Please enlighten me

I have a question that has had me scratching my head for so long I've got a bald spot. What is the attraction to inlines???? I'm not trying to be a smartass or anything, this is a serious question but it seems to me that either you want the challenges that shooting a ML has to offer or you don't. If someone doesn't like the smoke the smell, open ignition, the propensity for rust, the primitive sights, round ball ballistics and all the other wonderful things that only a flintlock can give, why not just stick to high powered rifles??

Cody

 

[musketman]

Maybe the attraction is "the best of both worlds"...

It's like having your cake and eating it too...

I, myself, wouldn't even use one as a tire jack handle. But Who am I to say they're not right.

Some people just don't go for the gracefull lines of the traditional muzzleloaders.

I think the flintlocks from long ago should also be classified as works of art.

 

[RJR]

Can't hunt with an atl-atl here in Michigan. They don't consider them a bow, cross bow, muzzleloader, or modern arm. I was told by a DNR officer after joking with him that I was going to use one during bow season that he would write me a ticket if he saw me hunting with it. In-lines are ok but atl-atls aren't. Take care, Rick.

 

[tg]

I've been round and round here and on many other forums on the modern ML thing and I really don't thing that a traditional type shooter can anymore understand why one would use a modern gun that loads from the wrong end anymore than an in-line lover can understand what draws someone like myself to the use of an Early Virginia smoothrifle, there are some things that if need be explained, are pointless in trying to explain.

 

[roundball]

I agree with the primary attraction being tied to the prospect of getting an additional or special week of deer hunting...it's what caught my eye when Knight introduced the MK85 in the 80's.

I bought one and filled a few tags with it the first couple years...and shot the biggest buck of my life with it 165 yards out in a bean field.

But became fascinated with BP the more I read about it, saw a TC Hawken and began going backwards in technology through percussion sidelocks, then patched ball, other calibers, to the present where I shoot / hunt flintlocks year round.

Am going deer hunting again in the morning with a .45cal flintlock...the MK85 & Leupold scope now just lays in it's case

 

[Zonie]

I can think of several reasons. Of course it will PI.. off some but here goes:
1. A lot of people only feel comfortable with their shooting abilities on game if they have a scoped rifle. They will argue with me on that but that's my opnion.

2. A lot of people are into the "high velocity" mind frame and want something they can load up with 150 grains of powder so they can get the "knock down power way out there".

3. A lot of people think Black Powder is weak. They don't understand that when a .50 cal ball hits the game it is already larger than most modern bullets will expand to and it's shock is as much as or more than some of the cartridge guns. They seemed suprised to learn that a hunting load with a round ball will top out over 2000 FPS. (My 55 Grain target loads push around 1600 FPS with a 170 grain round ball).

4. Add # 1 and 2 together and you get what I call the meat hunter. He/she wants to be able to bring home the meat even if it is a 200 yard shot. They are not into history, tradition or the stalk.

5. Then you get most of them. They want to hunt 2 times a year. Some add archery so they can hunt 3 times a year. If you added a Pistol season they would be there with their .44 mag handgun too. (By the way, the old RB gun has more energy at 50 yards than the much touted .44 mag at 15 feet).

At least that is my opnion.

 

[musketman]

The attraction to inlines could lay within the accessories, there are more new-fangled trinkets and gizmos and gaggets involved.

The in-line shooters are mezmerized by what I call, "the red herring effect". The big catalog companies dangle these high-tech wonders about like bobbles and windchimes.

They are nothing more than a cartridge rifle, without the empty brass case to eject.

Plastic stock history: the M-16...

Future quote from Linus as an adult: "Gee Charlie Brown, do they still make muzzleloader stocks out of wood?"

In-lines can be found in the non-smoking section of your local gun shop.

I know, I'm babbling like a brook, it's a shame there's no trout in it.

 

[weasel]

I wonder the same I also wonder if they ever heard of NMLRA or even if they know what it stands for most of the traditional shooters that I talk to that went the inline way had hang or missfires is why they went inline, thats why its called huntin not shootin. the real good point about them is look at all the recycled pepsi bottles the stocks are made of that aint clogging a land fill
weasel

 

I think the main appeal of in-lines is to modern hunters who have an opportunity to etend the hunting season or take advantage of separate muzzle-loading seasons to get a better crack at that trophy buck or somehting like that.

Personally, I agree with Musketman - the early flintlocks were works of art. The Pennsylvania Rifle is an original American artform. I would sooner buy an atl-atl than an in-line, but everybody is different.