I thought I had this problem under control. Hadn't added to the arsenal in over a year. Heck, I even gave up drinking gunpowder tea. After all, I told myself, I was already better equipped than the men at the Alamo or King's Mountain.
But pushers of the demon guns are everywhere, hidden until they pop out with their temptations. First there was the unfired T/C Seneca with both 32 and 45 barrels, still in the original boxes. The asking price about half what they are worth. (A sure sign of the pusher.) Then came the swap meet where 99.9999% of the items were not muzzleloading related. But there it was, carefully placed to catch the addict's eye, a Euroarms Rogers and Spencer 44 C&B in great condition. Again, the price was too good to ignore and the seller even included his favorite accurate load. He said he wanted it to go to someone who would use and appreciate it. I recognized the ploy but was weak that day and it followed me home. I almost sobbed as I wiped it down with with an oily cloth.
I thought that would be the end of the terror for the year but fate had other plans to test my resolve. Just recently the bulletin board in the club's public room listed a Ruger Old Army, one of my many, many weaknesses. Like a fool I called the number 'for information only', or so I told myself. It was the worst possible news. The revolver was in mint or near mint condition, possibly unfired. The deal included the original box, a good holster Ruger used to sell, several hundred round ball and percussion caps. I've seen deals like this go for about $900. He wanted about half that, the fiend! Yes, I failed the test, again. But I'm learning to live with my lack of resolve.
Stay strong, even if I can't. I'll try to cover my shame in the smoke and aroma of black powder.
Jeff