Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Why Do You Muzzleload?

Hmmmmmmmmm...

It seems as if we have a fine gathering of "poets" in this forum.

Your words and deeds... and your love of a quiet woods and traditional muzzle-loading rifles sparks a great desire in the hearts of those of us who have read your words.

There's a true kinship in the kindred spirit shared by us all who truly love the aroma of black powder smoke and the feel of the thrust of a good ramrod as it seats a round, patched ball down on black powder.

I thank each of you fine gentlemen for your vivid descriptions of those things we all hold so dear and covet so much...


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

I hunt with traditional caplock rifles, mostly in .54 caliber for deer. I also use black powder and patched round balls. I'm not interested in an inline muzzleloader of any sort. That is just my personal preference. I really enjoy using the type of equipment I've chosen.

I think it can be summed up very simply: Traditional shooters wax poetic as they lovingly caress their muzzle loaders. Have you ever seen a guy act like that with a plastic and stainless steel inline? They are cold, efficient tools- no more no less, and evoke nothing in regards to our heritage.

(That probably also explains why I like pre-war Savage 99's and Mauser sporters over plastic and stainless modern whiz-bangs, L.C.Smith doubles over plastic stocked autoloaders, and pre-war Colt revolvers over Glocks and SIGs. One of a dying breed I suppose.)

Josh -

Here in Oregon, we are only allowed one buck tag per hunter per year, so the choice of rifle / ML / bow is mutually exclusive of the others. ML is by drawing only, only a few units issue ML tags. I can get a ML deer tag about every 3rd year, otherwise I hunt the regular rifle season.

I shoot a sidelock, a TC .58 Renegade from their custom shop.

We can shoot our ML in regular rifle season if we wish. Oregon's regs for ML-only seasons remove any advantage an inline has over a side-lock. No optics, no 209 primers, no powder pellets, no sabots, etc. Those are allowed on MLs used during regular rifle season, however.

I hunt with a ML mostly for the later season. Growing up I was not near a unit that had late tags. This late ML season allows me to hunt in the snow, something I could never legally do. I really like it ... tracks in the snow and all that jazz. I also like the "vibe" of the sidelocks ... exposed hammers, etc. The particular area I focus on is hunted very little. Its pretty inhospitable in the snow ... you could die up there pretty easy. I like the elbow room.

Tom

'Cause it's hard to breech load a flint lock rifle. Probably answers the last question I guess.

There was a poll done awhile back, disremember who did it, but the result was that 92.4% of people using inlines were too busy to invest the time it takes to be effective with a rock lock....might have been 94.2% now that I think about it, not real sure now.

Yes mine was a Kentucky CVA 45 cal ,Then a 50,an 54 CVA hawksen.Then about 20 or so thompsons an CVA then a pennyslavana I like that long one Then a few more thompsons the latest a 58 cal can't wait to shoot her

Colorado Cow tags $350. That's why

I've dabbled with TC Hawken replicas a couple of times, but never have seriously tried to bag anything with one. I know where there is a reasonably priced .54 cal Lyman Great Plains rifle, which is a fairly authentic copy of the Hawken style rifles.

Getting one of them to shoot is a bit of a challenge, a bit of craft involved, so that's fun. I do like the idea of trying to bust a wild turkey with one; one of my cousins did so years ago and had relatively little meat lost. Come to think of it - spring turkey season is coming up...

And edit to add - the Hawken to me is a symbolic tool of the mountain men who first settled the West, and the mystique of their lives is still interesting. They endured great hardships, and saw much unspoiled beauty as well.

Why? . . . Cuz.

I have shot only traditional sidelock MLs (cap and flint) since I started shooting MLs. Nothing specifically against the new synthetic in-lines, I just like the trads. I prefered recurves and longbows to wheel bows when I was doing archery, too. I wasn't lured to muzzleloaders because of extended hunting seasons, but by the history and "mystique" of shooting the older style rifles. Plus, there is nothing like the smell of spent black powder along with my coffee in the morning.

And they're nicer to look at than something with plastic.

So, what is a pre-'64 Winchester model 70 passed down from your grandfather?

A "cold, efficient tool- no more no less, (that) evoke(s) nothing in regards to our heritage?

Nah, for me it's because I'm too busy to invest the time it takes to be effective with a longbow, now there's a man's weapon.

'cause elk in December is just right

I enjoy the history, tradition, and challenge. When I started (1982) we didn't have a special season. The muzzle-loading rifle was just another option to use during the general season. There wasn't much information available at the time. I learned what I could from the Lyman black powder book and Walter Cline's book "The Muzzle-loading Rifle".

My attraction to it has always leaned towards the history of the Rocky Mountain fur trade and the Hawkins style rifles. I shoot 50 caliber rifles loaded with Goex black powder and patched round ball. I have a CVA mountain rifle and a Lyman Great Plains Rifle. I shoot in monthly club matches and I still enjoy killing a deer with the muzzle-loader.

I have zero interest in non-traditional muzzle-loaders. I have no interest in extending my deer hunting season, it's lengthy enough here. I wouldn't consider giving up my modern scoped center-fire rifles either.

The traditional muzzle-loading rifles add an interesting aspect and a different style to my hunting season. It's just fun!

Huh? I don't remember pre-64 M70's being made in plastic and stainless steel. (Or am I missing something?) Apples and oranges I fear. (By the way I do hold old 70's in high nostalgic regard, in the world of bolt guns. But that's not the topic of discussion here.) (Gramps never owned a rifle except a Savage .22 Model 6, and a Winchester 67. Both used for putting injured animals out of their misery. He was quite the pacifist.)

i was brought up shooting black powder pistols and rifles from early age and just always loved it.So for the awnser maybe it is my blood sorta like diesel for driving truck for long time


I would say it is sorta like handloading is to the rifleman you can find the accuracy for the rifle.Just the same as we do with bp guns you work up loads and not to mention who don't get excited when you see the flame and smoke even people that don't care for guns are impressed when the see the bp go off at night

Mesabi...nice toys, congrats! I especially like that Ohio Vincent looking rifle. Just had a conversation about that very rifle with another board member.

The top rifle....gotta be English or a copy thereof, no? Nice piece!

Vic

Well, that's a damn good answer. I like traditional rifles too, and walnut/blued in centerfires. But when I go hunting I'll usually reach for the best tool for the job. For me it's an in-line because I pack in a few miles on foot and weight matters. With centerfires it's normally a synthetic (not plastic) stock for the same reason.

I use a muzzleloader to hunt the early seasons. In Colorado, that means September, during the elk rut. There's no better time to be in the mountains.

A hunter walks into a bar . Sets down so he can see his truck through the window .
Sitting behind him to fella�s are talking politics
Finally he gets pissed and turns are ; why don�t you liberals just go pound sand !

One of them replies ; we aren�t liberals we are progressives .! To which the hunter replies , potato , patotoooo.

The other liberal then say . Say isn�t that a plastic stock on your rifle right there in your truck
The hunter turns and say :NO!! its synthetic . To which the liberal says potato- patatooooo .

sorry smokepole , i just couldnt pass up the chance lol