yeoman

I live in a county where only shotguns are legal for deer in firearms season. The accepted reasoning was for safety, our county being more densely populated than those in the far eastern and western portions of the state, where rifles are permitted. Having examined the ballistic tables of the modern in-line, muzzle velocity and down range energy exceed those of a 30-30, the most popular deer rifle of all time. We are permitted to use any muzzleloader during firearms season. I'm amazed this issue, to myknowledge, has not yet been breached in any state in the country. How much risk is there in buying a modern in-line for a hunter in a shotgun only county or state where the laws could be "updated".What could cause such a change? Food for thought.

cayugad

Also consider the fact you're basically limited to one shot unlike the centerfire rifles. If you do get a second shot, it will take some time reloading. And yes, some of the do produce some impressive velocities.. and it is up to the State to determine what is safe and what is not. So as long as they allow them, if I hunted in a shotgun only area, I would be using a muzzleloader.

In fact years ago friend invited me to hunt with them for a special season. They were in a shotgun only, but muzzleloaders were allowed. I took a muzzleloader instead of a shotgun. I watched my friend pass up a nice deer at only 100+ yards. He said he did not want to risk it. Had I gotten a good rest sooner and been were he was, I'd of shot the things. A .54 caliber will do wonders out to about 120 yards.

mauser06

i see what your meaning...muzzleloaders are so...high tech? now and ranges and ballistics are getting pretty amazing when will they be outlawed in shotgun/ML states??...but then again...dont think for a second shotguns arent evolving. theres ALOT of 100yd slug guns. theres even some guns and ammo thatll shot well out to 200...but i do see your point...kinda interesting...then again i guess a round from a high powered rifle is gunna fly a heck of alot farther then most any slug or bullet from a ML...well.....for now atleast...savage already got a smokeless inline..sure that thing puts MLing to shame...thats a singleshot rifle if you ask me..but again..its illegal in some states..but im surprised its taking so long for someone to come out with a ML that has REALLY amazing ballistics...like a 30 cal that shoots a concal full diameter bullet at 2500+fps..that pretty much matches a high powered CF rifle....

i dont knock anyone from shooting what they shoot...i still hunt with my mauser chambered in 3006...but some of these things...like the savage are hard for me to call a muzzleloader. cant even call it a smokepole! lol..to each his own......i know if i live in a ML/shotgun state id have me a good shootin inline..i wouldnt go smokeless even if it was allowed..i cant see myself pouring smokeless powder down a barrel[:-] lol..

i guess i am the way i am because the first muzzleloader i ever fired and owned was a flintlock..

but like i said i rifle hunt with a 3006 and also a compound bow...i do favor the flintlock..just so danged hard to see a buck and put 4 points to a side on it in rifle season so when its rifle season i carry the rifle just for the scope to count points...too much pressure and moving deer to count points with binocs...i had to pass a whopper in rifle this year..by the timei verified he was legal in my scope he was gone..even with my shots are still normally 30yds or so...but that scope makes life easy counting points...maybe i should look into a good inline for my rifle season...hmmm

Wimuzzleman

I think one reason they allow muzzleloaders in shotgun season is they only have one shot. People are always more careful with their first shot. What scares me is when someone misses a deer and just rattles off shots as it runs away. I have had to hit the dirt on more than one occasion because of that.

yeoman

All good answers. Seems unlikely a game department would suggest changes limiting "smokepoles" given most of them want to reduce their deer herds, and hunters would sooner buy a modern muzzleloader than come down on their brethren for shooting one. Any proposed change would likely come from the non-hunting public and most likely be the result of an accidental shooting. Given the one shot limitation, an ML is probably less likely to be the cause of an accident than 5 rounds flying from a shotgun. Still, interesting to see technology pass by legal intent.

cayugad

Well some of the new high tech muzzleloaders are allowing people to shoot much further then a standard shotgun. Lets hope those that use the muzzleloaders have some training in their use.

This last modern season I heard someone start shooting and fired at least 10 or more shots in a row. I stood there and laughed because I knew that was a deer they were not hitting. At least I hoped not, as grinding them into hamburger in the woods makes them harder to carry out and the hair gets all over everything.

A friend of mine has a pump shotgun, I think it is a Remington 870 but could be wrong. He bought a special barrel for the thing. He mounted a 4Xscope on the shotgun, and claims he can place a special made slug (forget the name of them) out to 150 yards off shooting sticks. I was kind of surprised when he said that he could shoot that far with a shotgun. I always considered them a 100 yard weapon.

Then my brother's father in law once shot a deer with open sights on a shotgun at over 200 yards. He had a deer standing out in the middle of their corn field and did a hail mary, and spined it. I think I did not make a lot of points when I told him that was a foolish shot to even try, but then,I never could keep my mouth shut.

lemoyne

I just sold a 20ga shot gun I set up for my wife before she died , it would group sabot loads inside the black of a standard 50 slow fire pistol target @ 150yds; It had a good scope and it was a heavy barreled single shot and the only work I did on it was a trigger job. Lee