Who has the best YouTube build muzzleloader series?

[nemovir]

Maybe a better question, whose series to stay away from?

[Bob McBride]

IMHO, Bill Raby. He’s a really good splainer. Duelist1954 might be one to watch as well, though he kind of hacks at it. He’s getting better.. Bill is more of a perfectionist which floats my boat, and he’s obviously a woodworker sans gunmaker . ...and he’s easy to watch, for a yankee. 30 min videos are perfect as well. Worst? I don’t know. If they seem not to have it together I shut it off. Bill’s are good technically. Duelist kind of runs face first into things you will run into as well so they are worth watching. And he’s entertaining.

[Mike Brooks]

My internet connection is slow so my computer doesn't do video well. I have been given a few of the gunbuilding DVD's over the years. They are all guaranteed to put me to sleep in 5 minutes or less. It's like watching paint dry.

[Bill Raby]

I do the videos just because I have fun doing it. Couple things I figured out pretty fast. Most people watching are never going to build a gun, but like to think that they will someday. And a lot of people do not know the basics of working with tools. The idea is that someone just getting started on their first project can watch the video learn a few things to help out. It is just as important that a New York City paperwork guy can watch it and think, "I could do that".

Every YouTube guy is going to have their own style. My opinion is that the important thing is to be yourself and make the videos the way you want to make them. Some people will like it and some of them won't. I thought about doing the videos for a long time before I actually started doing it. I also get to do video for one of the top Christian rock bands in the country. I get to use an insanely expensive camera that is amazing and work with a full production team. Some YouTube stuff with that but mostly it is live broadcast. Send private message if you want to hear anything about that.

Here is what I think would be the best YouTube gun building video. I want to see a video series of someone doing a first build. Does not matter if it is a Kibler kit or build from a blank. I think that would be something of real value. There are a lot of guys out there that have been thinking about building a gun for a long time but have just not yet made that first step. I think a great video series would be showing how it goes for a first time builder. So if you are about to start on first gun, do some video of it. Show all the problems and mistakes. A video showing a first biuld would be great for anyone thinking about giving it a try.

[little joe]

Hershall House Very down to earth and not a lot of power tools except a band saw which you can get by without.

[Bob McBride]

I have been given a few of the gunbuilding DVD's over the years. They are all guaranteed to put me to sleep in 5 minutes or less. It's like watching paint dry.

I can imagine Chuck Yeager saying something similar after trying to watch ‘Top Gun’.

[Hungry Horse]

 I do like Hershel House’s videos because he doesn’t start out by saying you need to buy several thousand dollars worth of machine tools, and need to  order the latest exotic alloys, to make period gun parts.
 Most of the videos on YouTube are made by motor mouthed nimrods, that only have a very basic working knowledge at best of what they are talking about. Much of this “knowledge” is stuff I was told over forty years ago, and has since been either debunked, or greatly changed.

  Hungry Horse

[Bill Raby]

Most of the videos on YouTube are made by motor mouthed nimrods, that only have a very basic working knowledge at best of what they are talking about.

That would be me. There are plenty of people that know a whole lot more about building guns than I do. I am no expert. I try to be pretty up front about that and make an effort to make sure that what I am talking about is good information. You guys with lots of experience are sure to find things that I am doing wrong. Just remember that a lot of this knowledge that you heard 40 years ago is stuff that a lot of people have not heard at all yet. I would love to hear from you about how I can make the videos better.

My mom and my girlfriend think that my videos are the most boring things ever. My dad likes watching them.

[Bob McBride]

Your videos are great Bill. I’m a huge fan of the fact that though you admit to being an amateur you are conscientious, obviously care about your work, and can rattle on about what your doing and why in a way that is easy to appreciate. Those of us on our first few guns who care about what we are doing, and why we are doing it, get a lot from your stuff. Keep it up. I just sat outside with a cold one to watch your last upload.

Cheers,
Bobby

[Hungry Horse]

 Bill, in this case you’re selling yourself short. There a a bunch of guys on YouTube that make you look like the guru of muzzleloading.

  Hungry Horse

[Bob McBride]

Bill, in this case you’re selling yourself short. There a a bunch of guys on YouTube that make you look like the guru of muzzleloading.

  Hungry Horse

Well, I was the guru of back-handed compliments.... Hail to the chief.

[JamesT]

I'm not much into tv or youtube but man do I enjoy Uncle Sasquatch. Id like to meet him. Cool videos.

[Mike Lyons]

I’ve only used Mike’s tutorial and asked questions along the way.  My attention span isnt long enough for the videos. 

[Bill Raby]

Bill, in this case you’re selling yourself short. There a a bunch of guys on YouTube that make you look like the guru of muzzleloading.

  Hungry Horse

I am not making any attempt to make better videos than anyone else. I don't need to make the best gun building videos on YouTube. I just work at making the best videos I can do. My thinking has always been that if you are going to do something, make an effort to do it right. Otherwise there is just no point. What makes it fun is that doing the video is just as big of a project as building the gun. And I probably spend just as much time on it.

[Wingshot]

I agree that Bill Raby has the most concise and grounded video builds out there. His motivational skills have moved me from just hoping to tackle a build to actually acquiring the tools and materials to get started soon. There is one guy on You Tube that does fine work but English isn’t his first language. Duelist does a good job but he’s slow to post and there’s a lot of omitted footage imo. I’ll continue to rewatch Bill’s videos as I prepare to dive in.