I had some good, albeit dirty, fun

[omgb]

I hosted a Black Powder shooting lesson for a group of 40 or so, Boy Scout leaders. The primary emphasis was muzzleloading, but BP cartridge was there too. I have a Browning .50 caliber Mountain Rifle that I picked up years ago when they were still being made. Brown steel furniture, single set trigger and fixed sights. It's a tack driver out to 100 yards with 100 grains of Swiss 1.5F and a round ball and poly patch from Buttler Creek.

I also had a CVA inline. The students really liked that as it is far lighter than my Browning. The show stealer though was a pair of Ruger Old Army revolvers. Not authentic I know, but boy howdy can those pistols shoot. A 1.5" group at 20 yards using a Lee conical and 3F black is very easy to achieve.

I also brought along my thumper. I call it the .73 Talley whacker. It's based on an H&R Ultra Slug gun in 12 gauge. I had the Rocky Mountain Cartridge company make me some "Everlasting" style brass 3" cases. I purchased a mold that is a copy of the Holland and Holland Paradox bullet. From pure lead it weighs in at over 1.5 ounces. Back that with 140 grains of Swiss 1.5 F and some lubed 11-gauge wads and it really packs a punch.

I love BP. There just something especially satisfying about using it.

FWIW, my last name is Talley, hence the cartridge