Testing out Swiss and Schuetzen various powder granulations in the Lymans Great Plains Rifle.
Various powders are switched and tested in the barrel and in the pan.

Mrs. Maniac and I enjoyed a weekend shooting with the Akin family and friends in northwestern Pennsylvania in June 2025.
These are the type events I ABSOLUTELY look forward to every year!
The shooting fun is hilarious at this event.

I'm probably the only person in the world to do this, as a final wipe I use paper towel patches. Plain paper towel cut to patch size, a single piece for .32 / .36,  double for .40 and above. I use them dry, of course.  they're cheap and available everywhere. if flash rust is a problem, paper towel patches are aslo mildly abrasive and can remove it fairly quickly.

Thanks for the kind words, guys! It was a great time and was unlike anything I'd ever done before; I hadn't done any real public speaking since college-- some 20 years ago.

I came prepared with blank loads, but I was advised that we should probably refrain from shooting them because of the fact that we were surrounded by homes and businesses, and there was fear that folks might complain about the noise. The event was actually held at Coeur d'Alene Bible Church, who has graciously opened their facility's doors to the troop. I think the next time we put something like this on, we'll likely do it on my property so we don't have any restrictions. I believe the spitting of smoke and fire from a 46" barrel would go a long way to capture the imagination of these kids and leave -at least some of them- thirsting for more.

The Coeur d'Alene Muzzleloaders was actually asked by Garwood Elementary to put on a mountain man demonstration this June, John. You'll be happy to learn they've actually asked us to bring our firearms!

Oh, come on, fellas-- it's clearly funny. Maybe it just requires a bit of juvenile, young-man humor to fully appreciate it. 😄