What was asked and said was:
Hello Folks,
I'm sure everyone is up to their ears in alligators, but I've not hear a peep or a squeak at to the current Virginia ML regulations. Bruce Clevenger and I spoke by phone, and he seems a tiny bit frustrated at the lack of response. Julia and I spoke last week, and she promised a response in short order-- but that has not been forthcoming.
I do my best to attempt to stay informed as to current muzzleloading regulations as a gunwriter focusing on the promotion of muzzleloading in general, but I'm deficient in knowing what is going on in all states all the time.
As best I can determine, the Comm. of VA regulations as written say "50 grains of BP or equivalent" as a "minimum" charge. I have no way of knowing whether by actual weight or by volumetric measure is the standard.
Invariably, a minimum charge requirement is there to ensure ethical harvesting of game-- as there is no maximum. Right now, one gun company (Ultimate Firearms) promotes their black-powder gun as using 250 grains of Pyrodex pellets and 2900 fps velocities. Is this gun legal in VA?
West Virginia's "New Ultra Light Arms" and Savage Arms allow no such velocities-- their firearms, built to a higher standard than most, are only allowed to be used with traditional inline velocities.
Today's newer, high energy propellants (Triple 7, Aarco Black Mag3, American Pioneer,) all have no correlation to organic blackpowder in brisiance, burn rate, chemistry, and in the case of the pellets-- naturally, they are solid fuel components-- not "powder" at all. Are these now considered BP equivalents?
What I am hearing is that considerate New Ultra Light Arms and Savage 10ML-II Virginia hunters to not want to use corrosive, toxic propellants that reduce visibility resulting in lost game-- but rather the older, more proven black powder equivalents such as Accurate Arms 5744 that were designed as blackpowder substitutes decades ago, and have been long used as just that in Cowboy Action Shooting and in dedicated "load from there muzzle only" arms such as the Savage 10ML for over the last six years.
All they want to do is follow your written regulations, but seek official clarification as to what those regulations really are.
Best regards,
Randy