Alot has changed in last 10 year. MLing hasinnovated just likearchery has in the last 40. I started out with a Bear Recurve and didn't get a deer with it for 5 years, shot many many times, then bought my first compund (a Bear Whitetail Hunter) and got a spike the first shot.We now have most bows going 300 fps, very quiet,80% letoff, single cams $1000, who would have thought you would buy abow for $1000? Folks do though. I don't see how you can improve it more.

I think MLing has followed this same progression with basically FL and percussions dominating until 1980's when Tony Knight came out with the inline and the market boomed. I think things are at it's innovation limits in MLing, cause basically a MLer is a 45/70 and that has been around a long time, it is at max a 200 yard gun. I think people like myself who came from bow hunting like the challenge of 1 shot, like the killing power of the big bullets and like everything about MLing, except the cleaning after your dead tired and you got a deer in the evening. I think there is going to stay two markets in MLing, back east here where it is basically <100 yard shooting with 70 yards the average and mid west and out west shooting that will be 200 to 250 yards with most of it between 150 and 200. I think your going to find people like myself that get into FLs and percussions as well as inlines and basically don't CF hunt any more. I would have NEVER got into FLing without first getting into inline MLing and I started with pellets, two 50 grain, pryodex, then 2 777 then 3 777 then had issues with bullets, then loose power and better bullets. MLing is really hand loading without all the expensive stuff of a reloading bench, so it appeals to all tinkers and folks that like shooting sports. It is less expensive than CF shooting. It is actually quicker kills I believe at < 100 yard due to more energy on the target. The bullets have definitely gotten better over the years and we now enjoy a full range of good rifles, good powders, good bullets and good sabots. I don't think there was that innovation when the market was small. As guys learn MLing is better than shotgun hunting, we are gonna see more MLing in shotgun only states. I see it alot in NY State where I hunt with my brother, we all use MLers now. So alot has changed, and I think for the better, since there are more hunters enjoying MLing. You can still use traditionals and that is fun also. In fact I wanna devote a week to hunting traditional next year, why just to do it, learn, enhance skill. Best Wishes,
Chap
Chap