Discuss possibilities for component scrounging when components are either scarce or unobtanium. Much as they are now and under other possible scenarios.
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Discuss possibilities for component scrounging when components are either scarce or unobtanium. Much as they are now and under other possible scenarios.
Go black powder and cast your own.
While components are hard to come by they are out there. Maybe not at a cost we are used to but still cheaper than new.
A complete and total breakdown means better buy a flintlock now.
There is still tons of black powder in stock at my supply vendors. It's about the only thing left in stock.
BP is easy to make, Ive made plenty back in the day. Melt some wheel weights,
and there ya go.
Sadly the boat has mostly sailed on lead wheelweights.
Now they are steel zinc and some funky weighted plastic thingies.
I've smelted in excess of 2 tons of wheelweights in the last 12 years.
I'm set for life, but its not worth selling yet.
Wheelweights are great for hard cast but for muzzleloaders you need pure soft lead. If you know a plumber (old pipes) or a roofer (flashing) have them save the lead and try and work out a deal. If clean they can get about 50 cents per pound at a scrap yard so offering up to a dollar per pound is not unreasonable. Depending on where you live you might find some at a junk yard for about $1 but most junkyards don't want to deal with you. Especially around Philadelphia.
My home range uses primarily natural backstop. A few years ago I began creating a berm for 100 yd rifle. I plan to add another berm for pistol/close range applications, so I can begin to recover lead.
When I was at Cabelas a few weeks ago they had a bunch of stuff for black powder. Everything else, not so much.