227:
141:
20:
285:
133:
201:. These were known by various names, including "chargers" or "apostles" as 12 were often carried. For most of the time muzzleloaders were in use, a round ball and pre-measured powder charge could be carried in a paper or cloth wrapping. The shooter would bite off the end of the paper cartridge with his teeth and pour the powder into the barrel followed by the ball encased in the paper wrapping.
458:
179:. Sometimes two types of gunpowder (and two flasks) were used consisting of finer priming powder for the flash pan and coarser powder for the main charge behind the ball. This was particularly the case with earlier muzzleloaders like matchlocks but appear to have been less common with flintlocks and was irrelevant with percussion locks since they used percussion caps rather than priming powder.
189:, a card wad or other secure wadding is used between the powder and the shot charge to prevent pellets from dropping into the powder charge and on top of the shot charge to hold it in place in the barrel. In smooth bore muskets and most rifles used prior to cartridges being introduced in the mid-to late nineteenth century, wadding was used primarily to hold the powder in place.
249:) of fabric is wrapped around a ball which is slightly smaller than the barrel diameter. In other types of round ball firing rifles, a ramrod and hammer is used to force the round ball down through the rifling. When fired, either the lead ball or the wrapping grips the rifling and imparts spin to the ball which usually gives improved accuracy. In rifles firing
346:(MLAIC) governs international competition with muzzle-loading arms. The MLAIC holds a Short Range World Championship in even-numbered years and a Long Range World Championship (300–1,000 yd (270–910 m)) on odd numbered years (South Africa has won the last 5 Long Range World Championships).
307:
in the 1930s, just as the last original users and makers of muzzleloading arms were dying out. The sport received a tremendous boost in the 1960s and 1970s. The Muzzle
Loaders Associations International Committee (www.MLAIC.org) was formed in 1970 and held its first World Championship in 1971. Since
196:
The use of cartridges with both gunpowder charge and ball, made up in batches by the shooter or a servant, was known from very early on, but until roughly around 1800 loading using a powder flask and a bag of balls was more common outside of the military. The measuring stage for the barrel charge of
260:
replaced the round ball in most firearms, especially for military use, in the 1840s and 1850s. It has a hollow base which expands to grip the rifling. The combination of the spinning Minié ball and the consistent velocity provided by the improved seal gave far better accuracy than the smoothbore
363:
has created the 10ML-II, which can be used with smokeless powder, reducing the cleaning required. However, Savage has discontinued the production of smokeless muzzleloaders. Remington
Firearms also have a muzzleloader in production, the model "700 Ultimate" or "700 SL Ultimate". There are several
101:
use a shell with the propelling charge and primer attached at the base. Unlike older muzzleloading mortars, which were loaded the same way as muzzleloading cannon, the modern mortar is fired by dropping the shell down the barrel where a pin fires the primer, igniting the main propelling charge.
269:
When aiming for great accuracy, muzzle-loaders are usually cleaned ("swabbed") before reloading, so that there is no residue left in the barrel to reduce accuracy, though in competitions run by the international governing body, the MLAIC, this is prohibited for military rifle and musket events.
208:
until they were firmly seated on the propellant charge. Priming powder could be carried in a separate priming flask and poured into the priming pan or a little powder from the cartridge was used, and the frizzen was pushed down to hold the priming powder in place. After the gunpowder and
226:
217:
was used to firmly pack everything down at the base of the barrel. Then either a priming charge was placed in the priming pan or a percussion cap was placed on the nipple, the firing mechanism initiated; the cock or hammer was then cocked to make the firearm ready to fire.
270:
However, in small arms muzzleloading rifles, swabbing is only done after every 5-10 shots. Large caliber muzzle-loaders such as cannons are always swabbed between shots to prevent accidents caused by live sparks igniting the fresh charge of powder as it is being loaded.
71:. The term "muzzleloader" applies to both rifled and smoothbore type muzzleloaders, and may also refer to the marksman who specializes in the shooting of such firearms. The firing methods, paraphernalia and mechanism further divide both categories as do caliber (from
192:
On most naval cannons, one piece of wadding was used to hold the powder in place and served the purpose of creating a better seal around the shot. Another was used to act as a plug to stop the shot rolling out because of the swaying of the ship.
328:. In the United States muzzleloading guns are, subject to a number of qualifications, generally not considered firearms. Subject to state law they may be possessed by persons who might otherwise not be legally allowed to own a firearm.
302:
is the sport or pastime of firing muzzleloading guns. Muzzleloading guns, both antique and reproduction, are used for target shooting, hunting, historical re-enactment and historical research. The sport originated in the
354:
Driven by demand for muzzleloaders for special extended primitive hunting seasons, firearms manufacturers have developed in-line muzzleloading rifles with designs similar to modern breech-loading centerfire designs.
102:
Both the modern mortar and the older mortar were used for high angle fire. However, the fact that the mortar is not loaded in separate steps may make its definition as a muzzleloader a matter of opinion.
238:, Toronto, Canada. The set of accessories includes a small hammer as rifled pistols used slightly oversized bullets; a hammer was needed to drive the bullet down the barrel when loading.
701:
343:
332:
161:
In general, the sequence of loading is to put in first gunpowder, by pouring in a measured amount of loose powder, historically mostly by using a
656:
288:
602:
678:
197:
gunpowder could be avoided by carrying a number of pre-measured charges in small containers of wood, metal or cloth, often carried on a
711:
154:
253:, the patch, often the paper wrapping from the cartridge, is used as an initial seal and to hold powder in place during loading.
140:
540:
789:
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779:
474:
19:
545:
136:
Loaded muzzleloading cannon. (1) Priming charge (2) Main propellant charge (3) Wadding (4) Projectile (5) Wadding
617:
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176:
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231:
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then a flourishing industry manufacturing working reproductions of historic firearms now exists in the
664:
469:
242:
Muzzleloading firearms generally use round balls, cylindrical conical projectiles, and shot charges.
235:
166:
364:
custom gun makers that are currently building smokeless muzzleloaders on new or donor bolt actions.
59:(i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from the modern designs of
774:
686:
525:
336:
325:
321:
359:
pioneered the in-line muzzleloader in the mid-1980s, manufacturing and selling them to this day.
64:
706:
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484:
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52:
629:
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165:(or powder horn), or by inserting a pre-measured bag or paper packet of gunpowder (called a
514:
98:
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long guns, to in-line rifles that use modern inventions such as a closed breech, sealed
550:
530:
489:
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169:) or by inserting solid propellant pellets. The gunpowder used is typically
121:
120:. It usually, but not always, involves the use of a loose propellant (i.e.,
83:
743:
185:
is made from felt, paper, cloth or card and has several different uses. In
746:
A number of articles on loading and firing various military muzzleloaders.
504:
440:
435:
415:
400:
76:
186:
182:
124:) and projectile, as well as a separate method of ignition or priming.
40:
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as well as the
Western National Shoot Event held in Phoenix, Arizona.
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The projectiles and wads were then pushed down into the breech with a
494:
420:
313:
214:
205:
110:
106:
72:
44:
94:
and fast rifling to allow for considerable accuracy at long ranges.
82:
Modern muzzleloading firearms range from reproductions of sidelock,
245:
In some types of rifles firing round ball, a lubricated patch (see
456:
317:
283:
225:
139:
131:
18:
618:
ATF.gov Top 10 Frequently Asked
Firearms Questions and Answers
56:
113:
but in modern parlance the term most commonly applies to
738:
733:
728:
230:
A pair of French rifled, flintlock, duelling pistols by
657:"Knight Muzzleloading Rifles looks to close production"
63:
firearms, in which user loads the ammunition into the
739:
344:
Muzzle
Loaders Associations International Committee
594:Pistols: An Illustrated History of Their Impact
702:"The Modernization of the Muzzleloaded Rifle"
8:
16:Class of gun which is loaded from the muzzle
734:Muzzle Loaders association of Great Britain
679:"Hunting drives today's blackpowder market"
213:or shot charge were placed in the barrel a
729:National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association
335:holds two national tournaments a year in
333:National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association
105:Muzzleloading can apply to anything from
144:Wadding recovered from the wreck of the
700:McClintock, Brian (February 10, 2011).
583:
153:and was found inside a loaded cannon,
27:" muzzle-loading musket, used by the
7:
373:Related to muzzle-loading small arms
453:Related to muzzle-loading artillery
295:learning about muzzleloading rifles
636:. No. Nov 1996. November 1996
14:
175:or black powder substitutes like
155:National Maritime Museum Cornwall
475:List of muzzle-loading artillery
261:muzzleloaders that it replaced.
1:
43:in which the user loads the
597:. ABC-CLIO. pp. 33–34.
222:Projectile types and history
655:Jim Braaten (3 June 2009),
316:, particularly in northern
806:
685:. May 2004. Archived from
461:Muzzle-loading gun on its
277:
546:RML 68-pounder 64 cwt gun
661:Minneapolis Star Tribune
556:68-pounder Lancaster gun
630:"In-line Muzzleloaders"
566:RML 12 inch 35 ton gun
561:RML 12 inch 25 ton gun
465:
296:
239:
158:
137:
32:
744:Muzzleloader Articles
460:
293:Boy Scouts of America
287:
229:
143:
135:
22:
790:Black-powder pistols
785:18th-century weapons
780:19th-century weapons
714:on January 30, 2018.
591:Jeff Kinard (2003).
541:70 pounder Whitworth
470:Rifled muzzle loader
236:Royal Ontario Museum
526:ML 8 inch shell gun
337:Friendship, Indiana
326:Province of Brescia
322:Gardone Val Trompia
232:Nicolas Noël Boutet
634:Field & Stream
571:RML 17.72 inch gun
466:
297:
240:
159:
138:
33:
707:Popular Mechanics
683:Shooting Industry
604:978-1-85109-470-7
573:, ("100-ton gun")
396:Caplock mechanism
320:, for example at
75:to small-caliber
31:from 1722 to 1838
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710:. Archived from
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663:, archived from
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51:charge into the
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765:Firearm actions
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770:Early firearms
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723:External links
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689:on 2012-07-18.
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667:on 11 May 2015
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551:RML 7 inch gun
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531:68-pounder gun
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522:(gun-howitzer)
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390:Breech-loading
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289:Varsity Scouts
278:Main article:
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247:Kentucky rifle
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61:breech-loading
15:
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760:Muzzleloading
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536:Parrott rifle
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520:Canon-obusier
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510:Demi-culverin
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357:Knight Rifles
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331:The American
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310:United States
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305:United States
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300:Muzzleloading
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280:Muzzleloading
274:Muzzleloading
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712:the original
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687:the original
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665:the original
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638:. Retrieved
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385:Black powder
380:Antique guns
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341:
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299:
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265:Modern usage
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172:black powder
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163:powder flask
160:
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115:black powder
104:
96:
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37:muzzleloader
36:
34:
29:British Army
500:Demi-cannon
361:Savage Arms
251:Minié balls
234:1794–1797.
146:packet ship
67:end of the
55:end of the
775:Ammunition
754:Categories
578:References
350:Modern use
258:Minié ball
211:projectile
118:small arms
88:percussion
49:propellant
45:projectile
25:Brown Bess
446:Wheellock
431:Snaphance
426:Pepperbox
411:Matchlock
406:Flintlock
324:, in the
199:bandolier
167:cartridge
122:gunpowder
84:flintlock
77:palm guns
505:Culverin
485:Falconet
463:carriage
441:Terzerol
436:Snaplock
416:Miquelet
401:Firearms
392:firearms
368:See also
187:shotguns
47:and the
640:11 July
480:Bombard
291:of the
183:Wadding
177:Pyrodex
150:Hanover
128:Loading
111:pistols
107:cannons
99:mortars
97:Modern
73:cannons
41:firearm
39:is any
601:
515:Minion
495:Cannon
421:Musket
314:Europe
215:ramrod
206:ramrod
157:(2014)
92:primer
69:barrel
65:breech
53:muzzle
490:Saker
318:Italy
642:2020
599:ISBN
342:The
312:and
256:The
86:and
109:to
79:).
57:gun
23:A "
756::
704:.
681:.
659:,
632:.
35:A
644:.
607:.
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