A
muzzleloader is any
firearm into which the
projectile and usually the
propellant charge is loaded from the
muzzle of the
gun (i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from the more popular modern (higher tech and harder to make) designs of
breech-loading firearms. The term "muzzleloader" may also apply to the marksman who specializes in the shooting of muzzleloading firearms. The term of art includes rifled muzzleloaders and smoothbore muzzleloaders. The firing methods, paraphernalia and mechanism further divide both categories as do caliber (from
cannons to small-caliber
palm guns).
