RE: My reason for not liking the Savage or CVA Electra
Chet - I have to say I agree with you. Ok, by simple definition, a muzzleloader could be any firearm that is loaded from the muzzle. However, other than the time it takes to load, what disadvantage would a smokeless .45 cal muzzleloader have over a .45-70 cartridge chambered rifle? Probably none. The only additional component is the casing which is housed in a chamber instead of powder in a breach.
But on the other hand - you cannot stop progress.
This is a double edged sword. And a similar debate is going on in the archery world with the addition of crossbows for archery season.
These two arenas are runnign parallel courses:
first there was the recurve (sidelocks), then the compounds (inlines), and now crossbows (smokeless MLs).
I think it is going to be up to the individual as to where to draw the line. Me, I'll stick with my traditionals (and my one and only inline).