The Alberta Black Powder Association promotes black powder shooting in the Province of Alberta.

The Alberta Black Powder Association is a group of individual dedicated to keep the sport of black powder shooting alive in Alberta and across Canada. We currently have members from every area of Alberta, even a few members hail from other provinces. All of us have the same great passion for this sport of black powder shooting. Throughout the Province many clubs and organizations put on rendezvous and events dedicated to our sport and cause. People travel all over our province to shoot and just have a good ol’ time. The ABPA even holds a yearly provincial championship.

Our membership ranges from the young to the young at heart.  Many of our members dress in the clothing of the period.  Some even bring tents and teepees that would have been used at the time.  That is not a necessity however.  All you need to bring is your desire to laugh along and have a good time in spirited competition.

Newcomers are often amazed at the capabilities of a traditional black powder rifle or pistol.  We do some shooting at paper targets, but we always include some fun shooting.  Some popular events are splitting a playing card, tack driving and the candle shoot (shoot the wick of a burning candle to put out the flame without hitting the candle!).  Several of our member ranges also offer a trail walk with steel gongs set up 25 to 100 yards from the trail.

Most rendezvous and events include other traditional competitions, such as throwing knife and tomahawk and archery using a traditional long bow.  There are even competitions like fire making using flint and steel and cannon events.