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May 24th, 2023
What you see above is what happens when you shoot the wrong powder in a muzzle-loader. Specifically, a charge of smokeless powder was used instead of black powder or black powder substitute. The difference in energy (by weight and volume) between black powder and modern smokeless powder is huge. You should never, ever run smokeless powder in a black powder recipe. The result can be catastrophic. In this case the hapless shooter lost a couple fingers. So he got a free twin-digit amputation, thanks to his reloading mistake. The lesson to learn here is to always double-check your propellant before loading. And never “re-bottle” smokeless powder into a different container with a different label (or worse yet, no label at all).
This incident happened in Indiana a couple years back. As reported by the Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR), this was a classic case of “user error”: “Corporal Eric Doane worked a firearm accident last night in Martin County that resulted in the shooter losing a couple fingers. This is what can happen when you shoot smokeless powder out of a muzzle-loader designed for black powder.”
Credit to The Firearm Blog for finding this story.
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September 28th, 2021
Hodgdon Powder Company, on 9/27/2021, announced that it would be shutting down the GOEX Black Powder production center at Camp Minden in Louisiana. This was the last remaining black powder factory in the United States. This could mean “hard times ahead for traditional muzzle-loading and BPCR shooting” (source: NAMLhunt.com). Here is the official announcement on the Hodgdon website:
“Effective immediately, Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. has made the decision to cease manufacturing operations at the company’s Camp Minden, Louisiana site while evaluating strategic options for the black powder business.
The business will wind down operations while an evaluation process on the future of the black powder business takes place. Strategic options for the GOEX and Olde Eynsford brands of black powder, along with the manufacturing capabilities, will include a potential sale of the business. All affected employees will be retained through December 31, 2021 to assist in an orderly closing of the site and receive severance commensurate with their years of service to the company.
The Hodgdon Powder Co., Inc has been honored to have been a part of the GOEX Powder legacy and sustains a fond appreciation for sporting customers who have enjoyed shooting GOEX powders.”
Ironically, the GOEX logo states “The Tradition Continues”.
With this announcement, GOEX might be gone for good.
Here is a related report by the NRA’s American Rifleman:
The closure eliminates the only domestic source of blackpowder in the United States. According to a company press release, Hodgdon will evaluate “strategic options for the black powder business”, including a potential sale of the company.
GOEX Powder has a long, storied history that starts in 1802 with the building of a blackpowder plant on the Brandywine River in Delaware by E.I. Du Pont de Nemours. Production expanded with the building of the Belin plant in Moosic, Penn., in 1912, and the facility supplied military blackpowder during both world wars, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. In the 1970s, the Belin plant was incorporated into the GOEX family, and production moved to Minden, LA, in 1997. [In 1969] GOEX was purchased by Hodgdon Powder Company [which] spent years updating equipment at the Minden facility, enhancing employee safety and blackpowder quality.
Despite Hodgdon’s efforts, the GOEX facility at Camp Minden has a history of manufacturing incidents stretching back to 1998, including a June 2011 incident where 1,000 pounds of blackpowder exploded. The latest incident at GOEX occurred on June 18, 2021, when an explosion required the evacuation of 15 employees inside the facility. Nobody was injured, but the plant observed a 24- to 48-hour waiting period to ensure that nothing else at the facility ignited.
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June 25th, 2019
 A few season back, our friend Kevin Thomas acquired a bit of living history — a reproduction Model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield. Here is Kevin’s story of his new rifle and the legacy it carries.
Today marks the 143rd Anniversary of Lt.Col. George Armstrong Custer’s historic ride into the valley of the Little Big Horn, along with 200+ men of the U.S. Seventh Cavalry. June 25, 1876 did not go well, as Custer and his men became a well-known, sad footnote in U.S. history. [Editor: Well it was sad for Custer fans. Native Americans have a different perspective.]
For years now, I’ve wanted one of the rifles Custer and his men carried that day, a Model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield, chambered for the 45/70 cartridge. I finally acquired one, when I walked into a gunstore a while back and saw a handsome repro Trapdoor sitting peacefully on the shelf. It called to me.
Somewhere in the distance, I could hear the bugle calls, the Sioux and Cheyenne war cries and the thundering of cavalry across the plain. It simply had to go home with me, and so it did. It seemed an especially insistent demand with this being the 138th anniversary and all, so I took it along to our regular Wednesday night practice session. All I can say is, I’m glad we don’t have to do rapid-fire with one of these in our matches today, because they do have a mule-like kick to them!
The Trapdoors were a cost saving measure that the Armory came up with at the end of the Civil War, to convert muzzle-loading Springfield muskets into breech-loading cartridge arms. A quick look will give several dead giveaways that many of the parts on the “new” rifle were actually interchangeable with the old 1861 and 1863 Springfield muskets. The parts that were altered or newly fabricated were relatively minor changes.
Above, you can see where these rifles got their name. Loading was done by flipping a lever which opened up a trap door that provided access to the chamber. Flipping that same lever and opening the trap door then ejected the case after firing.
Here is the opposite side, trapdoor open. The ring and slide on the side of the stock was to facilitate an attachment point for a lanyard that the troopers wore over their shoulders. Remember, they often used these while at a full gallop, not an easy feat!
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February 24th, 2018
Pick your passion — High Power, F-Class, Silhouette, Smallbore, Air Rifle, Pistol, Black Powder. The NRA runs National Championships for all these disciplines and more. Attending a National Championship event is a big commitment, but it’s worth it. You can meet new friends, test your mettle against the nation’s best, and record memories that can last a lifetime.
Mark your calendars boys and girls — here is the complete 2018 NRA National Match schedule. This includes the National High Power Championship, National F-Class Championship, Fullbore (Palma) Championship, and a 15 more major national events. The date and location are included for each listing. Click the link for each championship to go directly to the official NRA championship page for that particular discipline to get more information or to register. To get more information, visit compete.nra.org or send email to: comphelp@nrahq.org.
Intercollegiate Pistol Championships
March 17-20 ― Fort Benning, GA
Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championships
March 23-25 ― Fort Benning, GA
NRA World Action Pistol Championship
May 19-20 ― Hallsville, MO
NRA Bianchi Cup Action Pistol Championship
May 23-25 ― Hallsville, MO
National Muzzle Loading Championship
June 9-17 ― Bloomington, IL
National Air Gun Championship
June 14-19 ― Bloomington, IL
National High Power Rifle Championships
July 5-24 ― Edinburgh, IN
National Precision (Bullseye) Pistol Championships
July 9-13 ― Camp Perry, OH
National Silhouette Smallbore Rifle Championships
July 15-17 ― Raton, NM
National Smallbore Rifle Championships
July 19-30 ― Bristol, IN
National Silhouette High Power Championships
July 19-21 ― Raton, NM
National Silhouette Cowboy Lever Action Rifle Championship
July 24-27 ― Raton, NM
National Silhouette Black Powder Cartridge Rifle Championship
July 30-August 3 ― Raton, NM
Fullbore Prone/Spirit of America National Championship
September 8-14 ― Raton, NM
NRA World Shooting Championship
September 13-15 ― Glengary, WV
National F-Class Championship
September 16-23 ― Raton, NM
National Police Shooting Championship
September 24-26 ― Albuquerque, NM
National Black Powder Target Rifle Championship
October 1-7 ― Raton, NM
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October 30th, 2017
Mark your calendars boys and girls — here is the complete 2018 NRA National Match schedule. This includes the National High Power Championship, National F-Class Championship, Fullbore (Palma) Championship, and a 15 more major national events.
 The 2018 NRA Championship season kicks off with the Intercollegiate Pistol and Rifle Championships at Fort Benning (GA). Then comes the NRA Bianchi Cup, followed by the National High Power Matches at Camp Atterbury (IN), the National Pistol Championships at Camp Perry (OH), the National Smallbore Championships in Bristol (IN), the National HP Silhouette Championships in Raton (NM), the NRA World Shooting Championship in Glengary (WV), the National F-Class Championship in Raton (NM), and many more major events throughout the summer and fall.
The complete 2018 NRA National Match schedule is as follows:
EVENT / DATE / LOCATION
Intercollegiate Pistol Championships / March 17-20, 2018 / Fort Benning, Georgia
Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championships / March 23-25, 2018 / Fort Benning, Georgia
NRA World Action Pistol Championship / May 19-20, 2018 / Hallsville, Missouri
NRA Bianchi Cup / May 23-25, 2018 / Hallsville, Missouri
National Muzzle Loading Championship / June 9-17, 2018 / Friendship, Indiana
National Air Gun Championship / June 14-19, 2018 / Bloomington, Illinois
National High Power Matches / July 5-24, 2018 / Camp Atterbury, Edinburgh, Indiana
National Pistol Championships / July 9-13, 2018 / Camp Perry, Ohio
National Silhouette Smallbore Championships / July 16-18, 2018 / Raton, New Mexico
National Smallbore Championships / July 19-30, 2018 / Wa-Ke’-De Range, Bristol, Indiana
National Silhouette High Power Championships / July 19-21, 2018 / Raton, New Mexico
National Silhouette Championship Lever Action Rifle / July 24-27, 2018 / Raton, New Mexico
National Silhouette Black Powder Cartridge Rifle / July 30-Aug. 3, 2018 / Raton, New Mexico
Fullbore Prone National Championship / September 8-14, 2018 / Raton, New Mexico
NRA World Shooting Championship / September 13-15, 2018 / Glengary, West Virginia
National F-Class Championship / September 16-23, 2018 / Raton, New Mexico
National Police Shooting Championship / September 24-26, 2018 / Albuquerque, New Mexico
National Silhouette Black Powder Target Rifle / October 1-7, 2018 / Raton, New Mexico
How to Get More Information about NRA Championships
CLICK HERE for more information about NRA Competitive Shooting, including MATCH INFO and program rules. Visit Shooting Sports USA Magazine online at www.SSUSA.org for shooting news, competitor profiles, and match reports.
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August 13th, 2017
What you see above is what happens when you shoot the wrong powder in a muzzle-loader. Specifically, a charge of smokeless powder was used instead of black powder or black powder substitute. The difference in energy (by weight and volume) between black powder and modern smokeless powder is huge. You should never, ever run smokeless powder in a black powder recipe. The result can be catastrophic. In this case the hapless shooter lost a couple fingers. So he got a free twin-digit amputation, thanks to his reloading mistake. The lesson to learn here is to always double-check your propellant before loading. And never “re-bottle” smokeless powder into a different container with a different label (or worse yet, no label at all).
This incident happened in Indiana a couple years back. As reported by the Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR), this was a classic case of “user error”: “Corporal Eric Doane worked a firearm accident last night in Martin County that resulted in the shooter losing a couple fingers. This is what can happen when you shoot smokeless powder out of a muzzle-loader designed for black powder.”
Credit to The Firearm Blog for finding this story.
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July 30th, 2017
The NRA Black Powder Target Rifle Championship will be held August 14-20, 2017 at the Whittington Center in Raton, NM. Top Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) shooters from around the country have come to Raton to test their skills during a week-long event with targets set from 200 to 1000 yards. Today through Thursday, mid-range matches continue at 200 to 600 yards. On the firing line you’ll see many handsome, custom-built BPCRs (Sharps, Ballards, Browning High Walls, Rolling Blocks) with exquisite wood, hand-checkering, and color-case-hardened receivers.
The 800-1000 yard Creedmoor matches will be held Friday and Saturday, August 19-20. Interestingly, for safety reasons, there are minimum bullet weight and muzzle velocity requirements for the Creedmoor matches. These BPCR shooters launch some seriously heavy projectiles downrange.
REGISTRATION: Registration will take place at the Eagle’s Nest Building beginning at 13:00 – 17:00 on August 13, and 07:15 – 09:00 August 14 for the Championships. NOTE: The NRA Black Powder Committee and NRAWC has changed the minimum requirements of bullet weight and velocity. There may be a 2% variance in bullet weight or velocity. Numbers in BOLD indicate the 2% variance. Only ammunition which produces these results, or better, and only rifles that have long-range sights will be permitted for use in the Creedmoor Championships. See the BPTR Nationals Ballistic Velocity Chart below for minimum requirements.
ACCOMMODATIONS: There are many motels in the town of Raton, about 10 miles from the Range. In additions, there are accommodations on the grounds of the Whittington Center: 90 beds in Competitors Housing and 100 beds in Log Cabins. These facilities fill up quickly — call the Whittington Center right away at (575) 445-3615 to reserve.
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July 14th, 2016
Next week the NRA Black Powder Target Rifle Championship will be held at the Whittington Center in Raton, NM. From July 19-24, top Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) shooters from around the country will test their skills during a week-long event with targets set from 200 to 1000 yards. On the firing line you’ll see many handsome, custom-built BPCRs (Sharps, Ballards, Browning High Walls, Rolling Blocks) with exquisite wood, hand-checkering, and color-case-hardened receivers.
The Black Powder Championship starts with mid-range matches from 200 to 600 yards. Then competitors set their sights for long range, with 800-1000 yard Creedmoor matches at the end of the week. Interestingly, for safety reasons, there are minimum bullet weight and muzzle velocity requirements for the Creedmoor matches. These BPCR shooters launch some seriously heavy projectiles downrange:
| Caliber |
Minimum Bullet Weight (Grains) |
Minimum Bullet Velocity (FPS) |
| .38 Cal |
408 (375) |
1300 (1375) |
| .40 Cal |
408 |
1280 |
| .44 Cal |
450 |
1240 |
| .45 Cal |
510 |
1200 |
| .50 Cal |
600 |
1200 |
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August 18th, 2014
On September 13-20, 2014, the NRA Black Powder Target Rifle Championship will held at the Whittington Center in Raton, NM. Top Black Powder Cartridge Rifle (BPCR) shooters from around the country will visit Raton to test their skills during a week-long event with targets set from 200 to 1000 yards. The event kicks off with Mid-Range matches at 200 to 600 yards. On the firing line you’ll see many handsome, custom-built BPCRs (Sharps, Ballards, Browning High Walls, Rolling Blocks) with exquisite wood, hand-checkering, and color-case-hardened receivers.
The 800-1000 yard Creedmoor matches will be held Friday and Saturday, September 19-20. Interestingly, for safety reasons, there are minimum bullet weight and muzzle velocity requirements for the Creedmoor matches. These BPCR shooters launch some seriously heavy projectiles downrange:
| Caliber |
Minimum Bullet Weight (Grains) |
Minimum Bullet Velocity (FPS) |
| .38 Cal |
408 (375) |
1300 (1375) |
| .40 Cal |
408 |
1280 |
| .44 Cal |
450 |
1240 |
| .45 Cal |
510 |
1200 |
| .50 Cal |
600 |
1200 |
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April 24th, 2014
Remington has just introduced an all-new series of “Ultimate Muzzleloaders” that promise to “raise the bar” for muzzle-loading performance. These rifles, based on Rem 700 actions, feature a new type of ignition system with a special breech plug and a primed, brass case. The magnum-primer-fitted ignition casing is pushed onto the breech plug by the bolt (see illustration below). This creates a tight gas seal for the magnum primer, allowing reliable ignition of up to 200 grains of powder. That translates to higher velocities and more energy.
Video Shows How New AMP Ignition System Works:
Remington reports: “The Ultimate Muzzleloader sets a new performance threshold with the use of a closed breech system that provides a cleaner and hotter ignition. The AMP (Accelerated Muzzleloader Performance) ignition system uses a uniquely-sized brass case with a Remington 9 ½ large magnum rifle primer that is push fed into the breech plug creating a gas seal in the flash hole of the primer (see cutaway below). The result allows the shooter to load up to 200 grains of powder for increased range, energy, and on-game performance.
Using 200 grains of Triple Seven® Pellets in combination with Barnes’ Spit-Fire T-EZTM 250-grain muzzleloader bullets, the Model 700 Ultimate Muzzleloader gives the shooter the ability to reach velocities over 2400 fps. [A 300gr bullet can travel 2200 fps with 3300 ft-lbs. of energy.]”
Remington claims its new system yields “centerfire-like performance and accuracy out of a muzzleloader” with “higher velocities, greater energy, and further effective range.” In addition, the primed casings are easier to handle in the field compared to small 209 shotshell primers. Spare primed cases can be stored in a compartment below the receiver (see below).
Two stocks are offered — a gray/brown laminated stock or a gray Bell & Carlson M40 fiberglass stock. Both versions come with a 26″ stainless barrel. On the laminated model the barrel is fitted with rifle sights front and rear. The Rem 700 muzzleloader features an adjustable X-Mark Pro trigger, factory-set at about 3.5 pounds pull weight.
M700 Ultimate Muzzleloader – Synthetic
26-inch SS Fluted Barrel
Bell & Carlson Medalist M40 Stock with Storage
X-Mark Pro® Adjustable Trigger, 2.5-5 Pounds
24 Primed Cases and 24 Projectiles
Ships in a Hard Case
MSRP – $1295 |
M700 Ultimate Muzzleloader – Laminate
26-inch SS Fluted Barrel with Rifle Sights
Laminate Stock with Primed Case Storage
X-Mark Pro® Adjustable Trigger, 2.5-5 Pounds
24 Primed Cases and 24 Projectiles
Ships in a Hard Case
MSRP – $1295 |
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November 22nd, 2012
OK, you’re feelin’ fat and happy after the traditional Thanksgiving Day feast and you need to kill some time. Sure you could rake the leaves or wash the dishes, but why not have some mindless fun targeting turkeys with this online video game? Be forewarned, the sound effects (banjo music, gobbling, and loud bangs) may frighten your pets and annoy your family members. Also the game gets rather manic near the end, with multiple gobblers popping up all over the screen. That said, have fun, and enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!
CLICK HERE for Turkey Shoot Video Game. (Warning: loud, annoying sound effects).
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November 20th, 2012
Pyrodex certainly sounds cool, but does anyone know where the name came from? In 1972, chemist Dan Pawlak developed a mixture that performed like black powder but was much safer to handle. This black powder substitute was able to win a Flammable Solid designation from the Department of Transportation, which meant it could be shipped like regular smokeless powder.
Dan called this mixture a pyrotechnic deflagrating explosive…or Pyrodex for short.
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