Thanks, Barnes Addict. That is a good read.
i'm on several muzzleloader sites. Some conventional muzzleloader advocates stumble along in a make believe world, preaching to the choir and acting as if 90 percent of muzzle loader users do not exist. One site in particular has several cantankerous and hateful individuals who take pride in insulting/off putting new posters.
Got into muzzleloaders in the early 1960s. Had a great mentor who was also a gunsmith and renowned marksman. "Uncle Joe" had lost his drivers license and i drove him to his first match in a couple years. A few shooters walked off when he showed up. One man made the comment "we heard Uncle Joe had passed away".
My mentor warned me about the re-enactors and HC dress up folks. i was invited to a rendezvous and made the mistake of walking between some high panjandrum and the fire and got scolded. Gave up the Civil War re-enacting and gave away my dress up stuff.
Fort Sill changed the rules on hunting with muzzleloaders a few years ago because military retirees were killing too many deer in the two week muzzleloader season. Active duty soldiers, unable to hunt during the work week, were getting short changed. As a result only conventional muzzleloaders may be used. No fire sights, no scopes, no sabots. Conicals or round balls only are allowed.