I can only speak for myself, but I personally like the variety. One day I get in the mood to shoot a flintlock, the next it may be a new model inline. I don't own a smokeless, but fully expect to own a 700ML conversion to a .45 smokeless one of these days. Why? No good reason other than it's something different to experiment with.

I'm with you TN. Variety is the Jalapeno in the salsa.

No centerfires, unless its my Model 1881 Marlin 40-60 and that shoots BP cartridges or if I'm testing a prototype rifle. Speaking of which, I have been testing a custom .450 that literally puts bullets into a single hole at 100yds and 1" 3-shot groups at 300yds.

I only shoot muzzleloaders. Sold my last two percussion rifles about a year ago, with one going to PEN and the other to a collector in Dallas. I've given many away to family, as I have a boat load of nephews, with one great niece that hunts/shoots.

Just the differences in shooters/hunters I guess. I've shot up to 4,000 rounds a year, although I'm slowing as I age. Shooting a inch group at 100yds gets boring for me and harvesting a whitetail has never been an issue. Every one harvested, with any firearm or bow has always brought me satisfaction. For me, there is no "cut off point". Its all about adventure, change, improvement and total confidence. Yes the Ultimate is newer technology, yet it still loads from the muzzle and shoots pellets or BP. But..... its a new adventure...........

I have a 700ml in the safe, a .54 stainless in excellent almost NIB condition, which I may convert at some point to a Brux .45 Although not to shoot smokeless, but rather BH. Do I need to? Nope, but like you it would be something different, thus creating a new adventure.

sh54,

Yes I bowhunt and yes I use a crossbow. Why? Because glaucoma has pretty much destroyed my right eye so I could no longer see my sights well enough to shoot right handed. I considered buying a left hand bow and starting over but I injured my rotator cuff many years ago due to the repetitive type of work I did. I didn't have to go under the knife, but I did have to go on light duty and go through a lot of physical therapy to get where I could work again. I thought if I start shooting left handed and drawing my bow with the left arm repeatedly and the injury comes back, then I'll have two bows I can't use so I quit bowhunting for four years.

I considered applying for a permit to use a crossbow and one year later, PA passed the law allowing the use of crossbows state wide without special permit. I'm still not an advocate of this because I believe it allowed anyone to bowhunt without ever having to devote any time to practice... just take one out of the box, sight it in and start killing deer.

I hunt with my crossbow every year because it got me back in the game, but I don't feel like I'm bowhunting when I do. It feels more like I'm hunting with a firearm. I still enjoy hunting the archery season and harvesting a deer with the crossbow, but the adrenalin rush you get when you're patient and wait for the right shot then make it happen with a compound or longbow is not there...at least for me it isn't. It's much the same way I feel about taking a deer with one of my centerfire rifles vs taking one with a sidelock muzzy, especially a flintlock.

BPS

Well BPS, I never even mentioned Crossbows I was talking about the "non traditional" Compound but since you brought them up, the crossbow is every bit as difficult to take deer with as a compound. It is to me anyway. You still need to get into relatively the same shot range. You should still practice with it diligently. In some ways, it is even MORE difficult than compound. Re-loading one is a pain in the rear. ESPECIALLY in a tree stand. They are a pain in the rear carrying in thick brush. And I have YET to ever hear a QUIET crossbow. You should feel just as proud of a deer taken with a crossbow as you would your old compound. Just like I feel proud taking a deer with my Inline. They are the same animal as a side lock percussion with just a little faster lock time and fire time. Putting anyone down or trying to make them feel "lesser" for using a modern muzzle loader is wrong at it's base. You yourself use a modern muzzle loader when you break out your old Hawken. The steel in the barrel is better, the spring in the lock is better. The trigger is better. It's all modern, just masked to LOOK traditional. You still have to load it up from the business end one shot at a time.

If you need a quick 2nd shot the crossbow is at a big disadvantage to the compound.

As is a muzzy.

I honestly don't know what would be my perfect gun. My guess, is a stainless .45 Knight UltraLite - but with a thumbhole stock. Seems that would fit my needs/wants/hunting style just about right. Probably 1:20 so I could shoot the longer/heavier bullets.

This one for large game, it's a custom, built it myself.. :)
She is a .54...



And this one for small game, she is a .40...

Nice.


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