Just signed up, and read through the rules list. Most of them are common sense and self-explanatory, but there are a few that I have questions about, mainly so I don't get in trouble with the moderators.
My understanding of the term Muzzle Loader means a weapon based upon antique firearms, pre-1865, where you have to push a powder charge, wad, and bullet down the barrel, then load a primer or cap that can be ignited by the hammer.
What exactly constitutes an "in-line"? I have two Tradition buckstalkers that are break-barrel with 209 breech-loaders, are these, or are they NOT... muzzle loaders? I have to muscle a charge, wad and ball down the muzzle to load it, what is changed that makes such a thing "not a muzzle loader"?
I also noted that civil war era revolvers (such as my CVA 1858 Army) are not considered actual muzzle loaders, but are permitted to be discussed. I presume this is because most of them have a built-in ramrod under the barrel that loads each chamber of the cylinder. My response would be that, theoretically, you can still muzzle load each chamber, even though that would seem to be defeating the purpose of the built-in ramrod, wouldn't it? If you so wished, you could shove a charge, wad, and bullet down the barrel with a separate ramrod, then rotate the cylinder so that you can access the next empty chamber, right?
I note that discussion of making explosive devices is prohibited, as is manufacture of black powder. Does this include the discussion of molding your own bullets, fabricating or reloading your own percussion caps to overcome the current and chronic shortage of available caps like #10 or #11 caps in the marketplace?
Again, these are just honest questions, so the moderators won't see a necessity to take me out to the woodshed for crossing into a topic that I wasn't aware was forbidden.
Final question: is discussion and advice about building your own muzzle loader (whether from a kit or from scratch) a permitted topic?
Thanks guys, with an apology in advance if I ruffled any feathers with these questions...
-Danny