Went and bought a smoke gun!

[Rickf1985]

Well, I just won a Black powder pistol at an auction. It is a complete kit so I hope the 100.00 I paid for it was reasonable. I have next to no knowledge about black powder guns so the learning curve starts here. This is what I got, I have to wait for them to contact me for pickup. Really hoping they haven't changed the laws in NJ so that I can still do this without a pistol permit as that will take 9 months from what I hear!!!

Lot:251 | Make:Intercontinental Arms Inc.| Model:Kentuckian |Serial #:2775 | Type:Black Powder Pistol| Caliber:.44

[rodwha]

Ok, I’ll get you started.

A .44 cal muzzleloader uses .430-5” balls as it needs a cloth patch to fill in the rest including the grooves. The patches you’ll want to try out will range from 0.010-6”. The larger the ball the thinner the patch. Usually it seems a tighter fit is more accurate but some like a looser fit as it’s much easier and faster to reload. All depends on just how accurate you want it to be. I’d suggest buying a small assortment of each to try.

The patches need some sort of black powder lube. There’s far too many and I’ve not tried anything that I like yet. Olive oil is sworn by the masses but my wife would tear my hind end if I got into it (she’s caught me looking). You certainly don’t want them wet or too moist, nor too dry. These can be found pre lubed and that’s what I’d recommend to get started with, though I read most people find better lubes.

As to percussion caps you’ll want #10, 11, or 11 magnums. You want a snug fit and not need to pinch them.

As for powder you’ll want to try out 3F. 2F can be used but it leaves more fouling and gives lower velocities, but just may end up being more accurate. You can use 4F as well, but this goes against the manufacturer’s recommendations these days. When loading pistols the general rule tends to be to start at 1/2 the caliber and work up in 5 grn increments. So for you that would be 20-25 grns to start with. And them max tends to be somewhere around caliber, for you about 45 grns, though we’re you to use 4F I’d drop the max by no less than 10-15%.

You’ll want cleaning patches, some have used old t-shirts cut into small squares. Water (I prefer warm) is really all you need but many of use use a drop of dish soap too. I run a couple of patches to dry and use Ballistol oil as it emulsifies in water and will allow any bits of water to evaporate leaving behind just the oil. Used to use WD-40 for that but it needs removing before oiling so I’ve removed that wasted step. There are many products you can use and they all have their fans.

You’ll want some anti-seize like for spark plugs. Those tiny little packs is all you need until you find you love this, shoot often, and acquire more guns.

I like the powder measures that have a funnel. These are used for rifles and usually coke graduated in 10 grn increments. Get a brass one and scratch a 5 grn mark between them. This will allow you to easily eyeball 2.5 grn increments.

And you’ll want a powder flask. Many have screw on powder measures but they come set for a single charge so there’s no adjustment unless you cut it. And that’s fine once you’ve found a charge it does well with, though I feel the measures are more precise.

Some people find cardboard over powder cards or hard felt wads seal better. You can get to that later.

[MrWolf]

Moved out of NJ 4 years ago. Black powder is no different than any other pistol. From NJ State Police web site 3 & 4:

How do you buy rifles and/or shotguns, including bb, pellet, and black powder rifles?
It is the responsibility of the seller of the rifles and/or shotguns, including bb, pellet, and black powder rifles to ascertain that the buyer has a valid Firearms Purchaser Identification Card plus one additional form of photo identification and completes a Certificate of Eligibility for each firearm. The information contained on the Firearms Purchaser Identification Card must match the identification of the transferor to be valid. A Certificate of Eligibility can be obtained at any licensed firearms dealer, or this web site. *All firearms transactions must be completed at a State licensed retail firearms dealer with the exemption of transactions between a) members of an immediate family b) law enforcement officers c) collectors in possession of a valid Collector of Curios and Relics License issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. (See N.J.S.A. 2C:58-3 for further information)

How do you buy handguns, including bb, pellet, and black powder handguns?
Download Form
A Permit to Purchase a Handgun must be completed for each handgun transferred in this state. It is the responsibility of the seller of the handgun to ascertain that the buyer has a valid Permit to Purchase a Handgun and one additional form of identification. The information on the Handgun Purchase Permit must match the identification of the transferor. ( i.e, name address, DOB, sex, etc.) The permit must be completed by the seller and buyer. It is the responsibility of the seller to forward the copies to the appropriate authority. Instructions are printed on the permit. *All firearms transactions must be completed at a State licensed retail firearms dealer with the exemption of transactions between a) members of an immediate family b) law enforcement officers c) collectors in possession of a valid Collector of Curios and Relics License issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. (See N.J.S.A. 2C:58-3 for further information)

Sorry but you need the permits from my understanding. Got a friend in a non communist state?
Ron

[mooman76]

As long as it has all the parts, $100 is cheap for a ML kit. I hear the Kentuckian guns were good or at least better than the CVA or Traditions BP guns. You may have a little trouble finding RBs for it. It's hard these days and being a 44 cal which uses like a .430 ball is no help. It's not unheard of but less common. Do you cast? You can get a custom cut RB mould for not a bad price.

[Rickf1985]

Ok, I’ll get you started.

A .44 cal muzzleloader uses .430-5” balls as it needs a cloth patch to fill in the rest including the grooves. The patches you’ll want to try out will range from 0.010-6”. The larger the ball the thinner the patch. Usually it seems a tighter fit is more accurate but some like a looser fit as it’s much easier and faster to reload. All depends on just how accurate you want it to be. I’d suggest buying a small assortment of each to try.

The patches need some sort of black powder lube. There’s far too many and I’ve not tried anything that I like yet. Olive oil is sworn by the masses but my wife would tear my hind end if I got into it (she’s caught me looking). You certainly don’t want them wet or too moist, nor too dry. These can be found pre lubed and that’s what I’d recommend to get started with, though I read most people find better lubes.

As to percussion caps you’ll want #10, 11, or 11 magnums. You want a snug fit and not need to pinch them.

As for powder you’ll want to try out 3F. 2F can be used but it leaves more fouling and gives lower velocities, but just may end up being more accurate. You can use 4F as well, but this goes against the manufacturer’s recommendations these days. When loading pistols the general rule tends to be to start at 1/2 the caliber and work up in 5 grn increments. So for you that would be 20-25 grns to start with. And them max tends to be somewhere around caliber, for you about 45 grns, though we’re you to use 4F I’d drop the max by no less than 10-15%.

You’ll want cleaning patches, some have used old t-shirts cut into small squares. Water (I prefer warm) is really all you need but many of use use a drop of dish soap too. I run a couple of patches to dry and use Ballistol oil as it emulsifies in water and will allow any bits of water to evaporate leaving behind just the oil. Used to use WD-40 for that but it needs removing before oiling so I’ve removed that wasted step. There are many products you can use and they all have their fans.

You’ll want some anti-seize like for spark plugs. Those tiny little packs is all you need until you find you love this, shoot often, and acquire more guns.

I like the powder measures that have a funnel. These are used for rifles and usually coke graduated in 10 grn increments. Get a brass one and scratch a 5 grn mark between them. This will allow you to easily eyeball 2.5 grn increments.

And you’ll want a powder flask. Many have screw on powder measures but they come set for a single charge so there’s no adjustment unless you cut it. And that’s fine once you’ve found a charge it does well with, though I feel the measures are more precise.

Some people find cardboard over powder cards or hard felt wads seal better. You can get to that later.

Thank you very much! That is quite the introduction to black powder shooting. And Mr. Wolf, Congrats on getting out of here and yes, I found out about the permit when I talked to the auction house. The auctioneer told me I was not the only one that thought all black powder was exempt. So now I hope I can get my permit through before he decides he no longer has room for it and resells it. He did say he would transfer it to another FFL which is good since I can have it sent to the people I usually deal with and they will hold for me until the permit goes through. I have gotten permits in the past so it might not take as long as a new buyer. And Mooman, yes I do cast and the kit is complete in the box.

[rodwha]

Being that you cast I’d suggest no larger than .440” from what I’ve read in that pistols seem to prefer a thinner patch which would give you more room to find what does well. Thinner patches tear easier.

[toot]

I use the smaller DIA.RB, and use hornet's nest over the powder & on top of the RB. and it will work.

[Rickf1985]

Are there molds out there in the .43X sizes or is this something I am going to have to have made? And are there any books that would be recommended for me to read up on for black powder shooting? For instance, terms used in black powder? Hornets nest to me means either I am going to get stung it might be some sort of packing material.

[mooman76]

Hornets nest is actual hornets nest. Find an old one and use but there are other things you can use. There books out there but not so many so finding a cheap book would be difficult. A pistol doesn't need a tight patch like a rifle. They do fine with light loads so a thinner patch makes them easier to load. There is a guy in England that makes RB moulds any size you like for a reasonable price. If you want to just play around a shoot for fun you could just shoot some .440 RBs with no patch. Accuracy will not be the same but up close won't mater too much. Sam Fadala (not sure of spelling) wrote allot of BP books.

[rodwha]

I see Lee makes a .433” mold.

I have Lyman’s 2nd Edition handbook, but I’m sure there are better books. I learned much, much more a traditional BP forum mostly.

[freakonaleash]

As long as it has all the parts, $100 is cheap for a ML kit. I hear the Kentuckian guns were good or at least better than the CVA or Traditions BP guns. You may have a little trouble finding RBs for it. It's hard these days and being a 44 cal which uses like a .430 ball is no help. It's not unheard of but less common. Do you cast? You can get a custom cut RB mould for not a bad price.

.429's are readily available. It's what I use in my .44 rifles.

[Rickf1985]

Hornets nest is actual hornets nest. Find an old one and use but there are other things you can use. There books out there but not so many so finding a cheap book would be difficult. A pistol doesn't need a tight patch like a rifle. They do fine with light loads so a thinner patch makes them easier to load. There is a guy in England that makes RB moulds any size you like for a reasonable price. If you want to just play around a shoot for fun you could just shoot some .440 RBs with no patch. Accuracy will not be the same but up close won't mater too much. Sam Fadala (not sure of spelling) wrote allot of BP books.

I have always been an accuracy fanatic, Got that from my dad at a very young age. He used to tell me that a good shooter could shoot a fly in the butt at 100 yards but an excellent shooter could shoot a gnat off that fly's tail! From that point forward I was always looking for the gnat! Granted I never hit it but I was good. There were a lot of splattered flies. LOL. Pistol I was not quite as good but I was better than most at the range. There are a couple guys there now that just flat out embarrass me and at my age I really don't care. But I still want to hit all black at 50 yards.

[T-Bird]

Lee RB molds are cheap. They make .395, .433, .440. I checked their website. These of course need to be cast pure lead.

[mooman76]

Pure lead is best but if you don't have it, alloyed lead will work for RBs.

[GregLaROCHE]

You don’t necessarily need a special lube for your patches. Plain spit works as it has for centuries.

[ogre]

Ummmm.....I see that this particular pistol is made in percussion and flintlock. Which do you have?

[Rickf1985]

Percussion.

[Hanshi]

I've had a rifle for around 55 years that came with a cheapo .435" mold. It did fine with those cast balls. Later I got a .440" mold and it loaded fine with a thin patch and shot with very good accuracy. I also recommend Lee molds as Lyman (I have a bunch from waaay back) are outrageously expensive now.

[Life Member]

I shoot flint locks and love it. Nice slow paced shooting.

[Rickf1985]

Well, It is probably going to be a couple more months at least before I can even take possession of the pistol thanks to NJ's great gun laws, I have to wait for my pistol permit to go through the system. BUT! I did buy two T/C Hawken's to hold me over while waiting, no permit needed for them! Got them from a member here,. Got a .45 and a 54.. Of coarse now I am going to need more percussion caps and there are none to be found and I have no intention of making my own. I live in NJ, If I start buying the makings of anything explosive then I am on a list that makes them very interested in what I have in my house. The governor already tried to push for home checks to see if people still had "high capacity" magazines after the new ten round law went through not a singe mag was turned in to the State Police. He wanted to know if people still had them. I think he was told that there was no legal way to just "go looking" for the magazines. But that does not mean that they will not use any excuse whatsoever to get a warrant to search. I am not giving anyone any excuses. Most people in the southern and western state do not understand how it can possibly be that bad here. Do NOT turn your back for a half second or you are likely to find out!!!