Dear Pierangelo,
It is with a sense of sadnesss and amazement that I read your ignorant comments about the AMERICAN muzzleloading experience.
It befuddles me how a so-called manufacturer could be so uniformed, ignorant, and wrong-headed to state that "inlines use conicals" and traditional rifles use "round balls."
It is this type of absurd statement that shows how out-of-touch your company is with the American marketplace. BOTH sidelocks and inlines use conicals; the conical in the form of the Minie ball (also attributed to WW Greener) was the projectile of choice in the first major armed conflict where aimed small arms fire resulted in the majority of casualties-- the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.
Any person with a very small amount of experience knows that sidelocks and inlines can use saboted projectiles, and do. The very common 1:48 rate of twist in the majority of sidelocks offered today allow both conical and saboted projectile use. Where have you been? If you are unaware, flintlocks and percussion sidelocks have been available with 1:28 twist barrels for many years.
As for the comparison between inline muzzleloaders and "modern high power cartridge rifles," your ignorance of exterior ballistics also defies logic: look at the 10 mph wind drift of a 100 year old cartridge, the .30-06 Springfield, at 200 yards, and try to find ANY muzzleloader remotely in the same league. Of course, the old .30-06 in not the flattest shooting cartridge at all-- just the most common. How can a manufacturer be so irresponsible as to make this comparison?
The "mixing" of inlines and sidelocks in the field has LONG been how the MAJORITY of muzzleloading seasons in these United States ARE. Only Pennsylvania ALONE has a flintlock-only season.
You are completely out of touch with the majority of muzzleloading DNR's, seasons, and hunters in the United States. For an Italian company to dictate the way AMERICAN hunters prefer to hunt is unconscionable.
Your ignorance of our seasons, your ridiculous comparison of "modern high power cartridge rifles" and inline ignition muzzleloaders proves you have no concept of the reality of the way guns perform.
Now, you have me wondering why anyone in their right mind should celebrate a great AMERICAN tradition-- with Italian steel? I have no reason to think anyone should, particularly a company that clearly attacks the VAST majority of American muzzleloading sportsman, and has no understanding of most of our seasons-- like here in Illinois, where a "traditional" season has NEVER existed.
Sincerely,
Randy Wakeman
