuracy or as an alternative lubricating method, some shooters use a “bore button” between the powder and the bullet. This is simply a disc of wool, treated with a muzzleloading grease-type lubricant and serves the same purpose as the lubrication that is applied directly to the bullet itself. Many of these conical bullets have been specifically designed for hunting applications but there is a growing trend toward “any bullet” competitive matches.

Saboted sub-caliber bullets are about as equally popular for hunting as is the conical lead bullet. They use a sturdy plastic carrier with a concave base, much like a shot wad in modern shotshells, which holds a bullet of a diameter smaller than the bore. For example most bullet/sabot combinations that are intended for use in a modern .50 caliber muzzleloading firearm contain a .45 cal. bullet in a sabot that fits the .50 cal. bore. Sabots usually need no lubricant and do not come with grease grooves. However, I have found that if I wipe a little on the sides of the sabots this acts to facilitate loading in some of my firearms, especially those with tight bores. The earliest designs for this style of bullet utilized plastic sabots and modern pistol bullets such as the XTP. Hunters quickly realized that great as these bullets were for use in modern pistols, the jackets were too thick and expansion was unreliable when these same bullets were used in muzzleloading firearms. Since those early days, most sabots have been redesigned to use bullets that are designed specifically for muzzleloading which insure reliable expansion and the proper penetration at muzzleloader velocities.

Currently, it is hard to keep up with all of the muzzleloaders that are available on the market today. That is why many of today’s newcomers to the sport become confused when trying to find that first firearm. Even worse, if the newcomer does not do their homework, they could end up with the wrong gun simply because a dealer wasn’t familiar with muzzleloaders or just wanted to make a sale. Even when they have narrowed their choice of ignition system to a traditional one, such as side hammer percussion or flintlock, or a more modern in-line or bolt-action, there are still important decisions that have to be made to insure that they end up with the right tool for the job.

If you’ve inherited an old gun, or bought a used one, the first thing to do is have it inspected by a competent gunsmith to ensure that it is safe to shoot and that it is not a valuable collectable you shouldn’t shoot. Perhaps the most important consideration after choosing a rifle style is the condition of the rifling. This is because the rifling has to be correct for stabilizing the type of projectile you intend to use. Now it is true that any bullet or ball can be shot in any rate of twist barrel. However, it has been proven that patched roundballs shoot best in a barrel with a slow rate of twist such as 1:60″ to 1:72″. The patched roundball also tends to shoot better if the rifling is smooth, deep (.010″ is ideal) and has wide grooves.

Probably the best known of the conical styled bullets on the market today is the Thompson/Center Maxi-Ball. This design was one of the earliest conical bullets to find wide spread favor among American muzzleloader shooters. Many of the earlier firearms were designed to take advantage of the improved ballistics that these bullets could offer were built with a 1:48″ rate of twist. At best it has been proven that the 1:48″ twist is a compromise rate that can be utilized for shooting both the patched roundball and the conical bullets. Faster rates of twist, such as 1:28″ work better with the conical or saboted bullets. In addition, it has been my experience that regardless of the rate of twist, conical lead bullets don’t shoot well in guns with shallow rifling unless loads are very mild. I believe that this is because the soft lead doesn’t make adequate purchase on the lands, and “strips” the rifling.

Conversely, plastic sabots tend to be more rigid than a soft lead bullet and can therefore shoot well in shallow-rifling barrels, even with full powder loads. Twists for utilizing sabots should be fast and I prefer a twist rate of 1:28″ for my modern muzzleloading rifles.

Along with the importance of finding the proper type of projectile for the job at hand is that of choosing a gun with the right ignition. For example in choosing a firearm with a percussion ignition system, you must keep in mind that not all percussion firearms utilize the same percussion caps. Most of the percussion firearms that I have in my hunting battery utilize the No. 11 percussion cap. However, in the early to mid 1990’s many manufacturers came out with versions of their firearms that were designed to use the larger and hotter musket caps. I would be in trouble if I took a musket cap firearm on that hunt of a life time in the remote Canadian wilderness and packed No. 11 caps in my shooting bag.

There are currently two other ways of using a percussion ignition firearm that utilize methods different from percussion caps. The first are those firearms designed to utilize a 209 shotgun primer and the second is designed to use a special plastic disc system, which can’t be purchased just anywhere I might happen to be. In all of these instances I have to be sure to plan ahead and order enough of the proper caps/primers/discs for the amount of shooting I plan to do. If you’re not the type who can plan ahead then you should probably purchase a firearm that uses the standard No. 11 cap which can be bought at most sporting goods stores and large retail outlets.

A last word of caution when considering which firearm to purchase, if you are a hunter, be sure to check the game laws in the area in which you are planning to hunt. The rules are changing yearly and what was legal last year may not be legal this year in your hunting area. For example, it wasn’t too long ago that inlines were not legal in Colorado. And the only legal muzzleloaders for Pennsylvania hunting are flintlocks.

Any load that you use in your blackpowder firearm will depend largely upon the caliber of your firearm and how you intend to use it. Before beginning to work up a load for your firearms, you should refer to your owner’s manual. This helpful resource will have a range of loads that the manufacturer has specifically developed for your firearm. However, you must bear in mind that these are general guidelines that have been designed to help you decide where to start.

Unlike smokeless powders, blackpowder and blackpowder substitutes are measured in volumetric units rather than by weight. Always utilize a non-sparking measuring device graduated in volumetric increments. Each of the increments will roughly correspond to a grain of blackpowder in weight. The increments on the blackpowder powder measure are thus expressed as grains, even though they signify volume and not weight. Blackpowder and blackpowder substitutes should not be weighed on a scale or cycled through a steel powder measure like smokeless powder. Please note that some of the commercially available blackpowder measuring devices only denote the increments in units of 5 grains rather than just 1. Please use these accordingly.

After 25 years of playing around with blackpowder firearms I have found that the best loads for target shooting are usually a lighter load. For example, most of the experts I talked to agree that using the caliber of your firearm as the starting point for target and hunting loads is a wise choice. Therefore, when I receive a new firearm for evaluation I usually start with a load that is equal to its caliber. Thus, when target shooting with a .50 caliber firearm I use exactly 50 grs. of FFFg Goex. But remember that this rule is not set in stone, especially for the smaller calibers. For example, I have a little .32 caliber Dixie squirrel rifle that I use only 25 grs. of Pyrodex P in. I use the same load for hunting in this rifle as it sends the .310″ roundball down range at more than 1600 fps and this is more than adequate for small game.

When it comes to big game hunting, many states require a minimum of .45 cal. but I prefer a .50 cal. and use it for all my big game hunting. With the right bullets and load, I have used this caliber to harvest whitetail, mulies, elk, bear, cougar and moose here in the US and over 15 species of African game. Though the .54 cal. and larger firearms will obviously do the same job I have found that bullet selection is much more limited and that bullet trajectory can be somewhat inferior to the .50.

In working up loads for your firearm, you must remember all of the powder in the world will not provide enough power if you do not insure proper shot placement on your intended game. It is important to remember to develop your loads with accuracy in mind first and power in mind second. If the load is accurate and within the limitations recommended in the manufacturer’s data then you can ethically take any game animal you will choose to hunt. And for those of you who equivocate heavier charges with more power, yes they do have the added benefit of shooting flatter and are thus more forgiving with regard to range estimation errors, but they also can bring with them excessive recoil. It is this excessive recoil, which usually results in the shooter flinching as they try to escape this punishing blow. And flinching, as we all know, can result in poor shot placement.

A lot of people find them *bleep*bersome, but I can not stress it enough when I tell you that it is absolutely necessary that you always wear eye and ear protection while loading your muzzleloader. It doesn’t matter whether you are in the field or at the bench. For verification of my point, please refer back to the second case of the father using R22 smokeless powder in his muzzleloader. The only thing that saved his daughter’s eyes and ears were her shooting glasses and hearing muffs. If they bother you in the field, there are several types of shooting glasses that look like sunglasses and the yellow tinted ones can even enhance you vision in the pre-dawn or post sun low light situations. After all you can replace a firearm, but you can’t replace a pair of eyes. The creator only gave us one pair each.

When developing the loading technique for your firearm you should always consult your owner’s manual for the instruction provided by the manufacturer because not all muzzleloaders are alike. Some firearms have special steps added to accommodate certain features unique to them, for example capping the Knight Disc rifle is different than capping a T/C Hawken. However, most muzzleloading firearms load the same way. I usually start by putting a cleaning patch on the end of my ramrod and push the rod all the way down to the barrel of the unloaded firearm until it stops. Then leaving the ramrod down the barrel, I point the gun in a safe direction and fire a few percussion caps. This will clear any debris from the nipple and flash channel and insure proper ignition when it counts.

Then after removing the ramrod, I examine the patch. If everything is working properly it should be blackened, or even burned through from firing the caps. This indicates that the firearm’s combustion area is clear of debris, gun oil or remaining preservative that could foul the powder. After you have completed this process, it is time to check the nipple to insure that there is not a cap or cap debris left on it. For outside hammer firearms, put them on half cock, in-line guns should be cocked and put the safety on, or open the bolt on bolt-action muzzleloaders and put the safety on, then you can examine your firearm’s nipple in safety. Once these processes are completed, you are now ready to load.

To begin the loading process, I use an adjustable brass or plastic volumetric powder measure, set the measure for the desired charge. Then pour the blackpowder or Pyrodex into the measure until the required amount is complete. Before loading your firearm, make sure to close the powder container. Then with the muzzle pointed away from you or anyone else nearby, pour the pre-measured charge down the barrel. Never pour powder into a gun directly from a powder can or flask, even if it’s equipped with a spout that holds the correct amount of powder. If there is still a spark in the barrel, such a move could result in a loud bang and a big flash of a surprise. After pouring the powder down the barrel, smack the side of the barrel a few times with your hand to settle the powder into the combustion chamber. Now you’re ready to load a roundball, bullet or sabot.

For those of use shooting one of the modern designed in-lines, there is the option or using pre-measured Pyrodex or 777 pellets instead of the loose powder. These come in 30 and 50 grain sizes that can be used to create a pre-determined load for your firearm.

Once again, while keeping the muzzle pointed away from you or anyone else nearby, load a roundball by centering a lubricated patch over the muzzle, and placing a roundball in the center of the patch with the cut-off sprue facing up. If using a bullet start it into the muzzle, taking care to keep it straight and aligned with the bore. Start a sabot the same as a bullet, but first make sure the sub-caliber bullet is all the way in the sabot. Regardless of projectile being used, start it into the muzzle with the shortest end of a short starter. Make sure you hold around, not over the starter, and that the muzzle is pointed away from you. Then with the muzzle still pointed away from you, after you have started the projectile down into the muzzle, use the long end of the short starter to push it the length of the short starter shaft down the bore, holding around, not over the starter. Next you use the ramrod to finish loading the projectile all the way down the bore until it presses tight against the powder. Once again being sure to hold around - not over - the end of the ramrod and keeping the muzzle pointed away from you. I know I was repetitious in making my point about keeping the muzzle pointed away from you, but this is a very important point of muzzleloading safety that you need to remember and practice.

Now with the firearm pointed down range or in a safe direction, check all safeties to make sure they are on. Once you are certain that the firearm is safe it is time to prime the firearm with a percussion cap or other ignition feature your gun has (disc, musket cap, 209 primer, etc.). Your firearm is now ready to fire.

Despite what most people think a muzzleloader is not that hard to clean. Especially when compared to removing copper jacket fouling from a modern center-fire rifle. Yes, muzzleloaders are easier to clean, but they can be messier. Over the years I have seen and tried all kinds of homemade cleaning solutions. These have included everything from hot soapy water, Murphy’s Oil Soap, windshield washer fluid to industrial strength solvents. I have also tried a number of commercially made muzzleloader cleaning products that work great. Regardless of what you use, keep some in a small bottle or tube in your shooting bag. This works great for using on a lock hammer or trigger mechanism to clean the fouling while in the field or at another inopportune time.

Unlike smokeless powders, do not use nitro or copper solvents intended for cartridge guns, as they are not designed for removing blackpowder fouling. Only use commercially made blackpowder solvents or water-based homemade cleaners. Which ever you choose, you must completely clean a muzzleloader of all fouling when you have finished shooting. If you do not completely remove all of the fouling the hygroscopic nature of blackpowder will attract moisture from the air and cause your firearm to rust. After you have finished cleaning your firearm and removed all of the cleaning solution, it is necessary to coat all metal surfaces of your firearm with a rust preventative.

As I mentioned earlier, whenever you are handling firearms, it is imperative that you adhere to the fundamentals of firearm safety. Muzzleloaders, by their very nature, require this and more. Because they are loaded through the muzzle, we must be especially careful to avoid leaning over the firearm during the loading process. In addition we must remember to keep our fingers and hands away from the front of the muzzle, and always hold around, not over, ball starters and ramrods.

Eye and ear protection is an unequivocal must. It bothers me to see muzzleloading shooters, whether on the range or in the field, not wearing some form of eye and ear protection. Because of their very nature, the risk of eye injury loss is even greater with a muzzleloader than with a cartridge gun. Especially percussion based ignition systems because a percussion cap is designed with creases and serrations that can cause it to fly apart when fired.

One final note on muzzleloading safety, for those of you who smoke, it is very important that you refrain from doing so when shooting a muzzleloader because of the obvious risk of igniting the loose powder with an errant spark.