Black Powder Cartridge Summer 2021

In the course of putting together this latest issue, we read with much enjoyment Miles Gilbert’s article entitled “Hunting and Sniping.” Miles has touched on the increasingly contentious issue of modern long-range “hunting” utilizing the latest technology versus the traditional stalking and fieldcraft that many older hunters were taught by their elders. We agree completely with Miles’ thoughts on the subject; indeed, it is one that we have discussed several times in The Black Powder Cartridge News. Chances are that you do too, or you wouldn’t be reading a magazine dedicated to black powder firearms. ...Read More >

Our cover for this issue is a bit of an intriguing mystery. ...Read More >

Dear Editor, I find myself having just returned from another great series of matches in Phoenix, Arizona. This being the “Year of COVID-19,” there were some challenges in just traveling back and forth to Phoenix. ...Read More >

“There was a time in the history of Creedmoor when the mere mention that Colonel John Bodine or Major Fulton were to shoot in a long-range match was sufficient to destroy all hope of victory on the part of the new-comers, but grit and persistence are characteristic of our American rifleman.” ...Read More >

No brag, just fact. For the Black Powder Target rifleman, the Desert International Black Powder Long Range Championship Match was and is the biggest such match in North America and as far as I know, on planet Earth. Muzzleloaders, cartridge rifles and vintage sniper rifles are all welcome. Sponsored by the Arizona Western International Shoot (AZWINS - Bill Loughrige, president), its stated purpose is to provide the competitor with a high-quality shooting experience that is enjoyable and fun to shoot and AZWINS has consistently delivered. ...Read More >

Long-range target shooting here in the U.S. has become increasingly popular, at least since the first International Match with the Irish team in 1874. The current “darling” centerfire cartridge (the 6.5 Creedmoor) is named for the famous venue constructed for that match on 70 acres at “Creed’s Farm,” subsequently called “Creed’s Moor” and now “Creedmoor” on Long Island, New York. Firing lines were established following the pattern at Wimbledon, which is now the well-known tennis court near London. It was 570 feet wide with 20 shooting pits, with ranges up to 1,000 yards. The shooters faced the north so that the sun would always be at their backs. ...Read More >

This Colt .45 “Peacemaker” was found out in the desert in historically one of the most dangerous places on Earth. The end of the barrel was spotted sticking up out of the dust in the middle of nowhere, 17 miles from Tombstone, Arizona, 16 miles from Fort Huachuca, and only nine miles north of the Mexican border. It was made in 1884, based on the serial number of 111,506. The gun has one empty chamber, two fired shells, and three live rounds in it. The hammer is frozen in the first click or notch. Given the clockwise rotation of the cylinder, it had been carried on the empty chamber, then two shots had been fired, and the owner was in the act of cocking the hammer for the third shot, when it fell to the ground. You get an eerie feeling that the guy died violently when he dropped this gun, because he was in “The Valley of the Shadow of Death.” ...Read More >

As far as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, I can’t find much good to say about it. One thing I can say, though; I had a lot of idle time on my hands. After perusing YouTube videos during this time of lockdown, I came across a company that makes rifle kits – Kibler’s Long Rifles. The owner, Jim Kibler, has numerous, very instructive and detailed YouTube videos on how to assemble and finish one of the flintlock kits he offers for sale. I have built quite a few flintlock rifles over my lifetime; however, I have never found a kit that came anywhere close to the quality of those offered by Kibler. So I decided to order one of his Colonial rifle kits in .54 caliber, rather than sit around the house doing nothing or forcing myself to watch TV. ...Read More >

Since my first article was published in Issue No. 113 of The Black Powder Cartridge News, I have received several emails and groups from readers. At 50 yards, on some targets, I have noticed a little bullet tipping. However, until we get out to longer distances, I won’t worry too much about that, as there are several factors that account for this such as different weight bullets and designs that stabilize at different distances. One set of targets had tipping with one weight bullet but not another. I will work with unbalanced bullets on a one-on-one basis as this is a whole different subject. The photo to the left shows good windage, but I suspect the shooter did not have consistent buttstock to shoulder position, causing the up and down stringing, or something else with position. The first three shots look like they’re in the same hole. ...Read More >

During a recent stay in New Zealand, we found ourselves in Rotorua, which is the stomping grounds of expert Kiwi rifleman, Laurie Kerr. Laurie has been a friend since we first met at Raton, New Mexico, a number of years ago and we have managed to stay in relatively good communication ever since. Laurie recently turned more than a few heads by his second place win at the 2019 World Long Range Muzzleloading Championship and a first place finish at the 2020 United States National Muzzleloading Championships. We weren’t really surprised; we’ve known for quite a while that Laurie took his shooting very seriously and is a top-notch competitor. ...Read More >

It’s difficult now to remember exactly where I first read or heard about Hard Knocks by Harry “Sam” Young. The book is an extremely entertaining read and in the Publisher’s Note, it specifically states, “The great lesson of this book is that “truth is stranger than fiction.” ...Read More >