Is this an "old man's hobby"?

[Norman McCormick]

Originally Posted by RDGAC

25 since July and a history geek since I can remember. First weapon I ever acquired was some tiny little dagger, supposedly Indian, which my grandfather acquired god-knows-where or when, and by which I was fascinated inordinately. Jezails became my thing after I heard about them from my dad (also a history buff to an extent), and we acquired one at work (which is documented here). Unfortunately, due to Britain's obsession with gun control, getting a crack at shooting any isn't looking likely for some while.

Hopefully I'll still be doing this when I turn 70-odd and can barely remember which end of the piece does what

Hi,
DO NOT under any circumstances shoot an antique weapon without first having it looked at by a competent gunsmith. I believe Rick (rickystl) shoots antiques but as far as I know he has the barrel relined before firing them. If you want to have a go at muzzleloaders join a local gun club with a muzzleloading section. Blackpowder is classed as an explosive in the U.K. and is subject to different storage regulations to smokeless powders and a license specifically for blackpowder is required. Always safety first.
Regards,
Norman.