Muzzleloading Short Shots

Relying on 50 years of muzzleloading hunting experiences in all parts of the U.S. with occasional trips to Europe and Africa, Wm. Hovey Smith delivers candid and practical advice on muzzleloading guns ranging from Japanese matchlocks to the most modern in-line rifles and pistols. Never restricted to a given type or hunting or make of gun, he presents information on guns from many makers of replica muzzleloaders as well as on a number of originals that are now available on the U.S. market. As may be seen in the list of chapters that follows, the book is comprehensive in its coverage, unusual in its approach and full or useful information for the hunter, shooter and owners of muzzleloading guns of all sorts.

As the conclusion of a series of inexpensive, introductory e-books on muzzleloading guns, this book explores the possibilities of building muzzleloading rifles, smoothbores, pistols, and revolvers from commercial kits as well as how to carefully restore or completely rebuild muzzleloading relics to usable conditions. These processes are illustrated by commercial blunderbuss, rifle, revolver, and pistol kits from various makers, and by restoring one Brunswick rifle and smoothbore gun, and restocking another to convert it to a powerful muzzleloader capable of taking any North American game. Hunts with these guns are covered in the author's previous softcover and others of the e-book series while this volume concentrates on the structural elements that make muzzleloaders work, and how to assemble and return them to service. Additional insights on the process are provided by active links to related YouTube videos.