I inhale deeply and hold, squeezing the rear trigger. Tic. Then I slowly exhale and gently touch the forward trigger. Tiff-FOOM. A cloud of smoke obscures my vision but I can hear the ball cut through my intended victim. What’d I get? A buffalo? A grizzly bear? A Redcoat? No, just a cardboard box. I see that I am becoming more accurate with this gun.
Firearms and their accompanying accessories have evolved a long way from their origins; a long way. But that doesn’t mean we should relegate old technology to the archives or the bone yards. At least not all of it. Firing an old tech gun can be very beneficial to those of us who are gun enthusiasts. From honing fundamental skills (because you only get one shot), to bringing a fun and new challenge to the game of hunting. Owning a muzzle loader and knowing how to make it work is very rewarding and always puts a smile on your face–not to mention instill a sense of patriotism and make you very grateful for repeating firearms. (At least it does for me!)
But what does a relic like my flintlock rifle have to do with prepping? I can see you out there asking that. Alright, I’ll explain. We, as preppers, are mostly concerned with the newest, latest, and greatest in hunting and self defense weapons and / or gadgets. Many guns and bows are in that grey area between, where you could use it to knock down a bull moose today, then use it for counter-sniping tomorrow (after TEOTWAWKI). But why a front-stuffer? Its all about sustainability. A muzzle loader makes perfect sense for a table-filler, if you plan on hunting to supplement your food storage supplies.
With a little research, you can find instructions to make your own gun powder. Most of these will be black powder, which is exactly what the doctor ordered. Honestly, it is just a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and salt peter, but that is a whole other article. And I can’t stress enough that if you try making your own powder, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK, and I am NOT responsible for your actions and outcomes.Continue reading“A Primitive Tool For Modern Preppers, Part 1, by Rusty M.”