At 30 years aged I’m considered “old” for a young person.
I find it very depressing to see the trade shows, shoots, rondys, etc. and see a sea of white with virtually no new young blood to replace them.
But there’s some of us out here to carry on the old ways. It won’t be many, and I fear for the availability of good guns and supplies as the old builders die off and take the craft with them. I also hope black powder continues to be manufactured and sold at reasonable costs and that it not be banned by the powers that be.
Traditional Muzzleloading is in its waning days, or will be very soon. This is a fact, and no amount of wishful thinking will change it. I am doing all I can to try and take new friends my age and younger to shoot my black powders but frankly it’s an enthusiasts venture. Folks might enjoy doing it once or twice but its a labor of love that simply won’t bloom in many of the imaginations of my generation. We live in a fast paced, instant gratification, short attention span move to the next big thing society. Such is the antithesis of the values of our sport.
I’ll keep enjoying it though, as long as I can.
I’m in too deep.
