Question For Muzzleloader Hunters

[jeff223]

No flinch rocks for me either..........I would use a cap and ball gun again if I had to,in fact I still have one.Its a 70s vintage CVA Mountain Rifle and i killed alot of deer with those .490 patched round balls

 

[ENCORE50A]

If the law was changed in my state which made a flintlock the only rifle that could be used during the muzzleloading season, I'd most likely give it up, however I wouldn't give up shooting my in-line. Many others in my state would also give it up and I'd bet a 6 pack of cola on that. This in itself would put a money problem for the state's DNR and require more herd control in a different season/s. This state's whitetail hunters who use a muzzleloader throughout ALL firearms seasons in my state is about 24%. That's a considerable amount of muzzleloader hunters, which help along the economy.

 

[ALW]

Yes. I've always wanted a muzzleloader, going back to the first Thompson Center Arms catalogue I ordered from an Outdoor Life ad. I couldn't decide between a Hawken or a Seneca. Closest I ever came was ordering a few T/C embroidered patches for a jacket. After that I always wanted a T/C Scout or White Mountain Hunter. It did take us getting a new separate ML deer season to finally take the plunge, and I couldn't be happier with my CVA Optima V2. I even carried it during the regular firearms season instead of my .308

I really enjoy the whole process of loading and shooting a ML, and in reality it isn't that different between a modern inline shooting loose powder and a traditional sidelock, at least IMO.

 

[jims]

Doubtful.

 

[Smyrnagc]

Thanks for the answers guys.

Good thread Pete! And yes, I would get a traditional and hunt. A god friend of mine makes flintlock rifles from the ground up and they are some of the most unbelievable, beautiful rifles I have ever seen!

 

[hawgslayer]

:d'oh!:
As much as I didn't want to get my flintlock dirty, I would take it out and use it for deer. :yeah:

Ray.......... :wink:

 

[Landngroove]

Yes. In fact I have had this thought for years. It will not happen though. Too much money to be made by Fish and Game, with the way the regulations are now.

 

[Muley Hunter]

I think some of you misunderstood the question.

I'm not talking about it happening now. Inlines are way to popular now. What I was talking about is long before inlines were invented the muzzleloader season was a primitive flintlock season. In other words when you first started to think about hunting with a muzzy. If a flintlock was the only option. Would you use one to get an extra season? I know the die hard traditional hunters would love it, but would the ones who were attracted to an extra season because of the ease of the inline still do it if there were no inlines?

There never would have been inlines if there was no season for them.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I think some of you misunderstood the question.

I'm not talking about it happening now. Inlines are way to popular now. What I was talking about is long before inlines were invented the muzzleloader season was a primitive flintlock season. In other words when you first started to think about hunting with a muzzy. If a flintlock was the only option. Would you use one to get an extra season? I know the die hard traditional hunters would love it, but would the ones who were attracted to an extra season because of the ease of the inline still do it if there were no inlines?

There never would have been inlines if there was no season for them.

With the question better understood or re-worded............ Had it been the only option all along, yes. However I did use a percussion before the state had any designated muzzleloader season, which started here in 1975.

 

[Smyrnagc]

Oh...OK. Answer is still yes. Just something of the Tennessee long rifle in me.

 

[Omega218er]

I think some of you misunderstood the question.

I'm not talking about it happening now. Inlines are way to popular now. What I was talking about is long before inlines were invented the muzzleloader season was a primitive flintlock season. In other words when you first started to think about hunting with a muzzy. If a flintlock was the only option. Would you use one to get an extra season? I know the die hard traditional hunters would love it, but would the ones who were attracted to an extra season because of the ease of the inline still do it if there were no inlines?

There never would have been inlines if there was no season for them.

Based on how this is worded I likely would have. I have inlines now and like them a lot but as some you may know I did buy a percussion .54 cal that eventually will be used for hunting. There are a lot of things I don't do in order!

 

[Squeeze]

Pennsylvania

 

[Muley Hunter]

Pennsylvania

Yes, but didn't they have two ML seasons? I see they allow sabots in the flinters now.

 

[Semisane]

As for me, I think all States should have an iron sighted/round ball only flintlock season that coincides with whatever bow season they have.

Here' are two follow-up questions for the "No" guys. (stevell, GM54-120, TripleSe7en, bestill, jcb, ENCORE50A, jims)

Not trying to be a smart ass or anything, just wondering.

1. Have you ever shot a flintlock?

2. Do you often shoot just for the fun of shooting (plinking/target shooting), or pretty much primarily just for sighting in and taking game?

 

[ENCORE50A]

As for me, I think all States should have an iron sighted/round ball only flintlock season that coincides with whatever bow season they have.

Here' are two follow-up questions for the "No" guys. (stevell, GM54-120, TripleSe7en, bestill, jcb, ENCORE50A, jims)

Not trying to be a smart ass or anything, just wondering.

1. Have you ever shot a flintlock?

2. Do you often shoot just for the fun of shooting (plinking/target shooting), or pretty much primarily just for sighting in and taking game?

#1 Yes, I have shot flintlocks.

#2 Yes, I have shot up to 4,000 rounds some years from muzzleloaders, although I'm now slowing down with age. I've only put around 600 rounds through the Ultimate in the last year. I would shoot every day if possible. Its the most fun you can have that's legal, non-fattening and not immoral.

Short of shooting vermin or keeping proficient with my CCW, the only firearm I shoot or have used for hunting since 1985 is a muzzleloader. With the only exceptions being one year I hunted with a family hand-me-down Marlin 1881 in 40-60 (which I will do again sometime) and one other year the pistol. The pistol was only to harvest a whitetail with all the different legal firearms in my state. I also shoot archery.

 

[bestill]

I have shot a flintlock
I do shoot my inlines alot

 

[Lee 9]

When I started out a Hawken style Flintier and a long bow is what I used. I prefer percussion, but would build a flintier if I needed it for hunting, I just do not prefer them. I would never go back to a wood long bow even though I still own my original, I just do not have the muscle power as I am approaching 80. What I would do is if they pushed that is start a class action foe discrimination against the elderly.

 

[shguns]

Answer: Maybe

My first muzzleloader was a percussion, if flint would have been required I probably would have got one of them first.

 

[Smyrnagc]

When I started out a Hawken style Flintier and a long bow is what I used. I prefer percussion, but would build a flintier if I needed it for hunting, I just do not prefer them. I would never go back to a wood long bow even though I still own my original, I just do not have the muscle power as I am approaching 80. What I would do is if they pushed that is start a class action for discrimination against the elderly.

Now that right there is how our sport has changed in the last 30 years!

 

[GM54-120]

1. Have you ever shot a flintlock?

2. Do you often shoot just for the fun of shooting (plinking/target shooting), or pretty much primarily just for sighting in and taking game?

1) Yes and i dont care for them at all

2) Of course, that is why i have a 11+lb rifle that i never use for hunting. Its lots of fun on the bench and requires very little cleaning when im done shooting.


BTW you will NEVER get the archery crowd in my state to share ANY portion of their season (before or after firearms) with flinters or any ML. It would never ever happen here. Also, ML tags and firearms tags are the same here. You will never get another buck tag here unless you take it with a bow. Conservation Area hunts being the only exception and those are lottery only.