In most cases, muzzleloading muskets and pistols which are reproductions of pieces manufactured before 1898 may be shipped directly to the purchaser with no need to have the transfer handled by an FFL. A handful of other states and cities have additional requirements. These include, but are not limited to: New Jersey, Hawaii, Washington DC, Illinois, NYC, and others.

Yes, all of our muzzleloading muskets and pistols are fully functional firearms suitable for hunting, sportshooting, and reenacting. No modification of the piece is necessary. As with all muzzleloading firearms, care should be taken to follow proper loading and firing procedures. Each musket is shipped with an owners manual that outlines the shoot specs including recommended powder charge and ball size. All of our muzzleloading weapons are designed to fire genuine black powder only. Smokeless powders and blackpowder substitutes should never be used. Never exceed the recommended powder charge.

Recommended ball sizes may be found on each product’s page in the description. Be aware, however, that several of our muskets and pistols are offered in a range of bore diameters. For that reason, we recommend waiting until you have received your piece to order any custom molds. We can assist with selecting the correct size ball if ordered along with a weapon.

Purchasers of historical muzzleloading weapons must be 18 years of age. By placing an order with Veteran Arms LLC one certifies that one is of legal age and is not otherwise prohibited from purchasing or possessing the piece. Veteran Arms reserves the right to verify age or refuse sale to persons unable to satisfy the age requirement.

Orders can be placed through our website via Credit Card. Customers wishing to place orders via check or money order should contact us in order to receive an order total and mailing address. Payments can be made payable to: Veteran Arms LLC. Items ordered via mail will be held in anticipation of payment for 10 days. After that time, the merchandise will be returned to our regular stock. We do not accept PayPal for weapons orders. For international customers, please see our International Ordering section.

We tune the locks on all of the muskets we sell. All frizzens are properly hardened to ensure adequate spark. Additionally, all of our muskets come with a limited warranty and a lifetime frizzen rehardening guarantee.

Most of Veteran Arms LLC’s regular musket and pistol line are made in India and finished here in our shop in the USA. Each piece is transferred upon order to our finishing department where the stocks are sanded/stained/finished, the hardware polished, locks tuned, frizzens hardened, etc. Each piece is then hand assembled and inspected prior to shipment.

Other items from our catalog, including weapons, are produced in a variety of places including the United States, UK, India, Italy, Spain, Pakistan, China, Germany, and others.

Georgia residents must pay sales tax in addition to the cost of their purchase. Items shipped to addresses outside of Georgia are not subject to sales tax collection. Out-of-state purchasers may, however, be liable for payment of use tax in their home state.

Shipping charges for single items are as outlined in the product’s description and in the automated shopping cart. For weapons, charges are generally as follows:

• Muskets - $60
• Carbines - $50
• Pistols - $30

Shipping charges for multiple items are not automatically calculated at checkout. The full shipping amount (as if each item were shipping separately) will be assessed, but the order will be combined in order to minimize shipping costs and the overage refunded.

Veteran Arms LLC’s regular line of muskets and pistols are covered by a 3-month parts repair or replacement warranty. (See Terms & Conditions.) Additionally, all of Veteran Arms merchandise, with the exception of custom orders, comes with a 10 day money back guarantee if returned in as-new condition. All you pay is the shipping. Furthermore, Veteran Arms’ flintlock muskets and pistols come with a lifetime frizzen rehardening guarantee. See Terms & Conditions of sale for more details.

What is proofing?

According to the Birmingham Proof House in the UK, proofing is “the firing through the barrel of a considerably heavier load than is customary in the shooting field, thereby setting up pressure and stress on barrel and action much in excess of the pressure generated by standard load...and is intended to, disclose weakness in guns...” But it is more than that. It is certification by a government entity that such testing has been done in accordance with that nation’s recognized standards. Not all nations adhere to the same standards and requirements as regards proofing. There is much variation in the loads required by the varying governing bodies - with most calling for a load of 130-140% of the service charge and a specified quantity of shot for the proofing of smoothbores. Also, not all countries require each individual piece to be proofed. In those countries, manufacturers may select a random sampling of products for proofing. If the samples pass, the entire lot is deemed ‘proofed.’

At present, there are no proof houses in the United States which proof muzzleloaders. There are likewise no recognized proofing standards in the US by which a muzzleloader may be proofed. Thus, for example, it would not be possible for an American manufacturer of muzzleloaders to offer a ‘proofed’ weapon unless that weapon was first exported to a country which has a recognized proof house, the piece was proofed and certified there, and then the weapon was re-imported into the United States.

Test Firing:

Some muzzleloader manufacturers and importers in the US offer what they call a ‘proof,’ but actually it might best be called a ‘Test Firing.’ As mentioned previously, there are no standards, so each maker test fires to his own standard. During our first two years of operation, we test fired each and every weapon we sold. Since then, we have discontinued the practice of test firing each piece as many people do not wish to wait for the time it takes to be done or would rather do it themselves. (It is very labor intensive.)

Below you may view published information on British proofing standards.

• Proof1PDF
• Proof2PDF
• Proof3PDF

Extreme Integrity Test 2010

In 2010, Veteran Arms LLC subjected one of its off-the-shelf musket barrels to an Extreme Integrity Test. The barrel (69 caliber) was removed from the stock, inspected, and then fired with a load of 160% of the maximum recommended charge under controlled conditions. The barrel, of course, was not damaged. In an attempt to achieve structural failure, the powder charge was then increased in increments and the barrel retested. The barrel was fired with loads of 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 grains of powder and the recommended ball. No damage occurred. Impatient, a load of 10 times the maximum charge was attempted, topped with 2.5 times the maximum recommended weight of shot. (European proof standards call for the firing of shot for smoothbore weapons.) There was so much powder and shot that the ramrod extended out of the barrel by nearly a foot. The result was a very large report, but nothing more. The barrel had no bulges, cracks, or other deformation. Of course, this information is not intended to encourage anyone to exceed the recommended load for any weapon. It is intended only to illustrate what our barrels may be capable of withstanding in order to dispel some misinformation that has circulated on social media.

Muskets and pistols are generally shipped via UPS ground, although muskets may be shipped via USPS upon request. Most small items are shipped via USPS Priority mail, unless otherwise requested. In order to keep our prices as low as possible, some merchandise (like our cartridge kits) are drop shipped directly from the manufacturer. International orders are shipped via USPS or UPS except for weapons orders which generally ship via American Air Cargo.

Most of our weapons feature a hardwood stock made of teak. Each stock is sanded, stained, and finished in our shop here in the USA in order to give it the appearance of walnut. Weapons from other manufacturers may have stocks of genuine walnut, maple, beech or other and will have a description on that product’s page.

Yes, and no. Each musket and pistol is handmade, so minor variances will exist between them. Parts like cones, ramrods, screws, etc are interchangeable. Other parts are not, and it would not be possible - for example - to take a complete lock from one piece and install it in another without modification. Because of this, Veteran Arms recommends contacting us in the case that a repair is needed.

Orders are processed as they are received during normal business hours. Orders for small items like clothing, blanks, accessories, etc are shipped at least twice per week. Orders for muskets and pistols from our regular line are finished upon order and typically ship within 4-12 weeks if in stock. Some items can take slightly longer depending upon availability. Unless otherwise agreed in advance, purchasers agree to the above estimated delivery schedule. Frequently, weapons will be listed as “Ready-to-ship,” in which case they will ship out at the next drop off time. Some items listed in our catalog are drop shipped directly from the manufacturer. Shipping times vary, but are typically within a few days. Customers will receive a notification that their order has been processed, and another that includes tracking information when the order ships.

Specific questions can be forwarded to us using the Contact Us form located on this website. Please be specific with all questions, and a representative will contact you as soon as possible. If you prefer telephone contact, please send us your telephone number along with your question.

Our injection molded blank cartridges were designed for use in lever action rifles where overall cartridge length is critical to proper cycling. For that purpose they work excellent. They will work in some, but not all, single action revolvers. Some reproduction revolvers have tolerances which are too tight to allow the cylinder to rotate freely when using our blanks. If assisted in rotation, the blanks will fire normally. If you would like to try some of our blanks to see how they work in your particular revolver, send us a message with your name, address, and revolver’s caliber and we will send you a free sample.

Veteran Arms ships regularly to overseas customers. Non-weapons items can be shipped via USPS/Fedex/UPS. Please contact us for a shipping quote. Veteran Arms can ship muskets and pistols internationally. **NOTE: Due to complications and cost increases due to Covid, Veteran Arms LLC has temporarily suspended international shipment of muskets and pistols, except in the case of large freight orders.

Veteran Arms has never had a piece fail either in test firing or in service … ever … period. We have a spotless safety record. With that said, muzzleloaders are not toys. One should always use care and common sense when using any firearm.

 In the case that a repair is needed, Veteran Arms performs all repairs in our workshops here in the USA.