When I started attending shoots, I had the benefit of sitting at the camp fire with folks like Ron Griffie and Hoppy of H&H Barrel works, an old gun smith named Pat Miller and others. They would argue muzzleloader twist, shape of rifling, whether Alex Henry's, or Harry Pope's rifling could make a target muzzle loader, the best sights, These arguments went on into the wee hours, as long as the beer held out. I sat there in silence, in awe of these people. For the longest time, I had trouble figuring out what they were saying and talking about. Then I realized these gents and their arguments were the best shooting apprenticeship a person could have. They would get so animated and upset with each other at times, I thought sometimes a fight would start. Other times a person would stomp off in anger. And the time, Griffie showed up with a thumbhole stocked percussion target rifle, and the stock was painted metal flake green, just to irk one of the others.
There is indeed a time for hotly spirited discussions and they can be quite educational Through the years at all those camp fires and matches, no one ever called names, although there was always profanity.
To an extent, this forum has become the campfire for newbies to sit, listen and learn. If there are hotly contested issues about some subjects, so be it.
