anyone use them? trying to decide if i want to invest in one or not.

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Three can keep a secret if two are dead

I have used them in the past. Up here, muzzle loader season adds several weeks to the deer season. Between archery, muzzle loader and regular season, we have a pretty long season.

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"Why, it appears that we appointed all of our worst generals to command the armies and we appointed all of our best generals to edit the newspapers. I mean, I found by reading a newspaper that these editor generals saw all of the defects plainly from the start but didn't tell me until it was too late. I'm willing to yield my place to these best generals and I'll do my best for the cause by editing a newspaper." -- Gen. Robert E. Lee

pretty much the same here. still not sure if i wnt one or not

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Three can keep a secret if two are dead

Muzzle loaders are ok, but there is a good reason they are not widely used these days except for hunting.

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"Why, it appears that we appointed all of our worst generals to command the armies and we appointed all of our best generals to edit the newspapers. I mean, I found by reading a newspaper that these editor generals saw all of the defects plainly from the start but didn't tell me until it was too late. I'm willing to yield my place to these best generals and I'll do my best for the cause by editing a newspaper." -- Gen. Robert E. Lee

I started shooting muzzle loaders about 1968. It was a lot of fun before technology changed the darn things. I liked the true “primitive” in the sport, We cast all of our mini-balls, made our powder measures and bullet starters.. now their basically modern weapons although you can still get the bare bones Kentucy rifle.

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Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

PC=Public Cancer....and it's TERMINAL..IMO.

Yeah that too....there are some manufacturers out there that still have the basic muzzle loader. For me, the nylon stocks, telescopic sights, etc. detracted from the whole thing.

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"Why, it appears that we appointed all of our worst generals to command the armies and we appointed all of our best generals to edit the newspapers. I mean, I found by reading a newspaper that these editor generals saw all of the defects plainly from the start but didn't tell me until it was too late. I'm willing to yield my place to these best generals and I'll do my best for the cause by editing a newspaper." -- Gen. Robert E. Lee

Yes, and I hear the powder now is pretty smokeless, I'm not sure about that though but all that smoke was half the fun!

__________________
Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

PC=Public Cancer....and it's TERMINAL..IMO.

They still get fouled pretty good if your not careful...

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"Why, it appears that we appointed all of our worst generals to command the armies and we appointed all of our best generals to edit the newspapers. I mean, I found by reading a newspaper that these editor generals saw all of the defects plainly from the start but didn't tell me until it was too late. I'm willing to yield my place to these best generals and I'll do my best for the cause by editing a newspaper." -- Gen. Robert E. Lee

I'm surprised, I would think the newer powder would have taken care of that.

__________________
Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

PC=Public Cancer....and it's TERMINAL..IMO.

ive been noticing that with the sites ive been to. seems pretty much modern cept how the round is put in. seems like i might stay with shotguns.

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Three can keep a secret if two are dead

Check Cabelas, they have a web site, and have a few kits and a few assembled that are the older style (powder ball in the end of the barrel).

http://www.cabelas.com/home.jsp;jses...equestid=42820

Edit: They sell a muzzle loading shot gun too..

__________________
Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

PC=Public Cancer....and it's TERMINAL..IMO.

When I was a teen, my dad took me pheasant hunting in Kansas. In order to get a hunting license there, I had to take a hunter safety course.

We used muzzleloaded pistols to learn about gun safety. After loading, we took turns firing at our targets with the instructor nearby. One girl next to me had a misfire.....Click.

She then pointed the gun at her face and looked down the barrel.

Just thinking about it still gives me chills. The scarier part is that she still passed the course.

Gives. me the chills and I wasn't even there! Wow, she was lucky!

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Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

PC=Public Cancer....and it's TERMINAL..IMO.

At one time I owned a replica 1851 Colt Navy .44, and an 1861 Colt Army .44. Built them from kits. It's more work than you think; especially, the bluing.

I thought shooting them was a hoot. Probably won't win any prizes for accuracy, but I could easily see how people got maimed or worse getting hit with a .44 lead ball.

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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” - Edmund Burke

Since I couldn't find the "Welcome" category, I guess this is a good as any place for my first post. I'm siked that I found a forum full of like minded people. Thanks to Rusty H for the link on his website to this forum.

The main advantage I see to getting a modern muzzleloader is the range they have over a shotgun.

A modern muzzleloader using modern powder (or pellets) with a modern bullet is good out to 200 yards. Providing the person behind the scope can do his/her job.

I started out using the traditional blackpowder guns years ago. I personally liked making my own gear, very satisfying. However, those old guns were really limited to about 75 yards or so because the front sight on many of the guns would cover the deer up.

I currently shoot a MDM BuckWhacka in a .45. I chose the .45 because of the flatter trajectory it has versus a .50. I shoot the Hornady 200 grain spire point sitting on top of 150 grains Pyrodex (I use the maximum recomnended load of 3 50 grain pellets) and have been extremely satisfied with its performance.

There are many modern muzzleloader manufacturers out there today. Just make sure you pick a quality gun like a MDM, Knight or Thompson Center and DO read the instructions. Just because one gun will take 100 grains or equivelant of powder (or pellets), doesn't mean they all will.

Good Luck

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What they truly don't understand is the principle so eloquently stated by Abraham Lincoln: "You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."