The Chicago topic reminded me I am still looking.

I have called several FFLs around Sacramento and known of them carry Black Powder. Plenty cover the substitutes.

Anybody know of a place within 2-3 hours drive from Sacramento selling Black Powder? (So basically willing to go to Reno area, Bay area (not likely I know), or most of the Central Valley.)

A bit of a long shot - is anyone in this subreddit locating in the Chicago area and looking to order some black powder in the near future? I’m out and need to restock, but I also don’t need 5 pounds on my own either.

Thanks in advance~

Anyone here have one? How is the quality/fit and finish? I’d love a Matchlock replica to shoot and there aren’t many options from what I could find.

Hello everyone, I'm hoping some of you history buffs/blackpowder enthusiasts in here can help me wrap my head around some things.

I'm reading the foxfire 5 book right now, with the goal of someday making my own flintlock from start to finish in the ways of old, I.e without modern tools and using old techniques.

For the most part this book has everything I need to know from forging a barrel out of wrought iron bar stock, to rifling the barrel, to making the lock itself and the black powder as well. However there are some gaps that I'd appreciate some clarity or insight into.

The book says to draw out the tang of the barrel to fit the stock "and then threads both the barrel and its plug to seal up the end of the barrel." Then it just moves on into proving the barrel with a 4x normal powder charge.

Through some quick Wikipedia-ing it would appear that pipe threaders were invented around 1820. Wikipedia also states that breechloading flintlocks that involved screwing and unscrewing the barrel existed around 1650.

My question is this. How did blacksmiths accomplish threading the barrel and plug back before 1820? Thank you!

When i try going full cock on my pietta .44 colt it doesnt allow and forces itself to go half cock and almost gets “stuck” i tried taking it apart and couldnt figure anything out! Any black powder gun smiths near naperville that could help me?

First shots at 30 yards. Got a good 4 shot group on a torso sized target. The flier at the bottom left is my fault.

UPDATE - the grease method worked! Thank you all.

I have a Hawkins rifle and was loading it and got a ball and patch stuck about 1/4 down the barrell.

I did not dryball, there is powder in the barrel, but I believe it's too dry. I tried a ball puller screw but it didn't work and now the screw won't work.

What should I do? Can I try and spray lube down the barrell and seat the bullet?

Musket is a reproduction by Pedersoli, modified and defarbed by Todd Watts.

I bought a traditions buckstalker this year for around 250$ and have put about a dozen or so rounds through it, but oddly enough the gun is having some trouble, if I have the barrel open I can cock the hammer and the trigger works normally, but if I cock the hammer for some reason the barrel won’t close, if I do close the barrel then I can’t pull the hammer back all the way, I can pull it almost all the way back but releasing it just lets the hammer go all the way back to normal, haven’t wanted to try shooting it again cuz I’m worried about an accidental discharge, any help with this?

I bought a traditions buckstalker this year for around 250$ and have put about a dozen or so rounds through it, but oddly enough the gun is having some trouble, if I have the barrel open I can cock the hammer and the trigger works normally, but if I cock the hammer for some reason the barrel won’t close, if I do close the barrel then I can’t pull the hammer back all the way, I can pull it almost all the way back but releasing it just lets the hammer go all the way back to normal, haven’t wanted to try shooting it again cuz I’m worried about an accidental discharge, any help with this?

I’ve got a model 1842 civil war musket that was converted to a shotgun, is it safe to fire a lead ball through it?

What can I use instead of wonder wads

This year I'll be taking my .50 percussion rifle out deer hunting, and am worried about the charge absorbing water. Would it be sufficient to caulk around the nipple, drum and clean out screw with lubricant? I use 50/50 beeswax lard mix. It would be a patched-ball load, with a heavily lubed patch. I would also have something covering the muzzle.

I've never shot black powder before, but I've always been interested to try. I stumbled across this powder horn (which still had some powder in it!) in an antique store today for $11, so I guess I'm getting into black powder now!