March 2020 Muzzle Blasts Magazine | Editor's Message
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March is a month for creativity. Look around and you will see outdoor sports shows attracting crowds of young and old adventurers. They, like you and I, hunger for the excitement of something new that will help to define them in older age. A collector, a builder, a Longhunter, a trekker, a family of many who all long for the next mountain, the next game to bag; the next rifle, pistol, shotgun or knife, tomahawk, or leather hunting bag, we all can’t wait to add distinction to our lives.
March 6 and 7th is a date for those creative geniuses of the Honorable Company of Horners whose talents offer the opportunity for all muzzleloaders to share in history, in 18th Century art, and to fulfill the dreams of those who wish to adorn their outfits with the best. If you live within a comfortable drive to the U.S. Army Heritage and Education in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; you may want to join the “free” invitation to be amazed at the HCH members dedication to the muzzleloading culture, In particular, NMLRA members should note the ongoing gifts of the “1 of 1000 Horn” to raise funds for the NMLRA’s Endowment Program. This year, Guildmaster Carl Dumke will be offering up the Guildmaster’s Challenge.
Carl Dumke is a talented researcher, writer and Guildmaster from the HCH. In this month’s magazine, Carl details the work of John Bush. He states, “In most instances, powder horns were a utilitarian tool for those venturing on the frontier, supporting the town militia, or supporting outlying town farms. During this period of 1754-1760s however, the common powder horn was transformed from the modest utilitarian form to a piece of extraordinary art.”
“Powder, patch and ball will tell all!” cried our Revolutionary War ancestors, but not without an accurate rifle. And in this dose of Fred Stutzenberger, we find out the secrets of preserving and shine-subduing secrets of muzzleloading rifle builders. Fred writes in “Getting the Blues . . . and Browns,” Part III: The Slow Browns and Other Formulas, the secrets of completing the beauty of a longrifle barrel. “Twenty five years ago, I was privileged to witness a rifle barrel being charcoal-blued by the Gun Shop Staff of Colonial Williamsburg. I was impressed by the deep shimmering blue that seemed to let you look right down in the steel. . .”
Fast forward to the Civil War and you will find out how the Lorenz Muster 1854 rifle came to the American shores and into the hands of both the Union and Confederate forces. Dave Goodrich writes, “The rush to acquire weapons by both the North and the South, at the beginning and throughout the war, led to a situation that today would make for a blockbuster movie. Political intrigue, underhanded dealing, smuggling adventure, and even outright theft, all played a part in bringing the Lorenz to our shores.” Goodrich continues with the testing of the modern Pedersoli Muster Lorenz and its legendary accuracy.
Craftsmanship not only comes to Friendship each year during the Spring National Shoots with many out-of-state competitors, it also lives here. Randy Grunkemeyer lives in Batesville, Indiana, just a stone’s throw north of the NMLRA’s National Range. He took his early tool and die skills to the task of building a muzzleloading rifle. But then shorter barrels grabbed his attention. Gunmakers in England during the 18th century reached a height of excellence that could scarcely be equaled anywhere else in the world even to this day. Randy decided to build his interpretation of unique and beautiful over and under double-barrel pistols from the time period of James Barbar and Joseph Heylin.
By the third week of March, our spirits are lifted by the fact that spring has finally arrived. Longhunters know that this is the time to come out of the cabin, put the ice grippers away and pull out the instruments that make turkey music. In Turkey Time by Darryl Quidort, we share his passion. Darryl writes, “The big Pedersoli 10 gauge magnum was an unexpected gift from an aging friend who wasn’t able to hunt anymore. The very best gift is one that you don’t expect and really don’t deserve. I really wanted to take a wild turkey with the gun, for his pleasure as well as my own. I had spent some time shooting various combinations of shot and wads at large pieces of tablecloth paper to develop a good turkey load for the gun. The gun was equipped with interchangeable choke tubes. Studying the shot patterns on the papers gave me faith that, full choked, the big 10 gauge would cleanly take a wild turkey out to nearly 40 paces.
For those who love the wide-open spaces of America’s Southwest, Eric Boley takes on a ham hunt adventure! In “Javelina with a Smokepole,” Boley states, “As a novice muzzleloader hunter, I was excited when my good friend Jeff Wyckoff invited me to pursue javelina with him in his home state of Arizona. Jeff grew up in Arizona and is an avid outdoorsman, who ran his own outfitting business for many years. He encouraged me to apply for a HAM tag in an area near Payson and I was lucky enough to draw the tag. In February of that year, we met at his house near Flagstaff and then drove down to Payson. We checked in to our hotel that evening and well before first light the next morning we drove into the surrounding mountains.”
Yes, March beckons us all to shake off winter’s cobwebs from our minds and bodies and get back in the game. And this issue of Muzzle Blasts will inspire you to do just that!
So get your gun up pilgrim,
Dave Ehrig
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The NMLRA and Muzzle Blasts have been an authority on muzzleloading since 1933. This article was not sponsored or paid for, we feel it is our job to bring you the most up to date news as possible on the world of Muzzleloading, be it living history, competitive shooting, or hunting