Here's the situation... I'm a Marine stationed at Parris Island, SC. During deer season we conduct reduction hunts on base twice a month. The dates are chosen based on when there willbe no recruit training conducted in the woods. We are taken to a treestand and once we get in it, we can't get back out until they come pick usup. The hunts usually start at 3:00PM so we aren't in the stands that long. Currently we are only allowed to use "shotguns" for these hunts. Some people use buckshot, some use rifled slugs, and some guy fire sabot slugs through rifled bores with scoped mounted.

I'm trying to convince the powers that be to allow us to also use muzzleloaders during these hunts. I've written a Point Paper (Naval Correspondance) and plan to submit it to the Assistant Chief of Staff when they conduct their annual review of the reduction hunts. My arguement is that a muzzleloader is pretty much the same as firing a sabot slug from a rifled barrel shotgun. I wrote a lot more but it's on my computer at work so I can post it yet. I feel my arguement is pretty convincing but I spoke to the A/CS today and officers being officers, naturally he wants some sort of trajectory diagram illustrating my theory. They want to ensure it is as safe as a shotgun and that the maximum ranges are similar.

I basically need some sort of proof that a muzzleloader can't launch a bullet much further than a shotgun. Is my assumption pretty accurate and if so, can anyone provide me with some hard proof or a diagram proving it?

This would be a great thing for the hunters who participate in these hunts and may also open the door for other weapons to be used.

Thanks!