If you could change one thing about muzzleloading...

[Louisk]

I'd like to see more primitive biathlon type events. I see 100-200 people at some of them up here in little old Vermont.

Here's one of the great mistakes of marketing: Selling to yourself. I see it all the time, especially in the tech startup field. "This is what is important to us, so we'll advertise that." What is important to the seller is often not what is important or relevant to the buyer.

I'm 55, with a head of gray hair, and I'm one of the younger people who shows up to the shoots around here. Older people tend towards a more sedentary event. Younger people, especially around here, are much more athletic.

At the biathlons I see plenty of graybeards, but also younger folks who pass me on the trail at a run. Think about the opening scene of Last of the Mohicans. Now imagine the hero running past a three-toed sloth with a matchlock musket; that's me.

There are a lot of people who do triathlons, marathons, Spartan runs, and the like who are outdoorsy and might make a lateral move into muzzleloading + athletics. I know a local guy who does Spartan runs and primitive biathlon and shows up at shoots. We need more like him.

Those of us with "experienced" knee cartilage might have to content ourselves with volunteering at such events, but it could be a source of new blood.

I find the primitive biathlon fascinating. If we ever get to New England on one or our family trips in the winter I'm definitely going to check it out. I wonder what the chances would be of getting something like that going here in Fairbanks. We do have a large group of older folks who are into winter sports who might find the primitive biathlon idea interesting. Maybe even branch out to a dog powered event or something? I wonder if skis were ever used by pre 1864 hunters and trappers.

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I like the idea of a after church shooting matches

Hmmm. Maybe we need the idea of "Church" to make a come-back and muzzleloading will follow.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I like the idea of a after church shooting matches

Hmmm. Maybe we need the idea of "Church" to make a come-back and muzzleloading will follow.

I fail to see any theological connection between the two......

 

[Mike M.]

I'd like to see more primitive biathlon type events. I see 100-200 people at some of them up here in little old Vermont.

There are a lot of people who do triathlons, marathons, Spartan runs, and the like who are outdoorsy and might make a lateral move into muzzleloading + athletics. I know a local guy who does Spartan runs and primitive biathlon and shows up at shoots. We need more like him.

Those of us with "experienced" knee cartilage might have to content ourselves with volunteering at such events, but it could be a source of new blood.

That's not a bad idea. I'd be no good at it, but the old Seneca Run definitely has a place.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I'm pretty sure it states in the rules that we aren't to discuss religion here.

We don't need church to further the sport. We need sportsman. YOUNG sportsman, to replace the old ones that are abundant in the hobby and that will be dying off in the not too distant future. I hate to remind us of that face but if we don't pass on the knowledge and encourage traditional muzzleloading to the youth, I fear this sport will die in the next couple of decades.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I fear this sport will die in the next couple of decades.

Fear, is the mind killer.

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
- Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear

It's a good book and a great movie...I recommend the first version....It's a classic.

 

[Black Hand]

I fear this sport will die in the next couple of decades.

I've been hearing this for the last 20 years.

Rather than fearing, do something about it. Organize a youth day at the range, volunteer, do lectures/presentations...

 

[hawk driver]

Traditional muzzle loaders are dying because of themselves.

I am 48, been shooting sidelocks since 1988 and am always the youngest guy shooting them, no matter where I have lived.

To get the young guys in, you have to peak their interest. The rage now is the tacticool crap. But, lots of them are slowly seeing the ways of a good bolt gun. ML's can be the same way.

Bashing someone cause they shoot a modern ML, or adjustable sights on a sidelock, or dont use rendered bear fat for lube is no way to get them pumped about this hobby.

If someone wants to start with a modern ML, let 'em, hell, encourage them. Get them interested in a modern front stuffer, then introduce them to a more traditional gun.

Nothing turns me off more than some "traditional" guy, giving me a hard time because I have adjustable sights or dont use a spit patch. Caught hell because I had a custom barrel built and put a peep sight on the gun, because I wanted a 100 yard target gun.

I dont want modern ML's discussed here and not saying we should, but dont turn your nose up at some young guy with a modern ML. Get them excited about pouring powder down a barrel, them start taking them back in time.

All I shoot is holy black and PRB's. I dont care for the modern ML's. But, the enemy is us.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I fear this sport will die in the next couple of decades.

I've been hearing this for the last 20 years.

Rather than fearing, do something about it. Organize a youth day at the range, volunteer, do lectures/presentations...

Fear drives sales....So, the more afraid people are,............ :hmm:

 

[Col. Batguano]

Muzzle loaders are something people graduate TO, rather than start with. New shooters want to spend their time shooting, not loading and cleaning. When I was younger I too was that way. Only after I had done just about everything with a firearm that I could, that I got bored with $100 ammo expenses every time I went to the range did I discover that taking just a few well aimed shots could be every bit as pleasurable as doing hot change mag dumps. The young shooters will come around to it. We did. But for starters we need more young shooters, period.

And, it was shortly after I started with ML'ers did I learn that powder- patch- ball was a loading order rather than merely a suggestion!

 

[Captjoel]

It has been said that wisdom comes with old age.

For the most part, I believe that statement.

From my life's experience, when I started taking an interest in the shooting habits of our ancestor's, it was the "old" guys that helped to inspire me.

I found so much support and friendly comradery within this aged group that it really knocked my socks off!

No other form of former hobbies could come close to compare. These folks took me under their wing's like I was family.

It was a learning experience I shall never forget and now the torch has been passed on to me.
Keeping the patient attitude of a good friend and teacher (mentor) is key to passing our sport of muzzleloading onto the next set of youngster's.

Those "youngsters" may be 30-40-50 years old, as it seems it takes some aging before the true BP wisdom comes upon us!

 

[torpedo]

I feel I must chime in here, I returned to ML shooting last year and foolishly bought a inline. However with in months I got a fantastic deal on a TC Hawken 54. Haven't shot my inline since! That being said, I sense a division among traditional MLers. Flinters against cappers, if so, not good.

 

[torpedo]

In Nevada crossbows are NOT included in archery seasons FYI.

 

[torpedo]

God bless Nevada, the whole state is a shooting range.

 

[Redstick Lee]

Traditional muzzle loaders are dying because of themselves.

I am 48, been shooting sidelocks since 1988 and am always the youngest guy shooting them, no matter where I have lived.

To get the young guys in, you have to peak their interest. The rage now is the tacticool crap. But, lots of them are slowly seeing the ways of a good bolt gun. ML's can be the same way.

Bashing someone cause they shoot a modern ML, or adjustable sights on a sidelock, or dont use rendered bear fat for lube is no way to get them pumped about this hobby.

If someone wants to start with a modern ML, let 'em, hell, encourage them. Get them interested in a modern front stuffer, then introduce them to a more traditional gun.

Nothing turns me off more than some "traditional" guy, giving me a hard time because I have adjustable sights or dont use a spit patch. Caught hell because I had a custom barrel built and put a peep sight on the gun, because I wanted a 100 yard target gun.

I dont want modern ML's discussed here and not saying we should, but dont turn your nose up at some young guy with a modern ML. Get them excited about pouring powder down a barrel, them start taking them back in time.

All I shoot is holy black and PRB's. I dont care for the modern ML's. But, the enemy is us.

TRUTH !!!!

today I turned a younger fellow on to flintlocks by setting him up to shoot my rifle and pistol at the range ........said he'd never fired anything BP besides a Colt Navy replica........but after shooting my set, said he was going to have to get a rock-lock or 2

 

[Britsmoothy]

If I could change anything it would be law that every town has a black powder mill :hatsoff:

B.

 

[Ames]

I fear this sport will die in the next couple of decades.

Has not died in the past several centuries, me thinks.

 

[Okie Hog]

What Hawk Driver said.

It don't help when new folks get turned off by opinionated old fossils.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

I like your reply, Brit!

Variety is the spice of life. I like my old matchlocks and they are so "far out" to some modern in-line shooters, that they may actually Appeal to them. So yes, we are all in this together, whatever we shoot. I also like percussion and flint.

The quote below seems pertinent;

"If we don't hang together, we'll all hang separately"...

 

[Grimord]

At our club we allow all types of muzzle loaders to participate in our Black Powder shoots as long as they use lead projectiles. It is quite common for the fellows that shoot the modern muzzle loaders to start making inquires into some type of side lock replica muzzle loader of the old timers in our group (including me) They begin to see how accurate these type of fire arms can be as we usually beat the pants off the modern muzzle loader shooters with their scopes and pelletized loads. We usually get converts after one season, but unfortunately for every convert we get we seem to loose some of the old guard. We are not getting any younger.