The perfect gun
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,607
I see you're gradually progressing upward in technology, a few more years and you'll come full circle and start using a center fire rifle again.
As for myself... I prefer to stay traditional. There's just much more satisfaction in taking a deer with a traditional firearm, whether it's a sidelock percussion or flintlock... I know you modern ML fellas have your thing and that's fine... but, where's the cutoff point? Where do you reach a point where you no longer feel like you're hunting with a muzzleloader?
BPS
As for myself... I prefer to stay traditional. There's just much more satisfaction in taking a deer with a traditional firearm, whether it's a sidelock percussion or flintlock... I know you modern ML fellas have your thing and that's fine... but, where's the cutoff point? Where do you reach a point where you no longer feel like you're hunting with a muzzleloader?
BPS
#22
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
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.
#23
I see you're gradually progressing upward in technology, a few more years and you'll come full circle and start using a center fire rifle again.
As for myself... I prefer to stay traditional. There's just much more satisfaction in taking a deer with a traditional firearm, whether it's a sidelock percussion or flintlock... I know you modern ML fellas have your thing and that's fine... but, where's the cutoff point? Where do you reach a point where you no longer feel like you're hunting with a muzzleloader?
BPS
As for myself... I prefer to stay traditional. There's just much more satisfaction in taking a deer with a traditional firearm, whether it's a sidelock percussion or flintlock... I know you modern ML fellas have your thing and that's fine... but, where's the cutoff point? Where do you reach a point where you no longer feel like you're hunting with a muzzleloader?
BPS
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...........
#24
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.
#25
Well Powder, As long as I have to stuff my load in from the business end, it's muzzleloading! You are following the same logic that a very few archers use against compound bows. You bowhunt? You use a compound? Think it's going to far? Just how far is too far? Rifled barrels? That's not "traditional". Percussion caps? That's not "traditional". If you want to get real technical, anything other than throwing rocks isn't "traditional".
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
#26
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
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
#28
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.