1st Muzzleloader .54CAL

[SFOGUN]

[navycorpsman]

Always get every old gun checked before you fire it. Dont let it be your LAST dumb mistake. Very nice piece though.

[AndrewTannerCA]

If you're in the South Bay, I'd take it down to Castello Gun Shop. They can take a look at it and also sell you the powder, patches, balls you'll need. Very nice gun BTW.

[Geologyjohn]

Until you have a decent amount of experience owning and shooting blackpowder firearms, I would not shoot an original piece (for that matter, I try not to shoot my original PB firearms). Learn about BP on a reproduction. And there is a lot to learn, such as powder grain size and amount of powder to use in your loads for that pistol. Do you know what caliber your pistol is? And do you have the correct size ball mold for it? What is the quality and condition of the steel in the barrel of that pistol?
I hope that you had a percussion cap on the nipple when you dry fired it. Never dry fire w/o a cap. Also, know that BP is very corrosive and thorough cleaning is required soon after you finish shooting for the day. Lastly, I can't remember when the last time was that I went into a California gun store where the proprietor knew diddle squat about shooting BP.

[SFOGUN]

Castello Gun Shop

If you're in the South Bay, I'd take it down to Castello Gun Shop. They can take a look at it and also sell you the powder, patches, balls you'll need. Very nice gun BTW.

Thanks for the lead I will pay them a visit as you suggest. I work in Cupertino; not very far away.

Someone ells asked how the inside of the barrel looked? Oxidized. I'll take more photo's and post them. And...I had no intention of just winging it and trying to fire the thing... I would read up on it first of course