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Ponderin' on the future
- Thread starter fw707
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RangerThacher
40 Cal.
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I'm 26, and started muzzleloading when I was 13 with a repro M1861 Springfield. Put together my first flintlock rifle from a Jim Chambers kit when I was 17.
rabbit03
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2005
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Hey FW707 how is it going up in the Holler?
I am going to be 50 come spring and been shooting the blackpowder since 72. I don't think that muzzloading will die out now that it has gained in popularity. I also think that more and more folks will see the difference in the in-lines and traditional weapons and there will always be those who opt for the traditional way to shoot.
I think we all could do alot to promote the sport, shooting in general, and our rights to gun ownership (not trying to be political Claude) if we will take the time to teach others about what we enjoy about shooting black powder rifles.
All in all I think what we enjoy is here to stay as long as we do our part.
rabbit03
I am going to be 50 come spring and been shooting the blackpowder since 72. I don't think that muzzloading will die out now that it has gained in popularity. I also think that more and more folks will see the difference in the in-lines and traditional weapons and there will always be those who opt for the traditional way to shoot.
I think we all could do alot to promote the sport, shooting in general, and our rights to gun ownership (not trying to be political Claude) if we will take the time to teach others about what we enjoy about shooting black powder rifles.
All in all I think what we enjoy is here to stay as long as we do our part.
rabbit03
arcticap
54 Cal.
I'm 48 and the last few times that I've been to the range shooting powder, other people have stopped to look, chat and sometimes try a shot or three. Most usually come and leave during the time it takes me to set up, shoot and finish.
Some people watch curiously, others have mentioned how they intend to start, and last time, I invited a 19 year old and his wife to come shoot their whole gun collection (including a couple B.P. revolvers), since they hadn't been to a range in a year. The wife shattered a clay bird mounted on the target board with her first ever shot with a BP rifle, and her husband said afterward, "I'm going to have to go out and buy a BP rifle next!" :grin:
Some people watch curiously, others have mentioned how they intend to start, and last time, I invited a 19 year old and his wife to come shoot their whole gun collection (including a couple B.P. revolvers), since they hadn't been to a range in a year. The wife shattered a clay bird mounted on the target board with her first ever shot with a BP rifle, and her husband said afterward, "I'm going to have to go out and buy a BP rifle next!" :grin:
Happy Birthday! I turned 39 last thursday myself. I'm pretty new to M/L myself but around here if your not shooting inlines it's not easy to get the stuff you need. I had to drive about 60 miles just to find black powder for my flintlock. Here in Frankfort I couldn't even find a shooting bag. Thank goodness for the net and this forum or I would be starting rather blind.
bigbore442001
50 Cal.
I believe that there is a future for traditional shooting for a couple of factors.
One is that there are some people who are interested in history and discover that there is a hands-on activity that they can participate in . You can play a role very realistically with traditional muzzleloaders.
Secondly, I see a future where traditional muzzleloaders are used for hunting in crowded areas. I'll highlight Massachusetts as an example. About 30 years ago, the state created a 3 day muzzleloader season. Massachusetts has always been a shotgun only state due to the human population density. At first, muzzleloaders had to be smoothbored like shotguns. Then as time progressed, rifled muzzleloaders were allowed.
Several years ago, the fish and game changed and basically allowed anything except hadnguns for deer, muzzleloader wise.
If you look at the ballistics of some sabotted loads they are in the realm of a modern 45-70 rifle. I suspect that some of the paper pushing dinosaurs haven't realized this but that can change.
Right now, the greater Boston area is growing in human and deer population. You can pretty much get unlimited doe permits in this area but it is hard to find any open land. Anyways, I suspect that in the future due to more growth and development , you may see a mandate to traditional roundball guns due to the safety aspect. Maybe I am all wet on this but I can see it in say 10 years.
One is that there are some people who are interested in history and discover that there is a hands-on activity that they can participate in . You can play a role very realistically with traditional muzzleloaders.
Secondly, I see a future where traditional muzzleloaders are used for hunting in crowded areas. I'll highlight Massachusetts as an example. About 30 years ago, the state created a 3 day muzzleloader season. Massachusetts has always been a shotgun only state due to the human population density. At first, muzzleloaders had to be smoothbored like shotguns. Then as time progressed, rifled muzzleloaders were allowed.
Several years ago, the fish and game changed and basically allowed anything except hadnguns for deer, muzzleloader wise.
If you look at the ballistics of some sabotted loads they are in the realm of a modern 45-70 rifle. I suspect that some of the paper pushing dinosaurs haven't realized this but that can change.
Right now, the greater Boston area is growing in human and deer population. You can pretty much get unlimited doe permits in this area but it is hard to find any open land. Anyways, I suspect that in the future due to more growth and development , you may see a mandate to traditional roundball guns due to the safety aspect. Maybe I am all wet on this but I can see it in say 10 years.
Guest
I am pushing 62. Most of my MLer friends are also over 50, but a few youngsters are coming along. The flintlock crowd has 'always' (since the modern age)been a small crowd. If anything it is growing. I started with percussion guns many years ago myself. There are thousands of reenactors who do 16th through 19th century events that use MLers. Many thousands do Amer Civil War alone and use MLers (perc). Alot of young folks in that crowd. Hunting is a different story and inlines have grown out of proportion because many hunters simply want a longer season and could care less if it is an inline or a slingshot if it will let them hunt longer. Most have no sense of the history and art of the longrifle.
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I am 59 and have been shooting (not necessarily well) for 51 of those years. I see traditional muzzleloaders as a distinct minority within a minority. The vast majority of muzzleloaders seem to shoot inlines simply to expand their hunting season. Nothing wrong with that. Those of us who shoot traditional weapons do so for a variety of reasons - to support a reenacting hobby, because of a sense of history, to be individualistic or for the challenge of it. Nothing wrong there either. Where are things headed? I don't know but I suspect that the anti-gun crowd is outbreeding us and that with it getting harder to find places to shoot that the future for guns in general is not as bright as I would like. Within the traditional muzzleloading community, there seems to be more activity, makers and parts sources now than years ago. than Are traditional muzzleloaders typically an older group? I would expect so as a sense of history and a connection to the past seems likey to grow with age rather than the other way round. I do not know any other flint shooters nearby - the closest large gun store (Greentop - advertised as Virginia's largest) doesn't even stock a longrifle in either flint or percussion. At any rate, its great to have this forum.
I'll be 52 on Thursday and we just got back from a HOT woodswalk/chunk gun shoot campout this past weekend.Got a 5 year old daughter who goes with us too.She shoots her osage self bow.Bring the kids along guys and let's put some future in our love of the past...
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well I'm 51, doin bp since '72, at that point was just to extend the deer season, then started using it during shotgun season, now it's all flinter either a 50 or smoothbore. got introduced to the ml shoots about 10-12 yrs ago. now shoot director at our bp club,help put on woodswalks at the original and the n'eastern. noticed average age and this is guessin was about 50 at the original but at the n'eastern seems like alot of younger people and not just kids,seems quite a few in say, their 30's.. maybe there's hope! can't believe it took me so long to find it, never even knew all this bp stuff was out there, best thing i ever did! RC
Walks Alone
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2005
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Pushing 58 here. Having grown up on a ranch, I started shooting/hunting property vermin at 4-5... but didn't start shooting black on a regular basis until almost 40 years ago. Mostly for big game and upland hunting then, and for the Rocky Mountain Voo's. Then I started getting away from it when I switched to handgun big game hunting and got very heavily into the long range laser guided missle launchers for distant smallish critters around 35 years ago. But as the challenge disappeared the interest in both eventually wained. Finally found my way back to black again just a few years ago and bought a truckload of arms and gear... now all the specialty handguns and rocket launchers are the ones collecting the dust. Only hunt predators and varmints "traditional" now, and only with black. Love the challenge and doubt I'll stray again.
Our local group of freetrappers hold 2-3 day campouts and primitive shoots two weekends a month year-round, and have a nice annual rondy that runs nearly a week. All great people, mostly 50 to late 70's, but the few with kids still at home have also got them into shooting black and participating in the primatives too. They are not a completely PC group except at the Voo though (just the opposite of the RM group from the early 70's). Most are usually in period attire at least and sidelocks only are allowed. They do have separate primative and tin teepee campsites at least, and all group activities are held near the primitive area or around its fire ring.
Our local group of freetrappers hold 2-3 day campouts and primitive shoots two weekends a month year-round, and have a nice annual rondy that runs nearly a week. All great people, mostly 50 to late 70's, but the few with kids still at home have also got them into shooting black and participating in the primatives too. They are not a completely PC group except at the Voo though (just the opposite of the RM group from the early 70's). Most are usually in period attire at least and sidelocks only are allowed. They do have separate primative and tin teepee campsites at least, and all group activities are held near the primitive area or around its fire ring.
rabbit, things are just fine up the holler--just a little hot right now. :grin:
TD, thanks for the birthday wish, I hope you had a goodun' too! :winking: I used to visit a certain office in Frankfort occasionally before I retired---sometimes when my presence was requested, if you know what I mean!
Well, the average age stands at 50 right now. I had no idea when I started this thread that I'd get so many insightful and informational replies. Seems like a lot of us have a whole lot in common on our shooting history!
Thanks again for the replies. I'm really enjoying reading them and I hope y'all are too.
Just keep 'em comin'. :thumbsup:
TD, thanks for the birthday wish, I hope you had a goodun' too! :winking: I used to visit a certain office in Frankfort occasionally before I retired---sometimes when my presence was requested, if you know what I mean!
Well, the average age stands at 50 right now. I had no idea when I started this thread that I'd get so many insightful and informational replies. Seems like a lot of us have a whole lot in common on our shooting history!
Thanks again for the replies. I'm really enjoying reading them and I hope y'all are too.
Just keep 'em comin'. :thumbsup:
hollandbriscoe
36 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2005
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Well i guess that Im the second yourngest around here. Im 33 and I have been shooting BP since I was about 18. I've been shooting all my life though.
Jack
Jack
51 here. been shooting muzzleloaders for around 20 years,flintlock for the past 5 years. if I go out hunting, rabbits, squirrels, pheasant, deer, whatever, I will be toting a flintlock. there are 2 of us around here that shoot flintlocks, a couple that shoot cap lock, and those that shoot cap lock use their inline for hunting, everyone else has inlines. I just don't see much hope in someone around here buying a flintlock or perc. sidelock for hunting. those that have inlines have not got their guns out of the closet from last season yet. seems to me there is more interest in traditional guns in the eastern and southern states. so to answer your question, the future looks pretty glim in this part of Iowa. flinch
I turned 53 last Monday. Been shooting since i was about 10, started shooting black powder when i was about 20. First one was a Colt Baby Dragoon .31 cal. revolver.
Larry Pletcher
50 Cal.
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I'm 60. I got my first BP pistol 40 years ago. I've had some kind of BP gun since then. Now days I spend most my time with flint guns. I like long range muzzle loaders and do paper patch bullets for that gun. My weak link isn't my age. It's free time.
Regards,
Pletch
Regards,
Pletch
I be 70. been building my own guns sence 1968.
The future will take care of it's self if enough of us keep doing missinary work amoung the savages. (the inline & cartridge crowd)
Once they try it they are hooked. Maybe not right away but sooner or later they will wind up with a
real muzzloader.
I allways offer a shot or two from my flinter to anyone at the range. Most people can't beleve how fast a well set up rocklock will go off,a flash a boom the semll of the smoke and we got em!
The future will take care of it's self if enough of us keep doing missinary work amoung the savages. (the inline & cartridge crowd)
Once they try it they are hooked. Maybe not right away but sooner or later they will wind up with a
real muzzloader.
I allways offer a shot or two from my flinter to anyone at the range. Most people can't beleve how fast a well set up rocklock will go off,a flash a boom the semll of the smoke and we got em!
Was born in '72, so thats what... 33 - 34??
I don't really keep track anymore....
As I usually shoot alone and always hunt alone...
I'm not sure around here except to say that I saw no trace of anyone else out during ML seasone up here where I hunt.
The local gun club is doing "Cowboy Action Shoots" , though. I haven't gone to it.
As long as we (civilized people) have time and some extra money to spend... there will always be something like this recurring occasionally.
Just an opinion.....
Legion
I don't really keep track anymore....
As I usually shoot alone and always hunt alone...
I'm not sure around here except to say that I saw no trace of anyone else out during ML seasone up here where I hunt.
The local gun club is doing "Cowboy Action Shoots" , though. I haven't gone to it.
As long as we (civilized people) have time and some extra money to spend... there will always be something like this recurring occasionally.
Just an opinion.....
Legion
Most of the ML shooters I know are in their late 40s. There are a few youngsters, and by that I mean kids not yet old enough to drive. It seems like the bell curve is inverted.... old folks and young folks, with only a few in the 20-30 year old band.
We don't have an ML-only hunting season. We do have a few hunting areas that are ML (or bow) only, but none down here where I live. As a consequence, I don't see anyone shooting in-lines... no advantage to it, so it isn't done. I know at least 3 people (out of 20 or so ML shooters) who hunt deer with their ML, even though there is no advantage to it in terms of season or area on this end of the state... they do it for the challenge.
As for being a minority within a minority, I'll second that. The ML shooting group (about 20 folks) is the whole county! In that same area, there must be three or four cowboy action shooting groups (go figure :grin
, each with a dozen or more shooters.
We don't have an ML-only hunting season. We do have a few hunting areas that are ML (or bow) only, but none down here where I live. As a consequence, I don't see anyone shooting in-lines... no advantage to it, so it isn't done. I know at least 3 people (out of 20 or so ML shooters) who hunt deer with their ML, even though there is no advantage to it in terms of season or area on this end of the state... they do it for the challenge.
As for being a minority within a minority, I'll second that. The ML shooting group (about 20 folks) is the whole county! In that same area, there must be three or four cowboy action shooting groups (go figure :grin
, each with a dozen or more shooters.
