What happened to the sport of Muzzleloading during WWII? An interview with Joe Barnes and Mark Barnhill

We're back with NMLRA member Joseph Barnes as he shares his memories from the 1940s and how it impacted Muzzleloading. Joe’s first NMLRA event was in 1937 when the shoots were held in Dillsboro, Indiana. Joe returned the following year, 1938, to help organize and then win the first-ever NMLRA junior match with a score of 44 out of 50.

He is the only surviving member from our historic panoramic photograph from the range in 1938. You can hear Joe tell more stories of the early muzzleloading days here.

It was wonderful to get Joe into the Rand House Museum at NMLRA headquarters during the “Pole Cat Porter” Exhibit at the 2019 National Championships. While Joe didn’t know Pole Cat personally, he was able to share some stories he heard at the time and share some first-hand accounts of early muzzleloading in the 1900s.

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This video is the second of two shot in the Pole Cat Porter Exhibit at the 2019 NMLRA National Championships. Catch the first one

A look at an original 225 year old flintlock

It was wonderful to get our eyes on this original Beck flintlock rifle during our September National Championship. This rifle is estimated to be 225 years old, it was converted to percussion during its life, but was converted back to flintlock with what is believed to be an early Siler Lock.

Owned by "Pole Cat Porter" in the early 1900s, this rifle, and its owner was instrumental to early muzzleloading and living history (At the time termed Buckskinning).

We sit down with exhibit organizers Mark Barnhill and William E. Jones to talk about the Pole Cat Porter exhibit, early 1900s muzzleloading and more in an upcoming video, stay tuned!

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Jeff Luke's Leather Bag Class - Videos on Youtube!

Couldn’t make it to the class? Don’t sweat it, we’re bringing more NMLRA Classes and educational programs to you. In this new weekly series, follow along as Jeff Luke of PoBoy Gear guides these students through the world of “Homespun” hunting pouch creation.

We are beginning a new series of courses at the NMLRA Education Center over the coming year. Our first new class was held with Jeff Luke of "Po Boy Gear". In this first video in this new series, Jeff begins the class with some introductions to historic leather bags, their design and more.

In this first video in this new series, Jeff begins the class with some introductions to historic leather bags, their design and more.

Jeff has decades of leather-working experience from wallets to motorcycle seats, but now has a passion for historically accurate bags and pouches from American History.

Muzzle Blasts is Growing - Exciting new announcments from the NMLRA

Muzzleloading and Living History aren’t dying, they are evolving.

We’ve been publishing “Muzzle Blasts” magazine in one form or another since 1930. Muzzle Blasts is the Original MuzzleLoading, Traditional craft, and Living History Magazine. Delivered to your door or email every month, each issue is packed with content about muzzleloader shooting sports, living history, traditional craft, tutorials, stories, and accouterments.

To expand on the quality Muzzle Blasts delivers each month, the NMLRA has launched a new media initiative to bring you more of what you love.

We’re going to take you inside events and classes like you’ve never seen, and we are able to do all of this thanks to the members of the NMLRA.

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New Platforms

We are excited to share the launch of the "Muzzle Blasts" Podcast, a new radio-like show from the NMLRA where we meet with all sorts of known and unknown people in the world of Living History.

In our first episode, we were excited to sit down with a representative from Goex Powders and Deer Creek Products to discuss the evolving world of Muzzleloading.

With aging members, many in the muzzleloading and living history communities are worried about the future of the sport. We sit down with Anita Vincenti from Goex Powder and Jim Christie of Deer Creek Products to discuss the future of muzzleloading and why it's not dying, it's evolving.

We Love Muzzle blasts

We know you love Muzzleblasts Magazine, and we want to bring you more of what you love each week.

Our dedicated Media Team will be covering not NMLRA events and classes, but muzzleloading and living history events across the country to show you that Living History is not dying, it’s evolving.

Muzzle Blasts on Social Media

We’re bringing daily updates from the world of the NMLRA to you through social media. We love hanging out around the campfire with our friends during an event, but now we can hangout everyday! With the NMLRA’s new media efforts we are bringing you the quality of Muzzleblasts right to your phone, tablet, or computer each day.

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New video from the team at Muzzleblasts and NMLRA Media!

We catch up with Navio Occhialini from the NMLRA Archery Range and talk the process of making a longbow

This video was made possible by the members of the NMLRA, thank you.

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New Video from NMLRA Media & Muzzle Blasts!

Last weekend we hosted our last 22 Fun Shoot of the season at our Walter Cline Range. With perfect weather and 37 participants, we all had a great time plinking away at the various banks of reactive targets.