Thanks for all of the input guys! I really like the points you made Jeff and I agree with most of them. I like the modern type of BP spoons I guess from a safety standpoint. I don't think that I would get into using sabots or anything like that, I think that I would really like to be able to pour my own rounds and that I would get a lot of satisfaction out if it.

One of the main reasons that I am looking into BP is because I can no longer afford to shoot my .308! It costs as much to shoot that as what it used to cost to shoot a .50BMG round 15yrs ago! I would shoot my .22 to keep my practice up, but it is still virtually non existent in the particular rounds that I am looking for and when you do find it, it is the same price per round as what nato 5.56 is running per round. It is insane to say the least... No sporting good stores or Wally worlds in my area are able to keep .22 in stock...

I figure that I can acquire lead and pour my own ammo, be able to shoot when I want and still be able to use it for the occasional hog or deer.

Oh, btw... I was shown a picture of a buck that came off a ranch here near my house. I didn't get to count all of the points, but this sucker had 23pts on ONE side!!! Amazing trophy!

Bill, modern muzzle loaders are no "safer" than the traditional side hammer guns. Putting one on half cock is effectively like putting the safety on with a more modern design. Every other aspect of their design and use is every bit as safe as any modern gun.

If you want to hunt deer and hogs, I'll up my minimum caliber recommendation to .50. Get one with a "compromise" twist that will shoot round balls well (for plinking) with reduced charges, and conicals well with full charges for hunting. T/C makes a couple of good ones, as do CVA and Lyman. The most common compromise is a 1:48" twist, which most of these are available with.

Get a Lyman Plains Bullet mold for your conical, and one of their round ball molds and you will be good to go.

Hey Jeff, what brand of powder and what brand of caps do you recommend? Also, in order to keep your powder dry / in good working condition, do you add desiccant to it or anything else to keep it from being affected by humidity? I live in a high humidity region is why I ask.

I use Goex powder for general use; FFFg in all handguns and small bore muzzle loaders, FFg in anything .50 or larger (muzzle loading rifles and shotguns), FFg or Cartridge in rifle cartridges. For serious match shooting, I use Swiss 1.5Fg, but it is twice the cost of Goex.

For caps, I use whatever I find. I've used mostly CCI because they are what is normally stocked most everywhere, but I've also used RWS and Remington. I have never seen any difference in performance. Fit is what is important - if the nipples take #10's, use them. If they take #11's, use them. Otherwise they will be either too tight or they will just fall off (you can actually pinch too big ones down a bit and get them to stay).

I have never heard of any particular trouble with regards to storing black powder, even in humid climates. If you have a basement, keep it there. Don't store it outside in a metal shed or something. The main thing is just to keep its temperature from fluctuating wildly, so condensation doesn't form.

Some jurisdictions (and home owners' policies) have specific stipulations regarding the storage of black powder. It's classified differently than smokeless - it's a class A explosive, where smokeless is a class C flamable solid. Storing above a certain quantity can get you in trouble with the authorities or your insurance company. Best to check. Some will let you by with an approved magazine in which to store it; these are available commercially, or you can build your own.

That is actually the one and only advantage I can think of for the substitute powders - they are also class C, so storage requirements are less onerous.