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Black-powder shotgunning is neither complicated nor cumbersome.  True, you carry the leading components in the rawest form, but that is part of the allure - and versatility.  Look at it this way: Each time you load a muzzleloader you are creating a custom handload.

As with any shotgun, the place to start hunting with a muzzleloader is at a shooting range.  With blackpowder, you can experiment with different powder charges, shot loads and components.

Each time you load the front-stuffer, you are building a shotshell.  Picture this: first, you pour in the powder charge; second, you top it with a wad or wads (or shot cup); and third, add a dose of shot with an overcard to hold it in place.  With the percussion cap (or flint and powder in the pan on flintlocks) primer, you can seeyou have essentially built your own shot, just without the shell