Very good advice!   

   My overall take of what was used by the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783 started off with militia farmers toting fowlers and the use of hatchets, tomahawks, knives, and swords as their CQB (close quarter battle) weapon.  Some militia had their fowlers modified for socket spike bayonets and whilst plug bayonets saw some limited service in the F&I war, there is no mention of their use during the AWI ... but ... who really knows for sure.  I strongly suspect that whatever was handy and most viable, was used.

   There was no initial Continental Army regimental coat, only a large variety of simple clothes.  The Fall of 1779 was when the red trimmed blue regimental came to being as ordered by General Washington.  I suspect that simple clothes were still used by some, and right on up to 1783 ... as well as fowlers.

   The Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775 - 1783) relied on a mix of muskets due to initial shortages, limited domestic production, and evolving foreign aid. No single model was universally "standard" across all units or years, but patterns shifted over time.

A "musket" is specifically a military weapon that is a fowler by general design in that it is a smoothbore but with an average bore of between .650"and .800", have a very robust stock (typically of walnut wood), will have the ability to accept a socket spike bayonet, and will weigh between 10 and 12 pounds.  In comparison, a typical fowler will have a bore of between .500" and .650" but some could go to.800", have a light weight stock of between 6 and 7 pounds, and will not normally have the capacity to accept a socket spike bayonet.

Having a musket with a bayonet is a military advantage.

On the matter of the use of the bayonet, it clearly was the best close quarter combat weapon because there was at least a four foot distance between combatants and the weight of the musket or fowler or smoothbore turned any bayonet equipped firearm into a fairly deadly spear.  A patriot having a firelock with no bayonet, and only a hand held knife or tomahawk whence charged at by a Redcoat wielding a bayonet on the muzzle end of their Bess musket was for the most part a big patriot disadvantage. 

Having a fowler/smoothbore with a plug bayonet was better than having no bayonet.

I believe that there were many variations to the weapons and accoutrements and clothing of the AWI patriots and soldiers - far more so for the first 2 or 3 years, to a lesser degree as the war progressed.  If your town or state militia joined the early Continental Army, it was far more likely you arrived with a fowler/smoothbore and some manner of blade(s).  The advantage of having a bayonet would hit home quickly.  Some fowlers/smoothbores were retrofitted with socket bayonets - stocks were cut off at the muzzle and a socket lug was brazed on to accept a bayonet that was made for the bbl's muzzle area dimensions.  There are documents and preserved guns with provenance of such added socket bayonets.  While there is documentation and original artifacts for the use of plug bayonets in the French & Indian war, non exists for the Revolutionary war ... but ... common sense would think that it is quite likely that there was at least some use of plug bayonets in the AWI, at the very least within 1775 aand 1776, when the Continental Army was made up of militia with their fowlers, dressed in their simple clothes.

1775 -1776 (Early War)

    * Primary models: Various British Long Land Pattern and Short Land Pattern muskets (collectively known as the "Brown Bess", .75 caliber smoothbore).
    * These were the most common firearms, sourced from colonial militias' pre-war stocks, captured British supplies, seized royal armories, and personal weapons brought by recruits.
    * Committee of Safety muskets: American-made copies, often patterned after the Brown Bess, produced under colonial or state contracts (e.g., by local gunsmiths fearing British reprisal, so rarely maker-marked). These were composite arms using mixed imported and domestic parts.
    * Other assorted smoothbore muskets (e.g., older Dutch, Spanish, or fowling pieces) were also used due to desperate shortages.
    * French aid was minimal and secret at this stage; the army was poorly equipped overall.

1777 - 1783 (Mid-to-Late War)
Primary models: French Charleville muskets, specifically the Model 1763 and Model 1766 (.69 caliber smoothbore).
    * Large shipments began arriving in 1777 (e.g., ~25,000 - 60,000 in initial batches, even before the formal 1778 alliance with France), with totals estimated at 48,000 - 100,000 over the war.
    * These became the most common firearm for Continental line infantry, especially after major arrivals in 1777 - 1778, due to their reliability, lighter weight compared to the Brown Bess, and standardized supply.
    * Captured or remaining Brown Bess muskets continued in use (e.g., boosted by captures like Saratoga in 1777).
    * Limited American production (e.g., at Rappahannock Forge in Virginia or Philadelphia facilities) provided copies of British or French patterns.
    & The later French Model 1777 Charleville was used only by French expeditionary troops under Rochambeau (arriving 1780), not issued to Continental soldiers.

Overall, the shift from predominantly British-pattern arms early on to French Charleville models later reflected France's critical role in arming the Continentals. Rifles (e.g., Pennsylvania/Kentucky long rifles) were used by specialized units but not as standard infantry weapons due to slower loading and lack of bayonet compatibility.

Fowlers (also called fowling pieces) were smoothbore flintlock firearms primarily designed for hunting birds and small game. They were lighter, often had varied bores, and lacked bayonet mounts in most cases, making them less ideal for military use compared to standardized muskets.Usage in the Continental Army - Fowlers were relatively common in the early years of the American Revolutionary War (1775 - 1777), particularly among militia and initial Continental recruits who brought their own personal firearms. Many colonists owned fowlers as everyday hunting guns, and colonial militia laws often required only a "good firearm," which frequently meant a fowler.At the war's outset (e.g., Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775), militiamen and early Continental soldiers used a mix of weapons, including fowlers, older muskets, and rifles. Sources note that New England-style fowlers were among the most common arms for militia, and mixed arms (including fowling pieces) were present even in Continental line regiments as late as 1778.

Fowlers declined significantly in usage after 1777 - 1778 due to:
    * Large shipments of French Charleville muskets (Models 1763/1766) arrived, providing standardized, reliable .69-caliber smoothbores with bayonets.
    * Captured British Brown Bess muskets (.75-caliber) also became widespread.

These military muskets were preferred for line infantry tactics, as fowlers were lighter and more fragile, had inconsistent bores (complicating ammunition supply), and usually could not mount bayonets effectively.By the later war years (1778 -1783), the Continental Army was largely re-equipped with Charlevilles (the primary weapon) and Brown Besses, with fowlers mostly relegated to militia or irregular use.Overall Frequency Fowlers were not rare early on but never the dominant weapon; they were part of a "motley assortment" of arms due to initial shortages. Historians describe them as common in 1775 - 1776 militia/early Continental forces but phased out as standardization improved.

Fowling pieces (fowlers), which were civilian smoothbore shotguns primarily designed for hunting birds, were commonly used by American forces early in the American Revolutionary War (1775 - 1783), especially among militia and some Continental Army units. These guns were lighter, often longer-barreled, and not originally built for military use, with varied bores and no standard provision for bayonets.

Plug bayonets - the early type that inserted directly into the muzzle (blocking the barrel from firing) ? were largely obsolete in European armies by the early 18th century.

Socket bayonets (which fit over the muzzle and allowed firing) became standard around 1700 - 1720.Fowlers were not typically equipped with plug bayonets during the Revolutionary War. Most fowlers lacked a bayonet lug or stud, as they were hunting weapons. Some were modified for military service by cutting back the stock and adding a socket bayonet lug, but this was uncommon and makeshift.

Plug bayonets saw limited or no documented use with fowlers in the Continental Army. The Continental Army faced severe bayonet shortages overall in the early war years (1775 - 1777), with many units having few or none.

Bayonets in use were predominantly socket types, often on imported French Charleville muskets (starting 1777 - 1778) or captured British Brown Bess muskets.Fowlers were most prevalent in 1775 - 1777, when the Continental Army relied heavily on personally owned civilian firearms (including fowlers, rifles, and mixed muskets). Baron von Steuben noted in 1778 that arms included "muskets, carbines, fowling pieces and rifles" in the same units.

As French aid increased (thousands of Charleville muskets with socket bayonets from 1778 onward), standardized military muskets largely replaced fowlers in regular Continental line units by the later war years (1778 - 1783).In summary, fowlers with plug bayonets were rare to nonexistent in the Continental Army, and fowlers themselves were used sporadically and decreasingly from 1775 to around 1778, giving way to proper muskets equipped with socket bayonets.

The French Model 1766 infantry musket (often called the Charleville musket) was not produced in a single factory. It was manufactured at France's three primary royal arsenals: Charleville (in Charleville-Mzires, Ardennes region), Saint-Etienne, and Maubeuge.Production occurred mainly between 1766 and around 1769, with approximately 140,000 units made across these sites. Charleville was the most prominent or namesake arsenal (giving the generic "Charleville" label to the entire family of French muskets), and many surviving examples bear its markings, but significant numbers were also produced at the other two. Some sources note additional minor production at places like Tulle, though the core output came from the three main arsenals.This multi-site manufacturing was standard for French military muskets of the era, allowing for high-volume production while maintaining design consistency. The Model 1766 was a lightened improvement over the heavier Model 1763, and both patterns (especially 1763/1766) were widely supplied to American forces during the Revolutionary War.

The French Model 1766 infantry musket (often called the Charleville musket) was not produced in a single factory. It was manufactured at France's three primary royal arsenals: Charleville (in Charleville-Mzires, Ardennes region), Saint-Etienne, and Maubeuge.Production occurred mainly between 1766 and around 1769, with approximately 140,000 units made across these sites. Charleville was the most prominent or namesake arsenal (giving the generic "Charleville" label to the entire family of French muskets), and many surviving examples bear its markings, but significant numbers were also produced at the other two. Some sources note additional minor production at places like Tulle, though the core output came from the three main arsenals.This multi-site manufacturing was standard for French military muskets of the era, allowing for high-volume production while maintaining design consistency. The Model 1766 was a lightened improvement over the heavier Model 1763, and both patterns (especially 1763/1766) were widely supplied to American forces during the Revolutionary War.

The French Model 1777 musket (Mod'le 1777), commonly known as the Charleville musket, was not produced in a single factory. France manufactured it across several royal or state armories (manufactures d'armes) to meet high demand during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.The primary production sites included:

Charleville (Manufacture d'armes de Charleville, in Charleville-Mzires) - the most famous, giving the musket its common name, though not the sole or even predominant producer.

Saint-?tienne (Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Etienne) - often cited as one of the largest producers.

Maubeuge (Maubeuge Arsenal). Tulle (Manufacture d'armes de Tulle).

Other sites contributed occasionally. Production of the 1777 model and its variants (including the corrected "an IX" version) totaled around 7 million units from 1777 into the 1840s, making it one of the most prolifically manufactured firearms of its era.Muskets typically bore markings indicating their specific manufactory (e.g., on the lockplate), such as "Manuf. Imp. de Charleville" or "Manufacture de St. Etienne." The design's standardization across these state-run facilities helped enable mass production and influenced later firearms, including early U.S. models like the Springfield 1795.

Flintlock Muzzleloaders

For pilgrims who have interests in traditional FLINTLOCK muzzleloaders (aka "sidelocks"), I've cobbled
together a bit of information about these guns as they pertain to both onshore built and the "cost effective"
variety found offshore (via Spanish and Italian manufacturers), based on my experiences with such guns
over the last 5 or so decades of shooting, smithing, and kit building such firearms. Some of the foregoing
will also pertain to percussion (cap lock) guns, but I vastly prefer those of flintlock ignition. In-line
muzzleloaders are modern concepts that have absolutely no place in any talk of traditional sidelock MLs.
IMHO, onshore built guns from reliable outfits and gunsmiths are typically the better way to go for a
reliable gun that will excel in both performance, durability, and overall value. These guns will sell new
for at least $1500, though used versions can be had for in and about $1000. As with anything in life,
there may also be some caveats to onshore gunsmiths, and investigation of such is prudent thinking
before purchasing.

Offshore trad MLs mostly come from manufacturers in Spain (Traditions, CVA, etc) and Italy
(Investarms, Pedersoli, etc - typically re-branded as Lyman, Cabela, DGW, etc). My decades of
experiences with Spanish built trad MLs has not been all that good, mostly with breech plugs that are
seemingly welded to barrels. Indeed, Traditions advises that tampering with their breech plugs is
tantamount to destroying the gun. On the other hand, most if not all the Italian guns will exhibit breech
plugs that can be removed. Why the need to remove a trad ML breech plug? Truthfully, there may never
be a need if the gun is treated properly and is well maintained. However, then there is Murphy's Law.
You be the judge.

Patent breech plugs. Almost all offshore trad ML guns sport them, as opposed to almost all onshore trad
MLs that employ classic flat faced breech plugs. What's the difference and what's the big deal? Patent
plugs have "ante-chambers", which are chamber bore constrictions that are thought to enhance
muzzleloader ignition, but I and many others think otherwise. As you can see from the images below, the
smaller diameter ante-chamber will never accept any manner of fouling control from a bore sized
cleaning rod. Most ante-chambers are best addressed for fouling control by a fitting the cleaning rod with
a bronze or nylon brush that's of ante-chamber diameter, and draped with a patch. Clearly, understanding
these patent breech plugs is important, and failure to recognize they need special attention has ruined
more than a few offshore trad MLs from ever achieving reliable ignition, if not badly buggered breech
plugs that typically will need removal and/or replacement.

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

A flintlock is a 17th century French invention that uses a stone (the flint) to strike a piece of very
hardened steel (frizzen, or "hammer steel") in order to scrape off tiny bits of white hot metal which falls
down to ignite the pan powder, which in turn throws extreme heat into the barrel chamber touch hole that
ignites the main powder charge within the barrel's chamber. With a good lock, this occurs in milliseconds
and the resulting ignition and blast out the muzzle are nearly simultaneous.

Typically, all offshore flintlocks will arrive with cut flints in the jaws of the cock. While cut flints will
work to some degree, knapped English black flints or knapped amber French flints are far more reliable
and it is highly recommend using knapped flints only. Knapped flints will almost always be sharper and,
because they are knapped, they can be easily resharpened by knapping them while right on the gun,
which is quite the common practice. There are two kinds of flints - common and fine. Common knapped
flints are thick and have two cutting edges that can be swapped around. Fine knapped flints are thinner
than common flints and have one cutting edge. Most flintlock users will eventually gravitate to using
only fine knapped flints. Track of the Wolf can provide either style of knapped flint IF specified.
When things don't go well - no flint/frizzen sparks, pan flashes and no main charge ignition, delayed
"kaaaaaa-boom!" ignition ...

Flintlock pans *MUST* be primed with REAL black powder. "Substitute" black powder is actually a
form of smokeless powder. "Subs" are maybe okay for the tube, but not the pan. Real black powder is
hard to find locally. This is mostly due to government black powder storage regulations for sporting
goods stores, and the fact that the demand for real black powder has wanned over the years in favor of
sub powders for the more popular in-lines and percussion cap guns. As a result, most of us get our black
powder via mail order or by attending muzzleloading events that have on-site vendors. Typically, group
buys for larger quantities of black powder are the way to go for lowered cost per pound of powder. Most
buys are in 25 to 50 pound lots. Today, the better commercially offered black powder is either Swiss
(Germany) or Olde Eynesford (USA) and they will both cost more per pound. Goex (USA) is cheaper
and still a solid performing black powder.

Contrary to popular "interweb" thought, there is no need for special fine flintlock pan powder. The
impression that 4F or Null-B is required for the pan whilst 2F for the tube, isn't at all that necessary. One
powder granulation, such as 3f or even 2F, is a good answer for both pan and tube, for reliable fast
ignition, and excellent performance. It means that one pound of powder will do the job instead of the
need to buy two pounds of powder. Also consider that centuries ago the most common of black powder
was coarse 1F, and 2F was considered "fine". I use either Swiss 1-1/2F or 3F for all calibers, from .32
to .75, for both pan and tube.

The flintlock. The mating of all moving surfaces of the lock can have an effect on the lock's performance.
The lock can be completely taken apart, the lock plate fine filed smooth and flat, sears polished, put back
together and all bearing surfaces oiled. This effort is usually beyond that of most folks, so just cleaning
off the lock and applying a tiny drop of oil to bearing surfaces will do just fine. The knapped flint should
be sized so that it's just as wide as the cock jaws, but it can be a tad wider. it's initial length should allow it
to be wrapped with a thin piece of leather and sit in the cock jaws so that when the cock is at half, and the
hammer steel (frizzen) is closed over the pan, the cutting edge of the flint will barely touch the hammer
steel's face. Make sure the stock side of the flint that's in the cock jaws doesn't come into contact with the
stock - move it over as need be and tighten down the cock jaws. As the flint wears, and is knapped sharp,
the flint can be moved to sit further out of the cock jaws, to better achieve that close half cock distance to
the hammer steel.

Flint bevel up or down? All that matters is where the cutting edge of the flint strikes the hammer steel,
and that it will reliably scrape off white hot bits of the hammer steel's face to ignite the pan powder. Let
the lock dictate whether to go with bevel up or down. The hammer steel (frizzen) needs to be Very hard.
If not hard enough, the flint will not produce proper white hot sparks and ignition will not be as reliable
as it should. The hammer steel can typically be easily removed and sent out to a smith for hardening.
The barrel chamber touch hole (aka "vent"). It needs to be properly sized. If need be, drill it out with a
1/16" (.062") drill bit. If the touch hole has a removable liner, as most will be with offshore guns, remove
it before drilling. It *may* need to be further opened to 3/32", but only if *all* other avenues of ignition
are explored.

Sizing the rifle?s projectile. A patched ball needs to fit the bore properly. "Properly" means either a super
tight fit (as used by target shooters) that will require a short starter rod to pound the patched ball down
into the first 4 to 6 inches past the muzzle, or a press fit that only requires thumb or knife handle seating
past the muzzle. There are proponents of each king of load. For the most part, a cast pure lead ball that's
about .010" less than the diameter of the rifling bore is a good projectile start (i.e. - .490" ball for a .50
bore). Acquiring several thicknesses of 100% cotton or linen patches or patch material will allow testing
for the fit of the patched ball. However, unlike working up a load for a cartridge gun, once pushed past
the muzzle, a patched ball will not be as easy to remove as it would be for a cartridge in a rifle chamber.
It's probably a good idea to have at least two different patch thicknesses for the first load of any trad
ML, .010" and .015", and use the thinner first - this is called a "loose ball load", and at least initially it
will offer some good benefits.

Smoothbores (muskets, fowlers) will require a smaller patched ball because such barrels have no rifling to
accept excess patch material. For a .75 bore (Brown Bess) I use a .69 ball, for a .69 bore (Charleville) I
use a .60 ball, for a 20ga .62 bore (?trade gun?) I use a .575 ball. This also applies to using paper musket
cartridges. One could also employ a bare ball load, where the ball is perhaps .01? under the bore size,
aided by powder and over ball wads.

Loading the gun. Is the gun already loaded? Some folks leave muzzleloaders loaded. I don?t think this is
a good idea for extended periods of time. If in camp, on the hunt, leaving the muzzleloader loaded
overnight makes sense, but to come home from a day at the range or afield and leave the gun loaded for
an extended days of time is not a good idea. You be the judge. For any trad ML, new or used, before its
first shooting, clean it. The loading/cleaning rod that came with the gun will work well. Fit one end with
a jag that's proper for the bore of the gun. Patch material can be bought or any 100% cotton or linen
material (t-shirt, etc) can be cut into patch squares. What liquid to put on the patch? Plain water or spit
works well in a pinch, but I prefer mineral oil or better yet Ballistol (a water soluble mineral oil). Wet the
patch and run it down and out the tube. Do this until a patch comes out *reasonably* clean - patches will
Never come out 100% clean, it is what it is. If the gun is an offshore type with a patent breech, remove
the jag and replace it with a bronze or nylon brush that's .22 to .30 in caliber, drape the brush with a patch,
and run it down the bore and into the patent breech plug ante-chamber. Do this until the patch comes out
*reasonably* clean.

Now is a good time to take an empty barrel measurement. With the cleaning/ramming jag screwed on its
end, drop the ramrod down the barrel until it comes to a stop at the end of the main chamber (which sits
in front of any ante-chamber). At the muzzle, put a mark on the rod - best done by scoring/indenting the
wood, all around the rod with a knife. This is the empty barrel indicator. You will use it often.
If the gun is to be immediately loaded and shot, run 2 or 3 dry patches to clean out any liquid - do this for
the tube and then for the ante-chamber. If the gun is to be stored, dripping wet a dry patch with a good
gun oil and run it down the tube and leave the patch, jag, rod in the barrel. This is all good insurance
against rust.

With a clean and dry bore (offshore guns: dry the ante-chamber, too), measure a charge of black powder
from a powder horn or powder can into a fixed size powder measure and pour the powder down the
barrel. Thump the side of the barrel/stock with your hand to settle the powder into the barrel chamber(s).
Lube the patch or patch material. This lube can be saliva (only if the gun will be immediately fired) or
most any commercial or homemade lube. Place the patch or patch material over the muzzle. Thumb the
ball slightly into the patch material and partially into the muzzle. This is where a thin patch used for the
very first load fired from the gun makes sense - it will be an easy start and seat, just use a thumb or knife
handle to push the patch and ball down past the muzzle. If a strip of patch material is used, take a sharp
knife and cut off the excess patch material flush with the muzzle. Holding the ramrod a few inches above
its ramming end, begin to push the patched ball down the barrel, always holding the rod only a few inches
above the muzzle. Holding the rod 6 to 12 inches above the muzzle will probably introduce lots of flex
that can break the rod off and into your hand! Now "bounce the rod" - flick the rod down the barrel to
smack the patched ball. Do this until the rod "trampolines" up. This insures that the patched ball is
seated directly on the charge of powder. Any air space between powder and ball is not a good thing that
can bulge barrels, or worse. Leave the rod down the barrel and on top of the patched ball. Mark/score the
rod at the muzzle - this is your loaded gun indicator.

Cradle the the gun with an arm, keeping the muzzle pointed down range, put the cock to half notch, open
the hammer steel fully off the pan, take a piece of clean cotton cloth and wipe the face of the hammer
steel, the cutting edge of the flint, and the pan. Take your vent pick (a piece of non-ferrous wire - brass or
copper - that's under 1/16" in diameter) and poke into the touch hole. This will increase the surface of the
chamber powder that will receive the heat of the pan flash, to better enhance ignition of the main powder
charge.

From the powder horn or flask or can, shake a few grains of powder into the middle of the pan. It should
not be so much powder as to fully fill the pan, nor be located closer to or further away from the touch
hole. Close the hammer steel. Pull the cock to full notch. Shoulder the gun, with butt set firmly to the
shoulder. Aim. Pull the trigger.

If nothing happens and no spark was generated - make sure to use a knapped flint, or knap the existing
flint. Check that the hammer steel is clean, that the pan has powder, try again.

If the pan flashes but there is no main powder charge ignition - was the barrel clean and DRY before the
main powder charge was poured down the tube? Put the rod down the barrel to insure the gun is properly
loaded. Bring the cock to half notch, clean the hammer steel, the flint edge, the pan. Put a few grains of
powder in the pan and tilt the gun so that the pan powder is up against the touch hole. Use the touch hole
pick to force a few kernals of fresh powder into the touch hole, and then pick deep into the touch hole.
Center the pan powder, close the hammer steel, come to full cock, shoulder, aim, fire.

If the pan flashes again but there is no main powder charge ignition, and the ramrod indicator shows that
the full load mark is below the barrel muzzle, it was probably "dry balled" - no powder, only a patched
ball. If the gun is charged and the pan repeatedly flashes but no main ignition occurs, it could be wet
powder. In both of the aforementioned conditions, the remedy will begin by pulling out the patched ball.
If the ball was "tight patched", this will be a chore at the least. If the ball was "loose patched", it should
be relatively easy to remove using a ball worm screw to replace the patch jag, running the screw worm
down the tube and into the pure lead ball, twist the rod while applying pressure on the ball so that the
screw worm will bite into the ball for purchase.

Pull on the ramrod while someone holds the gun. A lanyard might be able to be attached to the ramrod
end so that it can be looped over an object (tree limb, etc) and then pulling the rifle can release the ball
out of the barrel. I use a heavy brass cleaning rod for ball removals. the working end is always fitted
with a ball worm, and the handle end is drilled for an added lanyard loop of parachute cord. I allow the
weight of the dropped brass rod to drive the ball worm into the ball. Everyone will dry ball sooner or
later. It is what it is.

If the gun fired, great. Time to directly reload, or clean then reload? If time to immediately reload
without doing fouling control, it's time to immediately blow down the barrel. This is a centuries honored
practice that achieves two direct benefits. First, it insures that there are no hot embers left in the tube or
chamber(s) that are waiting to detonate the new load of fresh powder poured down the tube without doing
any fouling control. Gun crank author Mike Nesbitt failed to barrel blow after taking a shot and upon
tipping his measure of powder down the tube it blew up nearly in his face. He was extremely lucky he
was not injured or worse ... and brave to be humble enough to write about his failing as a warning to all.
As a result of the 1992 NMLRA ban of blowing down the barrel, all USA gun clubs will not allow that
practice to occur at their ranges and shoots. Second, moist breath keeps the black powder residue soft for
a possible reload without fouling control, or at least will make fouling control easy. Blowing down the
barrel was always endorsed by muzzleloading groups such as the NMLRA, but they banned the practice
as considered unsafe. I read that as a "politically correct " NMLRA call.

I will *always" barrel blow immediately after every shot is fired. Not doing this is, in my opinion, a
totally unsafe practice. A foot length of neoprene tubing can be used, works well, and is ?legal?.

For a first time go 'round with a new gun, or as a new trad flintlock muzzleloader shooter, I recommend
doing fouling control after every shot fired, at least initially. Wet a patch and run it down and out the
tube. It will be filled with black powder residue crud. You can run down another wet patch if you like.
Down and out a dry patch. If it's an offshore gun, remove the patch jag and replace with the ante-
chamber brush, drape with a wet patch and send it into the ante-chamber, twirl it around, pull it out.
Replace that wet patch with a dry one and dry the ante-chamber. Do that again. Load the tube - powder,
lubed patch, ball. Cock to half notch and clean the hammer steel, flint cutting edge, pan. Pick the touch
hole. Powder in the pan, hammer steel down on the pan, cock to full notch. Shoulder. Aim. Fire.
Repeat. Life is good.

Cleanliness begets reliability ~ Keep Your Muzzleloader Clean At All Times!

Half to St. Jude's for our children and half to DAV for our brothers. Gets my vote.

Same here!