Black powder rifle/shotgun/pistol courses in Eastern PA?

[Candyman87]

Hi all,

Had my chance to shoot a black powder shotgun for the first time today and absolutely fell in love. I've always had a fascination with BP firearms but never found a place that will let me shoot them.

That being said, I'm looking for two things... one is an instructor or knowledgeable person to teach me, and another is a place to shoot them as my local range doesn't seem to permit BP shooting.

Does anyone know of an instructor or course in the Eastern PA area? I'm willing to drive a fair distance for this.

Thanks!

[Remington788]

Check out
http://www.dixonmuzzleloading.com/
They may be able to help

[Remington788]

By the way, out of curiosity, what range prohibits black powder shooting?

At the clubs I have shot at, there are special rules relating to black powder guns. Delaware County Field and Stream has a dedicated black powder range. They have a number of competitions throughout the year.

Loading a muzzleloader necessitates handling the gun with the muzzle pointed other than down range. Flintlocks require care on a firing line so that you don't spray the guy next to you with flaming powder from your flash hole.

Black powder shotguns particularly antique ones, are more likely to be prohibited if they are made from Damascus steel. I'm no expert on Damascus steel, but my understanding is that it made by forging thin strips of steel, laminating them together and then around a rod to form a tube. They are of questionable strength and can't hold up to modern charges. I'm sure there are good ones, but a range operator has no way of knowing, so they don't allow Damascus steel guns.

[Candyman87]

Let me rephrase, my range doesn't explicitly prohibit it, but they don't call it out as something allowed. The rules specify muzzles pointed downrange so it seems to disallow it.

The range is Easton Fish and Game. I'm trying to contact the board to determine if my assumptions are correct.

[Remington788]

Let me rephrase, my range doesn't explicitly prohibit it, but they don't call it out as something allowed. The rules specify muzzles pointed downrange so it seems to disallow it.

The range is Easton Fish and Game. I'm trying to contact the board to determine if my assumptions are correct.

My guess is that there is just so little interest or activity in BP shooting that no one ever set down rules. That is how it was at my range. I only knew of 2 or 3 BP shooters and they were old timers and pretty experienced. They taught me a lot. I guess there must have been an increase in BP activity, because at some point, they added a section to the rule book. It pretty much matched what the guys taught me. Stuff like
-do not pour directly from your powder bottle into the barrel. Use a measure or similar.
-powder bottles should stay closed
-take care in moving your barrel from vertical (loading) to the vertical.
-do not prime your pan or insert a cap until your muzzle is down range.
-flintlocks require a device to prevent flash from burning the guy next to you


Send an email to whomever runs the rifle range, or the safety director at your club. They should be able to guide you.

[Just1more]

NRA has a muzzleloader shooting class in Tobyhanna - not sure if thats around you or what you are looking for.

[theunrulychef]

I'm a member of both Ontelaunee Rod & Gun and Topton Fish & Game - they both allow muzzleloaders / black powder.

As mentioned before, Dixon's Muzzleloading is an extremely valuable source for knowledge and supplies. They're a traditional muzzleloading Mecca for people from all around. If you haven't been there, that's the ONE place I would tell you to go if you're interested in black powder.

[John Barleycorn]

Tim, get to a SASS match lots of BP shooters there. Here is a list of PA clubs
Lester Moore
lestermoore44@yahoo.com
610-704-6792
Date of Match: 1st Sunday April through November
Chimney Rocks Regulators
484 Hollidaysburg Sportsmens Road
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, 16648
locate on map
Relentless Renegade
relentlessrenegade@thecountryoutlaws.net
814-414-1461
Date of Match: 2nd Saturday @ 10:00 am
Delaware Drifters
1090 Hughes Road
Muncy, PA 17756
locate on map
Fort Benning John
linotype@uplink.net
570-506-0658
Date of Match: As Scheduled (March-November)
El Posse Grande
PO Box 309
Muncy Valley, Pennsylvania, 17758
locate on map
Sgt. Hochbauer
fireonthemtn02@hotmail.com
917-913-9391
Date of Match: 4th Sunday at the North Mountain Sportsmen Club
Elstonville Hombres
3133 Pinch Road
Manheim, PA 17545
locate on map
Trusty Sidekick
sass32866ts@aol.com
610-939-9947
Date of Match: 4th Sunday
Heidelberg Sportsman Association

Schaefferstown, PA 17088
locate on map
High Spade Mikey Wilson
clubnews@heidelbergsportsmensassociation.org
717-949-3693
Date of Match: 2nd Sunday
Jefferson Outlaws
5209 Snyder Mill Road
Spring Grove, PA 17362
locate on map
Red-eyed Kid
browning12g@msn.com
443-392-1615
Date of Match: 3rd Saturday (March - November) - 8:30 am
Logans Ferry Regulators
210 Field Club Road P.O. Box 14047
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15239
locate on map
Mariah Kid
mariahkid@comcast.net
412-607-5313
Date of Match: 2nd Saturday - 9:30 am - Logans Ferry Sportsmens Club
Matamoras Mavericks
120 Ron and Gun Club Road
Milford, PA 18337
locate on map
Hammerin Steel
pinzoneconstruction@yahoo.com
570-296-5853
Date of Match: 3rd Sunday at the Matamoras Rod and Gun Club
Perry County Regulators
306 Snyder Lane
Newport, PA
locate on map
Tuscarora Slim
tslim1@centurylink.net
717-789-3004
Date of Match: 1st Saturday - 9:00 AM
Purgatory Regulators
P.O. Box 110
Titusville, Pennsylvania, 16354
locate on map
Dry Gulch Geezer
n/a
814-827-2120
Date of Match: 3rd Weekend
River Junction Shootist Society
Kesslar School Road
Acme, PA 15610
locate on map
Mattie Hays
csipe@lhtot.com
724-593-6602
Date of Match: 3rd Saturday - 10:00 am April to October
Welsh Mountain Regulators
589 Meetinghouse Road
Gap, Pennsylvania 17527
locate on map
Biloxi Bob
biloxibob357@gmail.com
610-913-1992
Date of Match: 4th Saturday at 9:00 am
Westshore Posse
564 Ridge Road
Lewisberry, PA 17339
locate on map
Hud McCoy
hudmccoy@aol.com
410-984-2249
Date of Match: 2nd Sunday