Muzzleloaders

American Gun Craft’s Desperado hand cannon looks like a double barrel 12 gauge shotgun but it is not a firearm under federal law. There is no gimmick here, Desperado is a hybrid black powder and percussion device you load from the front with black powder and shot then shoot it with a 209 shotgun primer.

American Gun Craft’s Desperado hand cannon looks like a double barrel 12 gauge shotgun but it is not a firearm under federal law. There is no gimmick here, Desperado is a hybrid black powder and percussion device you load from the front with black powder and shot then shoot it with a 209 shotgun primer.

On April 29, 2021, Bergara and CVA sponsored The Long Shot Tour, held at the Fossil Pointe Shooting Grounds, outside Decatur, Texas. These two gun makers had some new and newer firearms to show off and invited a dozen writers and editors to try out several Bergara bolt action rifles and a pair of CVA muzzleloaders, plus a CVA bolt action. I was one of those writers.

Penetration tests with the Diablo were very impressive. Both OO and #4 buckshot penetrated a 3/4″ plywood board, and the slugs went through 3 of them, just barely.

The Traditions Mountain Rifle is a Hawken style traditional sidelock muzzleloader with a double tenon wedge system. It is deadly accurate with roundballs, and is absolutely gorgeous for the $520 price. If you have always wanted a traditional style muzzleloader, this new entry to the Traditions stable is probably the one.

It might be mid July and it is for sure hotter than a 2 dollar pistol here in The South, but it is not too early to start thinking about the fall hunts. If you are in the market for a new inline Traditions rifles are a great place to look, they are well made and equipped rifles for a good price.

The GunsAmerica crew spends a lot of time sweating over the groups we shoot with modern rifles. But there’s more to guns. Sometimes building a working piece of history has its own appeal. Terril Hebert built this left-handed Fusil de Chasse and has this perspective on the old muzzleloader.