While I'm pretty progressive in terms of the ranges I do most of my shooting at and pushing to get the most out of the equipment I do have, I do not have a Savage or Electra. If I were going to spend the money on a Savage, I would not do so unless I also was willing to put the money in to immediately convert it to .45 and go all the way. I just don't get very excited about the advantages of a factory Savage with smokeless. I don't know why, maybe I just like making smoke.

I really don't like it when the crowd gets devisive...traditional vs inline, smokeless vs not....I think there is plenty of room for everybody to draw their own lines and yet respect the right of everyone else to do likewise.

I really don't think smokeless would ever be a deciding factor in classifying MLs as FFL firearms. The reason they are not has more to do with the convenience factor of reloading -- the reason for the whole FFL thing goes back to Oswald and the Kennedy assasination, and the concern of controlling weapons likley to be used in crimes. Any ML, despite how good the ballistics can be, is a one-shot weapon in most crime scenarios. Smokeless or electronic ignition is insignificant in that perspective.

Now there is a law that I know is under consideration (or was?) in one of the eastern states to outlaw any weapon 50cal or larger. This would have included MLs, though the ignorant author of the law likely had no idea.