Is traditional ML on the upswing?

[Vaino]

Seeing "inlines" have been mentioned numerous times, are we blaming them for the declining interest in traditional MLing? If we are, then we're just exhibiting personal biases that might satisfy our distaste for them, but does little else. We can't "force" people to like what we hold dear and if it's difficult to recruit "newbies" in these modern times, it's quite useless to offer all sorts of "carrots" to people that aren't interested. Appealing pastimes and hobbies have to start w/ the individual's motivation and trying to get some one interested might show short term results but more often than not, the interest "just fades away". After all, the modern culture fosters very short attention spans attested to by many youngsters and this "trait" will for many, accompany them through their lifetime. Declining interest in traditional MLing is just one of many symptoms of deeper problems plaguing these modern times....Doggone...hijacked myself agin...Fred

 

[nkbj]

In other words, the cattle are in Hollywood's chute getting their brains dipped?
Yeah, maybe so. In a decade or so maybe reenactors will parade around with jezails.

No way!
Cattle can actually fight back. Could it be my brother that yer maybe referin ta sheep? :haha:

I keep hoping they will get together and push down a fence but you may be right.

 

[killer]

Well guys im not that old 38. I have been shooting flinters since i was 16. I have just got back into shooting at rendezvous again after a 10 year absence to have kids and start the family. Now my 12 year old is shooting with me and took the michigan territorials this year. my daughter is 11 and won the sub junior title. there wasnt that much competition but they really enjoy shooting. I was surprised how much the sport has shrunk in the last ten years, but if we all introduce new and younger people to the sport there is still hope. I also shoot inlines for hunting season, but its more like a tool not like my sidelocks. I enjoy all blackpowder shooting..

 

[John Wasmuth]

Not trying to be offensive or anything, but why dont you shoot traditional side locks instead of inlines during hunting season?

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Actually I can say that at two of the three clubs that my son and I belong to the black powder shooting has increased. In fact those clubs just chartered and / or re-chartered with the NMLRA!

The north Jersey club is about 1.5 hours drive for my son and I to get there. They have seen an increase in members and all they do is black powder shooting, which is loosely based upon a club schedule that includes an annual Rondy. Some but not all of the members show up at events in period dress.

The centrally located Jersey club (Old Bridge Rifle & Pistol Club) is one of the largest and nicest clubs in the state. We saw an increase of approx. 130 members in just one year (2009), which was more than a 25% upsurge. Some of these new club members come out to the club's monthly black powder league matches where loaner equipment is supplied in an effort to get new folks "hooked" on getting their noses a little soiled. We supply hand guns and rifles as well as everything that's needed to make them shoot. Our kindness is returned several-fold more often than not. And the league is continuing to grow!

So maybe it's just a Jersey thing, but we're looking forward to a fantastic 2010!

Dave

 

[killer]

Not trying to be offensive or anything, but why dont you shoot traditional side locks instead of inlines during hunting season?

no offense taken. I do use the side locks sometimes. but whenim hunting some of my field stands i feel more comfortable takeing 100 plus yard shots more humainly with my encore. every gun has its use. I would love to get a smoothbore for my small game hunting but its not in the budget for a while.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Dave K, I love to compete, but too many people get frustrated by just paying match fees after a bit. There was a guy I met years ago who was one of the better shooters in the country. When he showed up at a match, people would pack up and leave, figuring if Mike was there, he would take home fully a third of the prizes. and he often did. I saw folks intentionally cross fire onto his target. I personally had nothing against the guy. I watched him like a stalker. Paid attention to every little thing he did. When i started mimicking his routines and practicing more, my scores jumped. and I did start winning a few prizes. I was never a great target shooter, but I got to be good. I went back to actually lifting weights with my left arm so i could hold the rifle steadier.

Being competitive is not bad. In winning more converts to the sport however, it can seem an impossible goal to get that proficient.

 

[Shine]

Our club is holding steady on membership Our rondy is open to the public. We do demos all the time. We also put on a big gun show every feb. That is our big money maker. We allow the boy scouts and other reanactment groups to use our 80 acre site. And we give away a custom gun at every vous.Our club works hard and we have a very, very,large treasury to show for it. It allows us to do some neat stuff and we don't have to depend on dues. This weekend we are competing in the national tobbogan race in camden maine. We show up in primitive gear with primitive sleds made by one of the guys in the club. last year we almost won, there are 200 or so teams. It is quite a sight to see 4 guys wearing breechclouts, screaming down a 400 ft chute at 50 mph, on a plank. It pays to advertise. :grin:

 

[nkbj]

Well, whether the depression turns out to be inflationary or deflationary (or in that sequence) I can't help but wonder if it won't return people to more traditional values and low cost entertainment.
In-lines may be a lot of things but they don't appear to be low cost.
I'll vote for an upswing in interest.

 

[smo]

Is traditional muzzleloading on the up swing? I think it is holding its own. I shoot at range owned by the county,I belong to a muzzleloading club we shoot once a month. We always have people who show intrest in blackpowder shooting & ask questions at every shoot.We let them fire our guns if they want.We have picked up a couple of new shooters this way.As far as inlines on the way out. I think the reason for the decline in intrest in inlines is that alot of states now have either sex rifle hunts for center fire rifles ,so there is no need to buy another rifle just to make meat now.Along with people getting bored with shooting them since it is more like shooting a center fire rather than a traditional rifle.Are GM drop in barrels as good as gold ? I think they always have been, But now the price may go up for a good barrel since they aren't making anymore of them.

 

[smo]

Our club is holding steady on membership Our rondy is open to the public. We do demos all the time. We also put on a big gun show every feb. That is our big money maker. We allow the boy scouts and other reanactment groups to use our 80 acre site. And we give away a custom gun at every vous.Our club works hard and we have a very, very,large treasury to show for it. It allows us to do some neat stuff and we don't have to depend on dues. This weekend we are competing in the national tobbogan race in camden maine. We show up in primitive gear with primitive sleds made by one of the guys in the club. last year we almost won, there are 200 or so teams. It is quite a sight to see 4 guys wearing breechclouts, screaming down a 400 ft chute at 50 mph, on a plank. It pays to advertise. :grin:

Shine, it sounds like you guys have your stuff together. :thumbsup: I think more clubs should try to do more than just hold a monthly shoot or a yearly rondy.This could only help our sport. :hatsoff:

 

[SimonKenton]

This reminds me of compound bows. I shoot stick and string and we have to practice ALL YEAR. A twerp with a compound can spend a month learning to line up his fiber optic sights and launch his super light super fast knitting needle "arrows" off his Buck Rogers "arrow rest". Then all he does is spend a couple of weekends at a range to get zeroed in.

THOSE clowns took over the bow seasons WE worked like dogs to get. They took our 5-8% success rates up to 22% and higher. Then the money got in. Watch ANY hunting show. It's ALL high priced compound and mechanical broadhead ALL THE TIME.

The techno-creeps will eventually kill both archery AND muzzleloading when the public can't recognize either as the simple demanding pursuits which they WERE and demand SHORTER seasons.

-Ray

 

[John Wasmuth]

Sept for Ted Nugents "Spirit of the Wild". He uses his signature fixed blades 99% of the time. About the only one that uses a fixed blade I think.

 

[Celt5494]

I think you have some great ideas. Each rezndevous here there are always Boyscouts showing up and they are quickly ushered out to the range and are taught how to use the flinters and get the chance to throw some lead downrange. The adults with them do the same. These classes if you will are taught by volunters in period dress that also give a bit of a history lesson including tomahawk throwing and traditional firemaking etc.
On my part I have my own lad (9) shooting his own flinter. He keeps up with the adults on the trail shoots. He wanted to learn to shoot so he learned by way of the flintlock and needs minimal supervision in safety, loading, firing and care of it. He also does this in period dress (1750-70),knows about our history and struggles of this wonderful nation that became so on a hope and a dream.
While things may be on the decline I do however hold out hope that these youngins will take over and learn this craft well to preserve not only something the masses know little of but also preserving the ideals where we as a nation came from...

 

[nkbj]

A scouts article.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/14explorers.html?_r=3&hp

 

[Shine]

I don't think these kids are going to grow up to mug little old ladies. Check out the weapon dicipline. Trigger fingers and muzzle awareness. God I love america :thumbsup:

 

[dlpowell]

I shoot at a public range for years and have never had another traditional shooter show up. Always inlines or cartridge shooters.

But I'll tell ya. When that flinter goes boom and you hit your mark 50 yards plus. It gets peoples attention.

I always take time to talk about traditional shootin every time someone comes over to the bench.

All we can do is be good ambassadors for our sport every time we get a chance.

You know, there's a lot more of us out there than we know of. They just don't know about the forum.

I saw an add on craigs list,a feller was lookin for a tiger stripe stock for a TC Hawkin. I sent him here instead of TOW or somewhere else.

If any of you guys cruise craigs list, just post an add with a link to the forum.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Don't mess with the Scouts!

Interesting article, indeed.

Dave

 

[Walks with fire]

Couldn't have said it better Simon.

 

[Toomuch_36]

Don't mess with the Scouts!

Interesting article, indeed.

Dave

I noticed the article origionated with the "New York Times", this explains a lot.

Toomuch
.......
Shoot Flint