This page is dedicated to the muzzleloader, a.k.a., front stuffer, muzzle stuffer, long gun, trade gun, fowler, shotgun, and by any other name that it may have been called. I'll even include a little info on some modern, inline (oh my god, a cuss word) guns, because they are just an evolved smokepole that you load from the front or muzzle. I don't claim to be an expert in the field of muzzleloading, but I have been shooting and hunting with them for 20 years or so, and continue to be active in all aspects of the sport.

I shoot in competitions at least once a month. I hunt deer every season with the muzzleloader, and have hunted bear, cougar, moose, and all small game, with it. they are a very competent weapon, in the hands of a caring rifleman, shotgunner, or pistol shooter.

Lets start by discussing the difference in smoothbores (tradeguns, fowlers, and shotguns) and rifles. Smoothbores are exactly what the name implies, smooth of bore, not rifled. This is not to say they will only shoot shot or BBs. They may be loaded with a ball, or shot, or a combo of both called buck&ball. Many of the early period guns are smoothbores. In the latter part of the 1700s, the rifled gun started to gain popularity.

The rifled gun, with it's superior ability for accuracy, gained popularity very fast among the military, longhunter, and frontiers man alike. it's ability to shoot longer distances made it very desirable, as a choice of weapons.It would out distance any of the smoothbores, and weighed slightly more.

As guns evolved, so did their types of ignition. The wheel lock, match lock, and the flint lock all yielded to the percussion lock. Presently, all types of ignitions are being utilized, but i believe that the percussion lock remains the favorite, and most used.

The use of the percussion lock ranges from smoothbore shotguns, to pistols, to rifles. They are still widely used in all of the above, although the flint lock is making a strong comeback.

Almost all of todays modern inline muzzleloaders use percussion locks, that are a little different from the that of the early percussion locks. Some of these locks are born from another concept, and some are merely an improved version of an older lock.

The modern muzzleloading rifle, using the knowledge of years of gunsmithing, has evolved into quite an accurate weapon. Most of them use a faster rate of twist, to stabilize longer,conical bullets, or sabots. Some come with interchangable barrels, which allows the user to have barrels with a round or conical bullet twist. With the turn of a screw, changing barrels is easy, you can then shoot a different bullet style. The design varies from one manufacturer to another, and some are quite unique in style and design. They are quite capable of taking all North American big game animals, and probably most any animal in the world. If you take a good look at some of the guns that are of unique design in the 1700 and 1800s, you can see how the modern muzzleloader has evolved from a blend of different ideas of old generation, and new generation gunsmiths.

Now to discuss the everlasting and long enduring muzzleloading pistol. They to have evolved into some unique looking weapons, but the older styles are still popular with trekkers, buckskinners, mountainmen, longhunters, and shooters alike. Militia reenactors are also users of the military style pistols.

The pistol followed the path of the long gun, up to a certain point, and then went in an entirely different direction. As the handgun became more versatile, by increasing the number of shots before reloading, use of metallic cartridges, and a more carriable weapon, it grew and surpassed the rifle in technology. But only for a short period in history, was the pistol on top, and then the rifle took a giant leap.

It is my belief that the comeback of the muzzleloading gun has been due to the efforts of the hunter, looking for a more challenging hunt, and to the buckskinner, reenactor, or any other name that they might come under, trying to recreate a little bit of history. Thanks to these individuals we have retained an important part of our heritage, that we would have otherwise missed.

Those that may follow in the foot steps of these individuals, have a lot of responsibility, to keep the sport of muzzleloading alive.

If you have any comments, or questions, please email me, and I'll reply to any and all. Future additions to this page are in the works now, and may include a faq link, and/or a tips page. Please give me your input on this, it will be appreciated.