I Love Muzzleloading

Today we're talking with Contemporary Master Horner Art DeCamp. Art's work has been an inspiration to me and my historic research for several years. His books are second to none in their accurate documentation and assessment of original horns and I'm excited to be sharing his story with you today.

While Art is considered one of the best craftsmen of the contemporary age, he had humbled beginnings as a young boy in Indiana. His father was a firearms appreciator and Art followed suit, continuing a family appreciation of historic arms. The DeCamp family home was near Fort Ouiatenon in Lafayette, Indiana, home of the "Feast of the Hunters Moon", a massive long running living history event. As Art puts it, "It was hard for me to get away from history." In second grade, Art brought a filled powder horn to his 2nd Grade show and tell the program, even at that young age he couldn't help but share his appreciation for historic works of art. As a young man Art dove deeper into muzzleloading culture by building an off-the-shelf muzzleloader kit. The experience got him started but Art was looking for more, the kit wasn't shaped right, the components weren't beautiful, and things weren't adding up. With the help of several dedicated family friends, Art took to building his own muzzleloaders "from the blank" with sets of parts, diagrams, and illustrations of original pieces as his reference.

For years Art would balance his job, his family, and his appreciation for historic crafts. "As a parent, I worked a lot in the evenings after the kids went to bed", Art says, "I thought it would change once they were grown but I still find myself working into the night!". Art is a very jovial guy, even as we reminisce about his time on the road driving a couple of thousand miles round trip to see some original pieces at the KRA shows he laughs, "I don't know how you explain driving 2300 miles round trip to go look at some old guns." As a young man with a young family, I appreciate Art's openness and honesty about including his family in his passion, "A time comes when you have to put your kids first and that's important". If you find yourself in a similar situation, you'll enjoy the insights and commentary Art has on not only being an artist but a father and husband as well.

Like many others, our conversation ebbed and flowed as the evening progressed. From Art's history to his thoughts on the contemporary community, we covered a broad range of topics, but towards the end, we settled on one topic I think is important to hear discussed from an artist of Art's caliber- Getting started and getting better. Art's advice for someone looking to make traditional accoutrements echos a positive montra I love hearing from contemporary masters, "Don't be bashful, reach out and ask for help."

Art DeCamp has been building muzzle loading rifles and powder horns since 1980, and specializes in replicating the Kentucky rifles, and shop-made screw-tip horns of Pennsylvania. His horn making is concentrated on the lathe-turned, screw-tip type horns from the various “schools” of eastern Pennsylvania, and accurate replication of Tansel style engraved horn work from central Indiana. Much of his horn working time is spent performing historically accurate museum quality restoration work on original powder horns.

Follow Art's work on his website http://www.artspowderhorns.com/

The last of Art's Books can be found here: https://www.crazycrow.com/powderhorns-and-accouterments-books/pennsylvania-horns-of-the-trade/