Black Powder Shooters – Here’s What to Buy Them for Christmas

in Gear Reviews

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Gifting for shooters can be hard at the best of times. The calculus gets harder when it comes to shopping for black powder shooters. Instead of the usual cartridge ammunition, holsters, lights, magazines, and accessories, those who smoke the holy black can accumulate buckets of cleaning supplies, bullet molds, boxes of balls, and miscellaneous specialized accouterments that may never get packed into the shooting bag. Some shooters specialize in percussion cap guns, and flintlock guns, while others enjoy both. With all these variables taken into account, here are a few gift accessories that are a safe bet that most powder heads will appreciate.

Jas Townsend & Son Voyager Cap

Sometimes the most practical gift is the kind that is only tangentially related to the hobby. While we all dread socks and shirts for Christmas, the black powder shooter will get plenty of mileage out of quality period clothing. Jas Townsend & Son produces functional reproduction camping and firearm supplies, as well as a full line of clothing for men, women, and children. The Jas Townsend & Son Voyager Cap represents an excellent functional value with a historic flare.

Modeled after woven wool caps worn by French voyagers in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, the Voyager Cap is an oversized knit wool cap with a tail that can be creased and canted to one side. The Voyager Cap comes in regular and extra-large sizes and in colors ranging from royal blue to green to blaze orange.

voyager cap top christmas gifts for black powder shooters
Nothing beats a good wool cap on cold winter days. For that, I have a few voyager caps on hand.

Appropriate for an early American impression from the 17th to 19th century, or in any cold weather setting, the Jas Townsend Voyager Cap raises eyebrows, wicks away moisture, and keeps your noggin warm in a way synthetic caps can’t.

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Pedersoli Flint Knapper’s Set For Black Powder Shooters

The flintlock shooter’s pouch has a few required items inside to avoid trouble in the field. Patch knives, worms, jags, vent picks, and ball pullers are good to have. For a quick hunt, that is probably all you will need. But for those longer-range sessions and needed TLC after the fact, Pedersoli’s Flint Knapper’s set fills the gap.

pedersoli flint knapper's set
A flint knapper’s set is essential for the flintlock range bag. [Pedersoli]

The Flint Knapper’s set features a brass knapping hammer, a vent pick, two pin punches, a short screwdriver, and a pan brush neatly attached to a key ring that can be hung from a lanyard or held on its own in the bag. When flints stop sparking, a quick few taps from the hammer give a new edge. The vent pick is needed equipment to pick the touchhole and keep it free of gunk between shots. The pin punches drive out pins so the barrel can be removed for cleaning after a long-range session, while the screwdriver retightens flintlock jaws and removes bolts to access the lock.

Although rarely used, the pan brush comes in handy to remove moist residue from the flintlock pan before repriming with new powder after reloading. Vital for sight in and maintenance and a lifesaver in the field, consider a flint knapper’s set for rocklock shooters.

C02 Ball Discharger for Black Powder Shooters

It happens to all of us. You are focused on the target, put the ball over the muzzle, and ram it home, only to remember you forgot to put the powder in first. Or the powder you did put in got damp and won’t ignite.

Nobody likes a dryball situation. You can try to coax some powder through the touchhole or nipple and shoot it out. You can attach a ball puller to your ramrod and spend time screwing the ball and yanking it out. Or you can press a C02 ball discharger against that touchhole and have the ball fly softly out. No fiddling. No firing a shot when you don’t want to.

Best of all, it works for all black powder shooters because it functions for all muzzleloaders from matchlocks to modern in-line rifles. But you don’t have to go to a dedicated black powder supply store to find one, as a CO2 Inflator Kit for bike tires accomplishes the same task at half the cost.

Black Powder Shooters Love the Pedersoli Fiberglass Rifle Rod

I am one of those black powder shooters who hold out by using my stock wooden ramrods for loading and cleaning. But there is no question that a dedicated fiberglass range rod is the best option for the range. They don’t break, come with easy-to-manipulate handles, and can load or clean just about any rifle, shotgun, or handgun. Pedersoli’s Fiberglass Rifle Rod is a well-built unit that can do it all.

pedersoli fiberglass rifle rod
A good fiberglass rod will not break and it saves wear and tear on the ramrod that comes with your rifle or handgun. [Pedersoli]

The Pedersoli Fiberglass Rifle Rod has an overall length of 39 3/8 inches and comes in calibers ranging from .31 to .75 caliber with a noncorrosive brass tip that is threaded for 10-32 inch threaded brushes, jags, and scrapers. The rod comes equipped with a cleaning/loading jag and a moveable aluminum muzzle protector to keep the rod centered in the bore. Whether it is for a long-range session or the cleaning after the deed, the Pedersoli Fiberglass Rod is a deal to beat.

Tradition’s Deluxe Tubular Flask

For carrying black powder in the field there are two types of containers: horns and flasks. Horns were the favorite into the 19th century when flasks became more common. Modern reproductions of both are problematic. A good horn maker will produce one that lasts and is watertight, but the bargain on eBay may not be. Reproduction flasks look beautiful and authentic for a cased pistol or rifle but are constructed of two halves that can readily come apart with use and abuse.

The Tradition’s Deluxe Tubular Flask is one of the best ways to carry powder without hunting down an original flask or calling up a horn maker. It is a universal way for black powder shooters to keep their powder dry.

traditions deluxe tubular flask with colt 1862 pocket navy revolver, caps, and bullets; a top gift for black powder shooters
The Traditions Deluxe Tubular Flask is a welcome way to store more powder.

The Traditions Flask features a tubular body and knurled threaded end caps that are rigid in construction. The flask comes with a 30-grain spout and a push-button valve that releases powder with the push of a thumb.

READ MORE: The Perfect Christmas Gifts for Every Outdoor and Hunting Adventure

Trap the end of the spout with your finger for an easy 30-grain measure of powder, or let it fill your measure for a heavier load. The flask holds 1,300 grains of powder and its all-brass construction is attractive, seals well, and does not conduct static electricity like some cheaper ferrous-lined containers. The Traditions Deluxe Tubular Flask is nothing fancy, but it is a secure way to store extra powder whether you are in the range or in the field, regardless of whether you are running a cap and ball revolver, a full-length rifle, or a shotgun.

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