Muzzleloaders are fascinating firearms, though, I expect that most Americans think about the American Revolution when they think of them. They’re interesting historically, but in this day and age of modern firearms, they just don’t think of them as something that people use except for the interesting experience of reliving that bit of history and, for the more adventurous of them, being able to say that they shot an historical firearm.
Now, of course, there are modern muzzeloaders and many people enjoy black powder hunting. Aside from that specialized use, though, even firearms enthusiasts don’t tend to hear about muzzleloaders in any other modern contexts.
But a guy in Vermont had a very different use for his muzzleloader recently. Dave Urbanski writes,
A 75-year-old Vermont homeowner opened fire with a muzzleloader allegedly after three armed men tried to breaking into his residence late Tuesday night.
Gordon Richard Sr. told investigators the trio tried breaking into his home on Sandy Hill Road in the town of Georgia through a locked interior door from a separate section of the residence where his son lives, WCAX-TV reported, citing state police.
Richard added to police that he shot one of the men with a muzzleloader, shut the door, and called 911, the station said.
Urbanski continues:
Troopers found 39-year-old Paul Brown of Milton and St. Albans wounded in a neighboring yard, the station said, adding that he was rushed to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition Wednesday.
Now, for this man’s sake, I’m glad that he had his muzzleloader with him and loaded (which isn’t necessarily the quickest process). If it hadn’t been ready to fire, this story may have had a different outcome, and not in his favor.
Having said that, though, I think that I’ll stick with modern firearms for my protection. Less chance of someone catching me off guard in my own home that way.
What about you? Comment below.
Weelll If the gentleman had time to LOAD his muzzle loader. The bad actors in question were most likely first timers or DRUNK. Weather it was a pistol or longgun that .68 caliber ball can do quite a bit of damage!
Should that bad actor still be alive he is damn lucky!!!
As far as the guy with the muzzle loader, he had a block of good luck with his results.
With the increase in home invasions, and as one with a carry permit in the Republic of California run by loony toons, I carry until i go to bed. We see many examples on TV and movies of armed people taking their firearms off as soon as they get home. Many of those stories have someone invading the victims residences and they are caught unarmed. My thought is keep the arm I am comfoteable and take it off in a reachable place at bed time. So far, it has been as successful as my method of keeping elephants away from my doorstep. I blow a whistle at night before lovking up. So far both have worked. 😉
SPB 12
Elderly? What’s elderly? It’s what you do with yourself that makes you what you are, not the years that you’ve witnessed. This man knew what he was doing and asked for no one’s help in doing it.
A large muzzle loader ball will make a nice hole in a home invader’s body. Glad he was able to use it.
Great side note he can’t be charged for using a firearm. Muzzleloader is considered a primitive weapon not classified as a firearm.
And at 88 I was content with a six inch hunting knife hanging on my bedpost. You go, Codger .
On my wish list to have a blunderbuss and black powder pistol, they would be a hoot.
When the US Govt and States propose restrictions like those nations with neo-communist disarmament regulations and laws, any restriction, know they do not value your property rights or right to your life and its defense.
If the gun were at least partially concealed from the intruders, they might not know if it was a muzzleloader or the first round of 17 from your autoloader!
Way to go Flash Gordon
one must NOT FORGET, that prior to loaded cartridges ALL GUNS WERE MUZZLE LOADERS! over the hundred’s of years since the invention of the explosive black powder, i would estimate that MILLIONS HAVE BEEN SHOT DEAD via a MUZZLE LOADER!!! even in the uncivil, CIVIL WAR tens of thousands of men were mourned because a muzzle loader ended their life!!! DUELS WERE FOUGHT WITH MUZZLE LOADERS! so was the Napoleonic War !
if one will dimple the round ball, there can be a paste made from FENTANYL AND DISTILLED WATER, placed in the dimples, just 4MG is enough to kill ANY MAN THAT EVER WALKED THE EARTH!! so a hit even in the hand would seriously overdose anyone!
FENTANYL is coming across the southern border strapped to the backs of COYOTES and we all know that VARMINTS CAN BE DISPATCHED BY A HUNTER YEAR ROUND! but if that coyote is carrying FENTANYL i would use PPE before touching that varmint and its payload!
a .22 LR with a hollow point would be my choice to administer an overdose as they are quieter and lighter than even a 36 cal. muzzle loader and NO cloud of smoke!
happy hunting!
Glad it had a positive outcome for the intended victim. The anti-gun crowd has been hawking that no one needs a firearm that holds more than a couple of rounds, even for self-defense. They stand by the premise that the framers of the Constitution only had muzzleloaders when they drafted the Second Amendment.
Incidents like this one, while being extremely rare statistically, can be twisted to support their premise. We need to be careful how we respond to news items like this or we could eventually be limited to muzzleloaders and single-shot breechloaders.
Way to go! I gots 4 cap & ball pistols backed by muzzle/breach loading long gun! White hots work great in the long gun!!
well if he comfortable using it so be it..I used to shoot my .58 cal..I’d use it if I had to pre loaded etc..