Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders traditional vs inline

Why do we prefer traditional to the inlines. Here are some of my reasons, I�m an older feller and when I got into M/L there were no inlines. I like to shoot a lot and assuming PRB or home cast conicals I can shoot a lot without breaking the bank. Using rear peep set up as ghost ring I feel pretty confident up to 100yd when my T/C Hawken is shooting right , at the moment there issues with that but I save for another post. I once had a bad experience which caused me to switch to non traditional powder. First M/L hunt 25 or so years ago just got on the farm and saw a big doe on the hill above me shot at it and watched doe run away. Quickly reloaded 70gr ffg and maxi ball. Went to make sure I had missed. Got back in truck and drove to other side of farm. Started to walk up a hill and upon looking behind me I saw a beded deer on hill behind me in a ravine after stalking to 100yds I took a rest of f a small tree and took the shot, deer rolled over and appeared to be dead so I didn�t bother reloading. As I stood watching the deer recovered and stood up but didn�t seam to realize what had happened. Now I needed to load fast I was partly screened by the tree dumped the speed loader down barrel and tried ramming the m-ball down it stuck because of the powder fowling from last 2 shots the deer stood there looking around for the sound I was making trying to get the maxie down. I took many loud thumps of the ramrod but some how the deer failed to spot me my good luck changed as I slipped the cap on. The deer bolted and ran to the top of the bank, fortunately for me it stopped and looked back, bang flop, the first shot had grazed the spine. Obviously I hadn�t taken time to swab between shots because of the need to load fast. Thus my reason for going to something other than black powder for hunting. Now I use 777 for all hunting. One of my buddy�s uses scoped inline with maxi hunter bullet so he can also shoot fairly cheap but I have noticed I can shoot groups at least as tight as his at least to 100yds, using my sight set up. In open farm country shooting hill to hill the 200yd + of the inlines would be a great advantage when using the powerbelt or sabot set up but I still greatly prefer my side hammer and open sights. My sons insist on black powder only and for my younger son flintlock so there more old-fashioned then ole dad.

I prefer the traditional muzzle loader as well. The looks and feel of the "old" type rifle is part of what attracted me to hunting with a muzzle loader in the first place. My T-C has done just fine for me afield.

Really though, I've nothing against those who use the modern in-line rifles, they're just not for me.

Guy

It ain't just my Sharps that rings my bells!!!

I kinda split the difference. Being an Olde Pharte, I can't see the sights good enough in low light to be fair to the deer. I do have a couple of open sighted sidelocks, but my go to rifles have offset mounts and scopes. (they are sidelocks too) Most of the inlines have a faster twist and shallower rifling for sabots, and most sidelocks have a 1:48 or slower. Of course, barrels are available for whatever you need. Actually, with a good set trigger, and stiffer barrel, I think my sidelocks are capable of at least as good of accuracy as an inline. My rifle that gets the most use is a left hand Cabela's Sporterized Hawken, .50, with a 4x Nikon. I use a 240gr. XTP over 100gr. 777. Great success with that combo out to 150yds, so far. Don't need many second shots, and I shoot a lot of deer - usually 10 - 12 a year.

I like both...Modern is easier to clean and more accurate at long distance....Traditional is...well...traditional.

I've got a flintlock Pennsylvania Long Rifle and two percussion cap Hawken rifles... all are .50 caliber with double-set triggers. I use the same 177 grain Hornady swagged, round, patched ball in all of 'em and accuracy is very good in all of 'em as well.

Of the two older CVA caplocks, one is a standard Hawken (28" barrel, 1:48, 7� lbs), the other is a Hawken CARBINE (6� lbs, 39" long overall) with a 26" barrel which is my primary HUNTING rifle. It carries handily in the woods and with it's relatively light weight, it is a pleasant little rifle with which to hunt all day long.

Maybe I'm being naive, but I don't feel at any great disadvantage hunting with either of my CVA Hawken cap-locks compared to any in-line.

Yes, with the flinter, there are some "issues" vs. an in-line, but even with the Long Rifle, anything within 80-90 yards is "freezer venison" as far as I'm concerned IF I do my "job"... plus the FACT that most deer in Ohio are shot at less than 60 yards, so where's the "big disadvantage"?!?

I use "real" black powder (FFFg Swiss) because I love the aroma and it just seems "right" to use REAL black powder together with a round, patched ball.

I believe they should have a "Special Season" for flintlocks ONLY in mid-to-late October when the woods is showing its beautiful colors and the weather is truly fine for a man to be in the woods.

Jus' my 2�...


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

I agree with Ron. I have never even had an itch for an in-line.
I consider them to be plastic zip guns. The only reason for them to be called a muzzleloader is because they do load from the muzzle. They are as close to center fore single shot as you can get without a primed brass case. And I think; IMHO, that a muzzleloader season should be for traditional muzzleloaders and not "zip guns". Problem is the industry is pushing them so I don't think that will ever happen. Maybe I'm just a n old crank; but I think longbows and recurves are bows and compounds are "devices". Like putting a motor on ice skates.

Qtip
Soli Deo Gloria!

I have both and switch off, but prefer the traditional.

Don't feel bad 270.Years ago when just starting ML hunting I was hunting elk. It was late in the week and I had gotten up early for quite a few days and was feeling the drowsiness. I was set up on the top of a small ravine and I had halfway dosed off as I was sitting aginst a tree. I heard some foot steps behind me and thought it was my brother. I half way turned around to ask if he had seen anything and there was a 6x bull elk, not 5 feet from me with it's head down looking at me.

My ML was leaning against the next tree.Forgettting about moving slow, I grabbed it and the elk wheeled and took a few steps. First I forgot to cock it and almost pulled the triiger guard off trying to fire it. After finally getting it cocked,I swung on the elk which was leisurely walking broadside to me, at about 15 feet and let the hammer drop.Problem was,there was about a 6 " pine tree, not 3 ft from the front of my barrel, which I hit dead center.Smoke and tree bark was flying eveywhere, and once it cleared, the damn elk was standing there about 30 ft away looking at all the commotion. I drop a powder charge down the barrel,seated a maxi-ball at the muzzle and tried to ram it home.It stuck halfway down the barrel and the wooden ram rod snapped in two.

The elk walked off down over the hill and I heard a shot not 2 minutes later. My brother saw it coming, and instead of just shooting it, he tried to use the set triger and fired one off straight up in the air. He later told me the elk just walked off agiain.Not once did the elk actually run.

It must have had a good laugh that night, I know we sure did.
Later that year, my dentist wanted to go elk hunting with a rifle. I put an X on the map and told him what tree to sit at. Darn if that bull did not walk up close to him and he shot it.

Honest to God a true story.

I don't find my traditional rifles difficult to clean. I fail to see why an inline would be any easier. I also fail to see what would make an inline more accurate at longer ranges. Maybe I'm missin' something. That said, I say whatever floats yer boat is okay. Personally, I like the feel and fit, as well as what I perceive to be a better design for offhand shooting, of a traditional rifle. Now, to be fair, I do have a scope on my sidelock, and am no particular stickler for "traditional" in an historically accurate sense.

Traditional only...cuz...I'm traditional! I've used flntlocks only for so long sometimes I don't remember using cap locks. Real black powder only in my rifles cuz most fakes won't ignite in a flinter unless you lead with a small charge of black and that isn't worth the effort. I want my powder made of charcoal, sulphur and saltpetre. I haven't taken a head of game with smokeless powder in over 18 years...maybe longer. I do confess to using one of my BPC rifles during regular rifle season...but how can you not use a Sharps, Ballard or vintage double rifle?

I agree with Qtip that there should be a season for traditional, side lock, open sighted rifles restricted to PRB and that a compound is a "cam actuated arrow launching device", not a bow.

You don't even have to clean a modern muzzleloader. You can use BH209 or just remove the breech plug and remove the charge at the end of the day or season. Sub-1" groups @ 100 yards are the norm for modern muzzleloaders.

I don't believe there should be any separate seasons for anything. There should just be hunting season, and let everyone hunt with whatever they want to hunt with.

I agree that there should be a separate season for primitive arms only. The modern inlines are ok, as are the guys who use them, but for pete's sake they aren't traditional by any stretch of the imagination and should be relegated to the regular firearms season. There. Rant over.

I like em both

I don't believe that bottom one qualifies for traditional. Something to do with the synthetic and stainless steel to say nothing of the sights. Side lock, yes. Traditional, no.

This would be traditional...



or this..

Beautiful rifle, Sharps.

250 years later they're called works of art. Do you suppose a plastic and stainless steel inline will be considered in the same light 250 years from now. I think not.

I have both, have hunted with both, and enjoy shooting both. They all have their place. My eyes aren't as good with iron sights as they used to be, so my acoped T/C Omega comes in handy for hunting. For just a fun day at the range, I prefer my Renegade flintlock and a patched round ball. If someone wants to get into muzzleloading and they want an inline, I'm all for it.

As many of you know , some of the first muzzle loading rifles I ever built were converted center fires and thus inline ignitions .
That being said . I have never owned a modern mass produced inline muzzle loading rifle . Nor do I ever plan to . They simply are not for me .

Myself the problem I have with modern muzzle loading , isn�t the rifles . it�s the push for acceptance .
On one hand you have those who on the forums spout how much more accurate the modern rifles are when compared to traditional . Which IMO is a line of BS but what ever floats your boat .
BUT then in the very next breath when confronted with restriction based of this so called higher accuracy . Those very same folks will stand in front of a commission and adamantly proclaim those same modern rifles to be no more accurate
Simply put , it cannot be both ways .
I also think there should be strict separations of season . Not just for the sake of the sport . But also for the safety of those participating as well as management needs .
I find ironic is that all to often seasons established as short range only ,allow modern un restricted modern muzzle loading . Yet at the same time disallow center fire of all calibers .
Case in point . Here locally we have a short range only hunt on the islands of the snake river . Its short range because of surrounding development .
The hunt is defined as bow , shotgun or muzzleloader . But because its NOT defined as a muzzleloader hunt , muzzleloader restrictions do not apply .
So a hunter can use a a muzzleloader or muzzle loading rifle design , shooting jacketed bullets of larger caliber then say a 30.30 . Yet be shooting at velocities = or greater then a 30.30 .
Yet a 30.30 , even in a single shot model , is disallowed because its not considered a short range weapon . .

Now if we had state wide traditional only hunts , would I participate. You bet I would .
But under the current system , the best opportunity is still in the general any weapons season . Thus that�s where I hunt with my flintlock . Sometimes its alittle scary out there.
But the whole state is open

captchee
It's even worse in CO. Muzzle loader season runs concurrently with archey season.If you are throwing sticks,you don't need hunter orange, yet in the same time period if you are a muzzle loader hunter,you have to wear hunter orange.Archers complain that the ML hunters spook thier elk but refuse to wear hunter orange for thier own safety

Well in MY EYS it is traditional, one quick look in my safe and you will not find blued steel or wooden stocks so with that thought to me yes it is traditional..
Now as to others, your right it would not be considered traditional.
I put in for a special draw hunt in KY every year for deer and one of the requirements for a "traditional hunt" is exactly what I have.
They require = no glass of any kind (no scope, no bino's)
They require gun to be Flintlock, Sidelock no inlines.
No electronics
Well anyway, with this gun I am elegible....so in their eyes it would qualify as a traditional hunting rifle.

Between your gun and my gun I agree yours is more traditional.