How To Load Your Muzzle Loading Gun

Muzzle loading may seem arcane and complicated to shooters familiar with breech loading guns and the simplicity of just loading a cartridge, so we've put together this handy guide on how to load your muzzle loading gun.

When you load a muzzle loading gun, you’re creating the cartridge inside the gun, rather than inserting a pre-made one as with breech loaders.

Powder, shot and ignition must each be loaded separately, along with any wads, patches or otherwise you may need to use. It takes some equipment, but you won’t need anything we don’t sell, and it’s simple enough to do.

Read on to find out how to load your muzzle loader. Note, single shot rifles and pistols are grouped together, as the loading process is identical.

How to load a single shot muzzle loading rifle or pistol

First, ensure the gun is clean, the barrel is unobstructed and unloaded.

Place the hammer on half cock

Place the butt of the gun on the ground with the muzzle facing up

Insert loading funnel into the bore, and charge the gun from a flask or pre measured phial. Withdraw the funnel.

Place a lubricated patch square and central on the muzzle of the gun, and place a ball in the centre of the patch.

Use a short starter to start the ball in the muzzle.

Using a ramrod, ram the ball down until it touches the powder. It will become apparent by change in feel and noise when the ball is seated properly. You might like to mark the ramrod at this point to ensure it is seated the same every time.

Bring the gun up to the firing position.

Percussion:

Place a percussion cap on the nipple, bring the hammer to full cock. You are ready to fire.

Flintlock

Check the flint is secure and in good condition. Charge the pan with finer powder than the main charge. Close the frizzen, bring the hammer to full cock. You are ready to fire.

How to load a percussion revolver

As with everything, ensure the gun is clean, unobstructed and unloaded.

Orient the gun vertically and bring it to half cock so the cylinder can spin freely.

Charge each chamber in turn from a flask or pre measured phials, taking care to count each so as not to double charge.

Insert a wad into the mouth of each chamber

Place a ball on the first chamber, and using the mounted plunger, force the ball into the chamber until it seats on the powder. Repeat this with each chamber.

Take some hard lubricant, and smear over the face of each chamber.

Return the gun to the firing position, and place a percussion cap on each nipple, pressing it down firmly.

Bring the gun to a firing position, place on full cock and you’re ready to fire.

Alternatively

Remove the cylinder from the gun.

Follow the steps above to charge and load the ball, then use a loading press to seat each ball. Grease the face of the cylinder as above, and reassemble the gun. Only place caps on the gun once the cylinder has been reinserted.

How to load a muzzle loading shotgun

Ensure the gun is clean, unobstructed and unloaded.

Place the hammer on half cock, and orient the muzzle vertically for loading, with the butt on the ground.

Charge the gun from a powder flask or pre measured phial.

Make a sandwich of an overshot card first over the powder, followed by a lubricated cushion wad, followed by another over shot card, and insert this into the bore. Ram this down onto the powder until the wad is firmly seated on the powder.

Load with shot, from a shot flask or other shot measuring tool.

Tap the muzzle lightly to settle the shot in the bore. Place an overshot card in the muzzle and ram this down on top of the shot tightly. It is often helpful to use a size up of overshot card for this, as it can be difficult to seat the right calibre card squarely on the shot as it can twist in the bore.

Percussion:

Place a percussion cap on the nipple, bring the hammer to full cock. You are ready to fire.

Flintlock

Check the flint is secure and in good condition. Charge the pan with finer powder than the main charge. Close the frizzen, bring the hammer to full cock. You are ready to fire.

That's pretty much all there is to it. Remember to always use the powder charge as recommended by the manufacturer of your gun and never exceed. All our products linked here can be ordered on our website and be sent direct to your door.

For more information, see our website, or email [email protected] or telephone 0113 256 9163.