Why are or aren't you an NMLRA member?

[meanmike8665]

I am glad you have kids showing up and thanks for what you do for the sport.

Michael

 

[Adui]

Speaking of "nothing but old guys," if you mention "muzzle loader" to the younger guys nowadays, they automatically think you are talking about the unmentionables.

That would be because very few gun shops carry any kind of Muzzleloaders. The cost of an entry level traditional ML is higher, and when you do see any ML in a store its usually one of the unmentionable kind.

Not enough exposure.

 

[Bo T]

$40 for a years worth of MuzzleBlasts is not that high, and they throw in the membership to boot. Lots of interesting articles. I plan on keeping my membership.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

I didn't really know what they did, just that they existed and there were membership dues that I'd rather spend on more muzzleloading stuff. :idunno:

I just looked them up and found this:

"Hunting Opportunities: When coupled with a valid Indiana hunting license and a hunting permit obtained from the NMLRA office, your NMLRA membership card gives you black powder hunting access to five hundred acres of prime southeastern Indiana land owned by your Association during respective hunting seasons. The NMLRA Hunting Regulations"

Has anybody ever used this benefit? Do they restrict the amount of members allowed on the property each year by lottery? Are you only allowed to access it once every so many years? Do they allow you on the property preseason to scout out the land and signs of game? Thank you.

 

[coloradoclyde]

500 acres is an extremely small amount of land.....If you put 10 guys on it they will all bump into each other. 60 guys, and each would be in range of the other. about 200 yards in any direction NSEW.

 

[Gene L]

As an organization, they're good. As a magazine, not so good. Muzzleblasts is poor compared to Muzzleloader, and there's a reason for that. Production values, covering in-lines (which I feel is a drag on the Traditionalists.) They need some new blood at the magazine. Look at other professional magazines: National Rifleman, G&A, and Muzzleloader. All are much more successful than MB, and more ads, and ads make better production values.

 

[Jimbo47]

As an organization, they're good. As a magazine, not so good. Muzzleblasts is poor compared to Muzzleloader, and there's a reason for that. Production values, covering in-lines (which I feel is a drag on the Traditionalists.) They need some new blood at the magazine. Look at other professional magazines: National Rifleman, G&A, and Muzzleloader. All are much more successful than MB, and more ads, and ads make better production values.

Covering the unmentionables would be a deal killer for me, and I wasn't aware of that?
I've always felt from day one that the unmentionables came about as a way for the manufacturers to cash in on the muzzle loader seasons, and those who came up with the original ML season idea didn't see that coming.

 

[Gene L]

. Besides, like W.C. Fields once said ”Any group that would have me as a member ... I don’t want to be a part of ...” ... said in jest :surrender: ...



Life Member - NRA (Federal) and GOAL (State)

Groucho Marx said that. Not the exact quote, but a paraphrase. Interesting history of why he said it. He was denied admittance to a Jewish Country Club because he was not Old Jewish Money in Hollywood. He was New Rich.

 

[nhmoose]

As an organization, they're good. As a magazine, not so good. Muzzleblasts is poor compared to Muzzleloader, and there's a reason for that. Production values, covering in-lines (which I feel is a drag on the Traditionalists.) They need some new blood at the magazine. Look at other professional magazines: National Rifleman, G&A, and Muzzleloader. All are much more successful than MB, and more ads, and ads make better production values.

Covering the unmentionables would be a deal killer for me, and I wasn't aware of that?
I've always felt from day one that the unmentionables came about as a way for the manufacturers to cash in on the muzzle loader seasons, and those who came up with the original ML season idea didn't see that coming.

Bingo!!!!! :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[Jimbo47]

Not only that, there were public lands that once allowed muzzleloaders, shotguns, and archery equipment because of safety issues, and when the modern versions came along, and the popularity took off they in order to stay PC, banned all muzzleloaders, and now only allow shotguns, and archery equipment. :td:

 

[Cruzatte]

Simple as that.

Why are you or aren't you a member of the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association?

Thanks, Skychief.

I was once upon a time and for many years, in fact. I think probably my membership expired and I may not have realized it for a long time, and then just never got around to re-upping. I did go to the June shoots in Friendship for two or three years running. Had a fine time there.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

500 acres is an extremely small amount of land.

That's why I asked about any possible restrictions. There either isn't that many people using the property ,which is suspicious, or you're paying 40 bucks a year to get put on a waiting list or hoping they draw your name.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

Which States eliminated muzzleloader hunting?

 

[Stumpkiller]

As an organization, they're good. As a magazine, not so good. Muzzleblasts is poor compared to Muzzleloader, and there's a reason for that. Production values, covering in-lines (which I feel is a drag on the Traditionalists.)

As I recall that was the stir here and a lot of folks pulled out then. There was a revised "Hunting" column, and it was repeatedly glass optics and those pellet type critters.

 

[curator]

Long time member (44 years ++) Haven't been to Friendship since 1959--not that I didn't want to go, just life got in the way. Great organization, good but not great magazine. but the ONLY group dedicated to preserving muzzle loading and traditional rifle building left in the u.S. Many times, I have considered dropping my membership, after all that's a lot of money to belong to an Indiana gun club. In the end, I wrote the check since no one else is doing what they do on a national level.

 

[Jimbo47]

Which States eliminated muzzleloader hunting?

None that I know of?
I guess I wasn't clear in my statement, but I was giving an example of some public hunting areas in Texas, (state owned Parks) (WMA's) that had restrictions on not allowing muzzle loader rifles due to safety concerns.
But I apologize for going down that ff rabbit hole.

 

[fleener]

I do not know the ins and outs of hunting there. However I do have a couple of friends that do hunt there. To my knowledge there is not a lottery.

Fleener

 

[52Bore]

The future of ML is in the hands of our youth - they only know a modern ML. The traditional has been falling drastically over the past 3-4 decades. I enjoy teaching/showing our youth original ML and allow them to shoot as most have no idea they exist - even less one can still shoot them.
To have a ”˜oh hell no’ attitude toward anyone or organization that’s trying to hold on to ML in today’s world is beyond me..

 

[52Bore]

The future of ML is in the hands of our youth (like Fleener’s son) - unfortunately most only know a modern ML. The traditional has been falling drastically over the past 3-4 decades. I enjoy teaching/showing our youth original ML and allow them to shoot as most have no idea they exist - even less one can still shoot them.
To have a ”˜oh hell no’ attitude toward anyone or organization that’s trying to hold on to ML in today’s world is beyond me..

 

[Black Hand]

To have a ”˜oh hell no’ attitude toward anyone or organization that’s trying to hold on to ML in today’s world is beyond me..

Because others volunteer their time to teaching about traditional muzzle loaders and history and don't feel they need to give their money to an organization that exists primarily for its own financial interests (perhaps with an occasional educational benefit). We get new adherents by ACTIVELY working towards the goal rather than passively waiting for someone else to do something...