This site is about black powder, gunpowder, black powder substitutes, their use as a propellant for muzzleloaders and muzzleloading.

 Did you know that brown charcoal makes the best black powder and that you can buy books on how to make your own high quality black powder propellant with easy to do instructions!

(ATF Ruling In 1998) Muzzle loading weapons with "in line" firing mechanisms designed or redesigned to use modern conventional firearm primers do not meet the definition of antique firearms and are subject to regulation as a firearm.

 Modern centerfire primers are not an antique ignition system and are ammunition for firearms subject to regulation.

(Historic Facts) The first percussion cap ignition system was patented in 1799 by Joshua Shaw in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 The first mass produced in-line ignition systems were black powder, revolving cylinder, pistols. (Colt is legendary.)

(Modern Innovations ?) While Tony Knight of Knight Rifles admits he only slightly improved on a 100 year old black powder percussion cap in-line ignition system, I have yet to see a similar admission for this black powder projectile by Big Bore Express, maker of PowerBelt™ Bullets.

 Big Bore Express company claims they were frustrated with hard loading black powder sabots, and inconsistent accuracy of old style conical projectiles so they came up with a belted bullet design that gives consistent gas pressures which is provided by the PowerBelt™ base and gives almost identical bullet velocity every time.

 The Parrott black powder projectile employed a sabot made of wrought iron, brass, lead or copper and was attached to the projectile base. When the projectile was fired, the sabot expanded into the rifling of the cannon tube and a perfect gas seal was made therefore obtaining consistent distance and accuracy.

(Historic Innovations) Clearly with what history shows us, is the fact that there are no major improvements to true black powder firearms in well over 100 years. It was the inventors and innovative thinkers of the 19th century that added dependability and accurate distances to all black powder guns.