You might not know this, but the ATF has no purview over muzzleloading black powder firearms. They are not regulated under the typical gun laws. You can have one shipped to your door; there are no waiting periods, and they don’t fall under the NFA. Yep, no NFA rules apply to muzzleloading black powder firearms. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best NFA hacks you get through black powder firearms.
SilencerCo Maxim 50 Suppressed Muzzleloading Rifle
One of my favorite creations comes from SilencerCo, and it’s called the Maxim 50. The Maxim 50 is a fairly traditional single-shot muzzleloading rifle with a lot of modern touches. The most modern touch is the big, hefty suppressor tossed at the gun’s end. It’s an NFA-free suppressor on a perfectly suitable hunting muzzleloader.
The suppressor is a part of the barrel and can’t be removed or put on other weapons without significant effort. If you can make a Maxim 50 suppressor work on a standard rifle, you can build your own suppressor anyway. The Maxim 50 is well suited for the modern hunter and a great way to get into muzzleloading. Plus, it angers the right people, the people who claim the Second Amendment only relates to black powder single-shot rifles.
Short Barreled Rifles
While most muzzleloaders have fairly long barrels to ensure good velocity from a black powder-propelled round, they aren’t locked into a barrel length. Any muzzleloading black powder gun could have a barrel shorter than 16 inches. An SBRed muzzleloader doesn’t sound great, but you can also toss a stock onto various black powder pistols—namely cap and ball revolver replicas from Cimarron, Uberti, and the like.
Not only can you attach a stock, but stocks are widely available for these platforms. This includes historically accurate options with wood and metal, as well as modern options that allow you to use your favorite AR stock with your favorite revolver. It’s odd, but normally, such a contraption would run afoul of the NFA. Cap and ball revolvers maintain an NFA-free status.
Short Barreled Shotguns
If you’re into firearms, you have more than likely seen the ads for the Diablo series of shotguns. These guns are touted as legal, sawn-off shotguns that are pistol-sized but feature 12 gauge bores. They look straight up like something El Mariachi would carry. These guns are perfectly legal because they are muzzleloading shotguns.
They can be short, pistol-sized, and now qualify as short-barreled shotguns or any other weapon. If you’ve ever wanted to play El Mariachi without having to pay for a stamp, then the Diablo shotguns are for you. They aren’t the only option, and the old blunderbuss guns are still available with short barrels.
Cannons!
If destructive devices are on your radar, then you might be pleased to know nothing is stopping you from owning a cannon! Yep, as the founding fathers’ intended cannons are available and can be owned without a lick of paperwork. Admittedly, finding a gun range to accommodate a cannon might be tough, but if you can afford a cannon, you can probably afford the range to fire it.
These aren’t cheap, lightweight, or convenient, but I almost guarantee your HAO has no rules against it…yet. Cannon kits cost anywhere from 7,000 to 10,000 dollars without shipping attached. You can also buy mini cannon kits from muzzleloading companies like Traditions. These are .50 cal muzzleloaders and a fair bit cheaper, but also much smaller.
Muzzleloaders, Blackpowder, and The Law
While Federal law might give you carte blanche on muzzleloading black powder weapons, state laws may vary. I’d assume California and New York hate them as much as they hate ARs and common sense. Check your state laws before you get your hopes up. If you live in a free state, then please enjoy your way around the NFA and have some black powder and muzzleloading fun.
