Why. . . . Holy Black?

Arcey · February 17, 2007, 11:25:25 AM

After carefully considering the question, I have determined the following for my reasons, and my reasons alone. Offering:

1) Black Powder is more fun than smokeless. I like more fun.

2) Black Powder cleans up easier. I'm lazy.

I still shoot smokeless. At this time of year more than I burn Black Powder. That's indoors with auto loaders. Isn't quite the same although I have to admit I do enjoy the activity.

Wills Point Pete · February 17, 2007, 11:30:23 PM

Why BP? I bought my revolvers and shotgun before I ever went to a match. So, after I had bought the gear I discovered that the overall match winners were all shooting guns that went poot, ting. Well my guns went BANG!, CLANK! They had their fourth or fifth round downrange while I was hauling my muzzle out of the sky after the first shot.

So I decided to switch to The Holy Black. Now my guns go BOOM!, CLANK! If'n I ain't gonna win the Cadillac I might as well have some fun.

Dick Dastardly · February 18, 2007, 07:45:17 AM

Yo WPP,

Ya've got the spirit there. I'm forced to ponder the projectiles from the poot shooters in the spirit of the wild west. Maybe ok for killin' rattlesnakes, but then, ya mite get bit before the critter died. They would no doubt empty both guns tryin' to mercifully dispatch their nag with the broken leg. I'm pretty sure maraudin' redskins wouldn't pay 'em no nevermind when they was goin' poot, poot at 'em.

Nope, I want some good white smoke to hide behind whilst I haul back the hammer and consider what to kill with my next shot. . .

DD-DLoS

Lucky Irish Tom · February 18, 2007, 08:43:22 AM

The sheer joys of the following:

The look on the R/O's face when I cut loose on an enclosed building stage!

The joy of hearing the the spotters say I couldn't dee nothin so I guess he hit the target!

The joy on a windless, humid day of being followed by one of the poot shooters, who ask the R/O to wait until the air clears before he starts the timer!

Arcey · February 18, 2007, 09:03:54 AM

Awwwww, Tom.

T'will be a heavenly thing when yerownself, Will 'n me get together again. Line ourselves one behind the other in order to ensure a lastin' cloud accompanied by fire 'n concussion with an aroma that'd drive the devil hisownnastyself away.

In memory of Chyle, 'course.

Ransom Gaer · February 18, 2007, 09:41:38 AM

Arcey

At Winter Range they have a whole posse of pards shootin' the one true powder. Not just two one after the other. With any luck I'll be on that posse this year. Oughta be a hoot. Last year at WR there were 5 of us on my posse. Last year's BP posse had 19 BP shooters and 3 heathens. I have since heard that one of the heathens was turned to the darkside.

Ransom Gaer

Arcey · February 18, 2007, 10:22:42 AM

That'd be a pile ah fun, Ransom. Careful the owlgore followers don't come after ya fer contributin' ta global warmin'. They do, I've found a squirt er two of Ballistol'll run 'em off.

Didn't go to my third Saturday shoot yesterday. New rule, 'cept fer my club 'cuz I gottah be there, if the average ain't gonna be above freezin', I go back ta bed. The results come by e-mail in the evenin'. Sad ta read. No one shootin' FC. The regular Darkside Posse wasn't there.

No matter. We'll be back that place preachin' the redemption 'fore long. Four of us have posted in this thread 'n there's a fifth runnin' 'round the board sumwhere's whut prolly ain't seen it yet.

Got chores ta do. Gottah load some futuristic stuff sos I kin jump in a phone booth, change out my cowboy duds 'n into a tee shirt, jeans 'n a ball cap. Slip a Glock, or maybe two, inta plastic holster(s) 'n poke holes in X rings come Wednesday.

Have yerself a good time it Winter Range.

The Elderly Kid · February 18, 2007, 02:03:43 PM

Because I'm a writer and the authenticity of the experience is important to me. I'm working on a Gold Rush novel and when I shoot my '51 Navy it feels and sounds just like a period gun would. Another project of mine is a pirate novel and my Queen Anne flintlock behaves just like an original would have in 1695. Smokeless just doesn't deliver that sort of authenticity.

Griff · February 18, 2007, 08:59:03 PM

Because in the beginning of SASS there were very few of us BP shooters. In them dim days you had to use a C&B revolver. And my all-time favorite revolver is a '51 Colt Navy. It all went downhill from there.

At my first EOT, (1986) on the very first stage, I walked up the loading line, dropped my rifle and scattergun on the loading table (this was in the days before gun carts). Dropped my powder measure, ball bag and capper on the table. Drew my '51, pulled 'er to half cock and flipped 'er handle down and... the range officer grabbed my gun and said in a very loud, annoying, nasal voice, "You have to keep your muzzle DOWN when you're loading!"

I, as calmly as I could muster, took back my pistola, pointed to the nipples and asked him, "could you explain how to defy the forces of gravity while I load this?"

It's been fun ever since!

Wallaby Jack · February 18, 2007, 11:36:32 PM

I find that smokingless propellants don't werk sa'good in my Navy's ........

.......'sides, I just laid out 400 green samolians fer 10 kilos, ... an' I gotta do summit with it

Truly Grits · October 19, 2013, 09:03:04 PM

For the pure joy of having one of my son's (he knows it all) stand on my right side, when I'm about to fire my Kentucky Flintlock. I say " you might not want to stand there"; answer "thats ok Dad it's ONLY Black Powder". Whooosh! After he stopped coughing: he agreed that it wasn't a good spot to stand. Dad ain't so dumb.

Cheers!

Paladin UK · October 20, 2013, 01:43:43 PM

Ya`ll know what....I cant name ANY BP gamers!!

Ole JC jest wouldn't allow it

Paladin (What lurvs the true powder ) UK

Noz · October 20, 2013, 05:57:51 PM

Want to get totally stupid?

Try Frontiersman Gunfighter!

The Swede · October 20, 2013, 06:12:04 PM

Smokeless was plain boring for me! BP was, and is more fun! All the gamers complain about the clean up not knowing how easy it actually is.
The show is what it all about. When people come out to watch us shoot a match they are always enjoying the BP shooters.

The poot (long pause) followed by the ting, is nothing like the "BOOMCLANG! (one sound actually) that us lovers of the original gun powder enjoy!

I heard that anyone not shooting BP is a gamer anyway...

Swede

The Swede · October 20, 2013, 06:13:02 PM

Quote from: Noz on October 20, 2013, 05:57:51 PM
Want to get totally stupid?

Try Frontiersman Gunfighter!

You sir are my hero!

Dick Dastardly · October 21, 2013, 09:21:14 PM

Started this thread about Six years ago. Seems as relevant now as ever. I did sharpen my technique a mite since then, collected some wood, tin and paper and got more guns. Now, it seems sacrilegious to load the heathen powder. Onlyist reason I do it is cuz I have some guns that Holy Black doesn't play well with. Stuff like .25 Gibbs, 257 Durham Jet, 6.5mm Gibbs, 8mm Rem Mag and the like. But now 90% of my handloads are Holy Black. Mostly Cowboy Action main match guns with a side of 38-55, 45-70 and pipsqueak .32S&W for my .31 Rem spur trigger belly gun. Even my 44ELR (Extra Long Russian)* gets a stiff charge of FFFg under the Big Lube®LLC Mav Dutchman bullets. *(that's 44 magnum to those in Rio Linda).

My guns clean up easy, my brass sparkles and my evenings are made more enjoyable by crafting some Holy Black cartridges.

Now, if primer supplys would loosen up some. . .

DD-MDA

Blackpowder Burn · October 21, 2013, 09:59:03 PM

I always keep a 3 to 4 year supply of primers on hand just so I can keep going through the lean supply periods! Don't want anything to interrupt the fun.

PJ Hardtack · October 22, 2013, 11:40:38 AM

I don't know about "Frontiersman Gunfighter", but I have shot the last three 10 stage matches I've attended "Frontiersman Double Duelist".
Came about when I mis-ordered a pair of Slim Jim holsters. I've always been able to shoot weak handed due to years of IPSC shooting, and one time in practice, I drew the second gun with my left hand as I was holstering the first with my right and simply carried on. Didn't make any sense to shift the gun.
I kid the other "Frontiersmen" in the club that REAL "Frontiersman" shoot that way. We have a rivalry that simply changes the names amongst 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

As for "Gunfighter", I dunno .....

Quote from: Noz on October 20, 2013, 05:57:51 PM
Want to get totally stupid?

Try Frontiersman Gunfighter!

Dick Dastardly · October 23, 2013, 03:03:39 PM

Biggest challenge in FCGF is remembering where your ammo is.

DD-MDA

rifle · November 01, 2013, 10:22:15 AM

In the beginning I used Black for two reasons.........to be able to shoot the cap&baller revolvers ,I had an afinity for,that were sold everywhere in the department stores and gun stores back then........to take advantage of the new deer season in Ohio......the primitive hunt with bow or muzzleloader rifle. I just had to have a Hawken rifle like "Jeremiah Johnson" in that movie with Robert Redford and deer hunted every chance there was.
The black powder firearms defined who I was and became more than a hobby and more of a "life style".
I embraced the old ways and the history behind the firearms. When I struck out into the woods and fields to hunt and run the hounds I was "leaving the modern world behind" and stepping back in time when life was more simple and "freedom" was imperative. When life was more a core embrace of survival. I stepped back into a time when meat on the table and surviving to make it to the supper table one more time were paramont to ones life style.
A person lived with the hunting gun to eat and defend one self to stay alive.
I guess in the end they could put this inscription on my stone.......
"He lived with the Holy Black Powder, He lived free. God rest his merry soul but not his Hunting Guns nor his Cap&Ballers nor his Powder Horns of Black Powder. May the bay of the Hounds of the Hunt and the echo of his last shot follow Him to His great reward".