First time Black Powder advise please

[comitee]

Hi all

As a long term .22LR target shooter and currently using a LB Revolver and LB semi Buckmark regularly at the club together with Winchester under leaver rifles in .22 and .410 I feel the need in my old age to start Black powder target shooting.

To kick things off I am thinking of getting a Flintlock smooth bore BP musket such as the Indian Brown Bess carbine as ultimately my interest would be BP revolvers.

My thinking being that I can buy on my shotgun cert and use while waiting the 3 month probation at a BP club and then the 2 to 3 month wait for my FC to return with a BP pistol on !!!!!

Can any one tell me / advise
Is the brown bess carbine any good ?
Can I use smokeless powder ( so that I do not ned apply and wait 2 months again for a BP holders cert )
Any input on first time use / purchase appreciated

Steve

[rifleman243]

Hi i think you would be better off with either an andressa or investarm or something in these lines i have an investarm .50 cal smooth bore and its well made, for the powder you cannot use smokeless it will blow up the gun, use pyrodex rs or triple 777 you dont need a black powder licence for it

[TA6319]

I started with a .50 armisport smoothbore on my sgc at my club. Its very accurate up to 50 mtrs. It would outshoot p53 enfields at 50 mtrs. Any smoothbore like that wont cost a lot of money as people with F.A.C dont bother with them. I used pyrodex rs until my black powder certificate came thru. I think its worth a go, but Iam biased Percussion caps are easier to shhot as you dont have to worry about the condition of the flint

[davederrick]

Percussion caps are easier to shhot as you dont have to worry about the condition of the flint

Repeated cause its true. Avoid flints unless you wanted the real deal.

[comitee]

Thanks guys

I have tried to google the armi sport but nothing much coming up.
Any good wed sites / dealer sites for these makes ?

Steve

[rifleman243]

Hi try henry kranks or gun trader there are a few shops that sell new and second hand guns on there also there is micks guns

[TA6319]

try the manufacturers site

http://www.chiappafirearms.com/

or this dealers site

http://www.derbyshirearms.com/ArmiSport.htm

hope it helps

[Smokeless Coal]

As you already have FAC you should not be required to do a probation period at the other club its perfectly legal for them to waive it.

[Adept]

I use a .45 kentucky carbine on sg cert with 24.5 in barrel using 110 grain patched ball and 35 grains of 777 give me 1600 fps with good acuracy out to 100 meters, ( within 6-12 inches 50 meters down to 2-3 inches nice light gun with very little recoil, made by jager, had the gun around 30 years.

Hope this might help anyone looking out there

Adept

[davederrick]

As you already have FAC you should not be required to do a probation period at the other club its perfectly legal for them to waive it.

Both clubs I belong to say a probationary period is mandatory regardless of circumstances, but that may be their decision & not the law, but if thats what a club committee say then you have to go along with it.

[Smokeless Coal]

DD some clubs even insist on 6 months probation.

The legal requirment is a minimum of 3 months for new shooters and clubs have the discretion to waive a probation period for those who already hold an FAC. Imagine how annoying it is if you already shoot several disciplines for many years and need to join another club which caters for a disciple you want to add but you cant apply for your variation.

Theres enough restrictions and red tape as it is, it does not help us if clubs add phoney restrictions making a rod for their own back.

Anyone applying for club membership must be sponsored by at least one full member of that same club.

Before becoming a full member, individuals must serve a probationary period of at least three (3) months, during which time they must attend and shoot regularly. The probationary member must be given a course in the safe handling and use of firearms on a one to one basis by someone who is either a full member of that club or who is a coach with a qualification recognised by the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation and governing bodies.
Until a probationary member has satisfactorily completed a course in the safe handling and use of firearms, he/she must be supervised at all times when in possession of firearms or ammunition, by either the range officer or a full member of that club, or someone who is a coach with a qualification recognised by the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation and/ or governing bodies.

The probationary period may be waived, at the club's discretion, for someone who is already a full member of another club approved for the type of weapons, or has handled firearms in the course of duty in the police or armed services, and has a statement from his/her existing or former senior officer stating that they are fully trained in handling weapons for which the club is approved, and is able to use them safely without supervision.

I guess the problem is the OP does not already shoot muzzle loader unless you accept section 1 firearm as the type.

[davederrick]

Agreed its probably the firearm type, but club rules can impose more restrictions than legally necessary. I've even given training on muzzle loaders to a probationer who was an ex firearms officer. Dont think many cops get issued with front stuffers