For those of you that have read this Blog from the beginning you know that since about 1970 I have been an "on again, off again" Muzzle Loader. But then again I am "on again, off again" on various other types of firearms as well. It really boils down to the time of year and season.
By way of explanation
When the weather starts to change the call of the wild goose, the cackle of the Great China Bird (Pheasant) and the whistle of the Bobwhite Quail stirs the soul I am "on again" with shotguns. Later when the air chills, the leaves turn color and the woods begin to reek of the rut I get "on again" with deer rifles forsaking for a time the scattergun.
Shortly after the regular firearms season I break out the black powder gear and begin to get ready for those cold crisp December mornings afield with my Front Stuffers.
Muzzle loading takes a certain level of constant dedication that I do not always have time for during the rest of the year. I particularly enjoy hunting with my "Smoke Poles" though. The idea that I can take to the woods and harvest food for the table with the same tools used by the Frontier Folk that settled this great Country is like stepping back in time.
Even though I generally hunt the same land with my black powder firearms as I do my "regular deer rifle" it is a vastly different experience. When I am out hunting with my .54 caliber caplock muzzle loader I often wonder if I am trekking the same paths, seeking to harvest direct descendants of the same food source that some similarly armed early settlers were a couple of hundred years ago.
For nearly 75 years
Headquartered in Friendship, Indiana I have long been aware of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. Since 1933 the NMRLA has promoted the preservation of our frontier heritage that is the foundation this Nations generations since have built on.
It has always been my desire to visit their shooting range in Friendship.
For the past few years or so I have been friends with NMLRA's treasurer Ralph Walker. Through his and many great NMRLA members efforts I can now say that I have been to Friendship.
Friendship we have a problem!
I want to go back.
More on the GRPC later I promise
It is no big secret that I am one of the usual suspects in attendance at the annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (held at Fort Mitchell, Kentucky this year). Being less than an hour from the conference, which was held at the Draw Bridge Inn, the fantastic folks at Friendship sponsored a range day on the fourth of October for conference goers.
Folks let me tell you the hospitality was next to none. The NMRLA along with providing transportation to and from the event, laid out more food than we could eat. The NMRLA had their various ranges set up with a host of muzzle loading shotguns, rifles and pistols along with all the powder and ball we could shoot.
There were at least four full 12 passenger vans that the NMRLA rented for the occasion. Several others, including the wife and I provided our own transportation. We have a friend who is a Customs Agent at the Cincinnati Airport whom we rode with. Thanks again S.O.S. we don't get to see each other near enough.
Safety and Education first
The NMRLA also had on hand plenty of members to educate and promote the safe handling of Americas first firearms for those that were experiencing the smell of black powder smoke for the first time. Many of these members are professional firearms instructors I am sure. They patiently answered all questions posed and relished in the pleasure of introducing their hobby to a number of "Greenhorns".
The center piece for the day was a period cannon that was loaded to belched smoke and flame about every half hour.
I would like to personally thank Ralph and the entire NMRLA membership for opening their range to us and at their expense providing the transportation,food, firearms and ammunition for what has for many years been a desire of mine ... to visit and shoot at the Mecca of Muzzle Loading, Friendship, Indiana.
Showing posts with label Muzzle Loading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muzzle Loading. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Let's just eliminate Primitive Firearms Seasons altogether Part 3
In part one I explained how and why primitive huntings seasons came to be and the current threat to the continuance of them.
In part two I exposed an individual that appears to have no concern for history or may not even realize that his actions could bring an end to the primitive hunting seasons that many of us enjoy.
It is my opinion that Toby Bridges is a useful idiot for the big money that is modern in-line muzzle loading and has no concept for the consequences of his actions.
The whole concept of primitive hunting is to;
Do it the way they did it back then.
It is/was not to provide a bunch of modern minded people that won't learn to hunt an opportunity to take game at hundreds of yards.
Now that most people are using muzzle loaders that are as capable of taking game at 250 yards as the 30-06 many states will likely eliminate primitive hunting seasons all together.
Who is behind it?
It is not necessarilly the modern day Daniel Boone neverwillbes that are really behind this though. They, as I see it, are just dupes to the advertising used by modern muzzle loading manufactors.
There are some that have resisted buying an In-line. The reasoning? Why buy a firearm that you will never be able to realize the full benefit of?
To realize that full benefit one needs to mount a telescopic sight on the firearm. In-line shooters can't do that in states that do not allow scopes during the primitive seasons.
There is nothing stopping them from using these high-tech firearms with scopes during the regular firearms deer seasons in most states by the way.
I can put a scope on one of my caplocks and use it during the cartridge gun deer season if I want to.
In an effort to increase their profit margin one company is perpetrating an all out assault on history.
Read the following very carefully and understand that;
I have never objected to and still don't to the use of an In-line Muzzle loader during the primitive firearms season. As I have stated before the basic concept has been around since 1822.
My objection is that Toby Bridges with the primary finacial backing of Knight Rifles is trying to hijack the tradition of primitive hunting for their own selfish reasons..PROFIT.
Knight is not the only profit center that is lending their name and money to the cause. Scrolling down Bridges page they are conveniently listed with the appropriate links.
I will never buy a Knight product because of their support of this action.
In July 2006 Toby conducted a poll that is far from scientific. It surveyed his websites viewers, a group of like minded readers thus skewing the process.
While 58% of those who responded to the poll indicated that they ONLY owned, shot and hunted with a muzzleloading rifle of modern in-line ignition design, a full 40% said they enjoyed BOTH the old-style muzzleloaders of the past and the modern, high performance in-line ignition rifles.
Note the use of the words responded and enjoyed.
Just 2% of the poll responders claimed to ONLY shoot and hunt with rifles of very traditional design.
Note the use of the word claimed. As if Toby thinks they are lying.
Toby himself "claims" to have used traditional muzzle loaders in his past;
Depending on caliber, and powder charge, round ball loads from any of those old-style rifles were pretty much 60 to 75 yard maximum range effective loads.
Well Duuuuuhhhh Bridges that is what it is all about. That is why primitive seasons were created in the first place.
What part of "your using the 30 pieces of silver from your sponsors in pressuring state game departments to allow 300 yard guns with varmit scopes will cause them to end the special seasons altogether" don't you understand?
Get this through your head Toby;
Muzzle loading is not about performance. Muzzle loading is about history. It is about doing it the way our ancestors did it using the tools and equipment they had at that time.
Nebraska only allows the use of a clearly manufacturer marked ONE power telescopic sight on muzzle loaders during the primitive hunting seasons. There were scopes of this sort in use during the Civil War, so it is not out of the realm to allow a tool that was in use at that time.
Other states do not allow scopes at all. Their take on primitive hunting predates the use of scopes. Their laws are geared toward the late 1700 to early mid 1800's time frame. The hey day of the Mountain Man era.
Specifically in Nebraska Toby there is no prohibition on using any scope on your In-line that you want to if you hunt during the regular deer hunting seasons.
Primitive seasons were set to allow people that wanted to the opportunity to hunt with a limited range firearm. Toby and his minions do not have limited range firearms. They have rifles that are every bit as effective at hundreds of yards as most of the average deer cartridges.
In a number of states, very traditional organized state muzzleloading associations have managed to maintain control on the effectiveness of the modern in-line hunting rifles by forcing state game departments to enact regulations that dictate the use of bullets, powders and sights that make a modern in-line little more effective than a traditional side-hammer percussion rifle.
Good for them Toby, they are PRESERVING the sport the way it was intended. The key words in that statement are modern in-line hunting rifles.
Performance and effective are Toby's buzz words. That is the foundation on which he is putting his reputation and the base in which he is making his money.
And there are thousands of you in this boat who have grown weary of this traditional control of regulations that prevent you from shooting and hunting with the loads and accessories you want. Fortuantely, there is now change in the wind.
Yea Toby thousands that have no conceince for why primitive seasons were created in the first place. Thousands that have no concern for those that went to a lot of hard work to create a season where those that chose to could hunt in the manner of their ancestors. Thousands whose actions will put an end to the primitive seasons that many of us enjoy.
Toby states that he responds to all correspondance that is derogatory to his cause with (in part);
So, ask yourself, will the game department in your state side with a very small, niche group of fanatical traditional muzzleloading hunters who want it all for themselves...and chance losing $5...$10...$15 million in Federal funding every year...or to adopt muzzleloading regulations that embrace ALL muzzleloading hunters, traditional and modern, allowing ALL muzzle-loaded hunting rifles, traditional and modern, shooting ALL variety of hunting projectiles, traditional and modern, and fitted with ANY suitable hunting sight, traditional or modern?
You forgot one option Toby, the most important one;
When you threaten people they tend to dig their heels in and fight back back.
Instead of maintaining the standards that is primitive hunting or caving to your whiney ass cry baby for profit temper tantrum the States can simply choose to eliminate muzzle loading seasons all together.
That is an option I suspect that some will take.
Lastly Toby writes;
Traditional or Modern? That should be entirely the choice of the shooter and hunter...not mandated by a very small faction of the sport that seems to be stuck in a time warp. - Toby Bridges
Hey Toby wake up your dreaming what part of TIME WARP is the reason for the seaon DON"T YOU UNDERSTAND?
Well heres to you you Toby, whether you realize it or not you are doing more harm to the sport than you can ever hope to imagine.
Toby I reject your premise that denying scopes for those with tired old eyes is an act of discrimination. If you adhered to the limited range concept that established the seasons in the first place this would not be an issue. You just want to amke a ton of money for Knight Rifles in hopes that you will benefit financially as well. Thirty pieces of silver is never enough is it Toby.
This is all about you Toby using the disabilities act is just a tool to further your own reputation and bank account.
You make you living on writing about effectiveness and performance at long ranges. The mores states that you can threaten into submission results in more revenue for you and your sponsors.
As I stated before my sight is not what it was when I wore a younger mans clothes either, but I still have no problem using my traditional muzzle loaders with open sights at the ranges that they were desighned for.
It is my opinion that you are a self serving pompous ass that wants what he wants and to hell with everyone else. I think you are doing this for your own selfish reasons the primary being greed.
Yours is just a publicity stunt perpetrated as a shill for Knight Rifles in order to increase the profits for that company and all others that contribute to you travisty.
A publicity stunt that will result in many states eliminating separate muzzle loading seasons altogether.
In part two I exposed an individual that appears to have no concern for history or may not even realize that his actions could bring an end to the primitive hunting seasons that many of us enjoy.
It is my opinion that Toby Bridges is a useful idiot for the big money that is modern in-line muzzle loading and has no concept for the consequences of his actions.
The whole concept of primitive hunting is to;
Do it the way they did it back then.
It is/was not to provide a bunch of modern minded people that won't learn to hunt an opportunity to take game at hundreds of yards.
Now that most people are using muzzle loaders that are as capable of taking game at 250 yards as the 30-06 many states will likely eliminate primitive hunting seasons all together.
Who is behind it?
It is not necessarilly the modern day Daniel Boone neverwillbes that are really behind this though. They, as I see it, are just dupes to the advertising used by modern muzzle loading manufactors.
There are some that have resisted buying an In-line. The reasoning? Why buy a firearm that you will never be able to realize the full benefit of?
To realize that full benefit one needs to mount a telescopic sight on the firearm. In-line shooters can't do that in states that do not allow scopes during the primitive seasons.
There is nothing stopping them from using these high-tech firearms with scopes during the regular firearms deer seasons in most states by the way.
I can put a scope on one of my caplocks and use it during the cartridge gun deer season if I want to.
In an effort to increase their profit margin one company is perpetrating an all out assault on history.
Read the following very carefully and understand that;
I have never objected to and still don't to the use of an In-line Muzzle loader during the primitive firearms season. As I have stated before the basic concept has been around since 1822.
My objection is that Toby Bridges with the primary finacial backing of Knight Rifles is trying to hijack the tradition of primitive hunting for their own selfish reasons..PROFIT.
Knight is not the only profit center that is lending their name and money to the cause. Scrolling down Bridges page they are conveniently listed with the appropriate links.
I will never buy a Knight product because of their support of this action.
In July 2006 Toby conducted a poll that is far from scientific. It surveyed his websites viewers, a group of like minded readers thus skewing the process.
While 58% of those who responded to the poll indicated that they ONLY owned, shot and hunted with a muzzleloading rifle of modern in-line ignition design, a full 40% said they enjoyed BOTH the old-style muzzleloaders of the past and the modern, high performance in-line ignition rifles.
Note the use of the words responded and enjoyed.
Just 2% of the poll responders claimed to ONLY shoot and hunt with rifles of very traditional design.
Note the use of the word claimed. As if Toby thinks they are lying.
Toby himself "claims" to have used traditional muzzle loaders in his past;
Depending on caliber, and powder charge, round ball loads from any of those old-style rifles were pretty much 60 to 75 yard maximum range effective loads.
Well Duuuuuhhhh Bridges that is what it is all about. That is why primitive seasons were created in the first place.
What part of "your using the 30 pieces of silver from your sponsors in pressuring state game departments to allow 300 yard guns with varmit scopes will cause them to end the special seasons altogether" don't you understand?
Get this through your head Toby;
Muzzle loading is not about performance. Muzzle loading is about history. It is about doing it the way our ancestors did it using the tools and equipment they had at that time.
Nebraska only allows the use of a clearly manufacturer marked ONE power telescopic sight on muzzle loaders during the primitive hunting seasons. There were scopes of this sort in use during the Civil War, so it is not out of the realm to allow a tool that was in use at that time.
Other states do not allow scopes at all. Their take on primitive hunting predates the use of scopes. Their laws are geared toward the late 1700 to early mid 1800's time frame. The hey day of the Mountain Man era.
Specifically in Nebraska Toby there is no prohibition on using any scope on your In-line that you want to if you hunt during the regular deer hunting seasons.
Primitive seasons were set to allow people that wanted to the opportunity to hunt with a limited range firearm. Toby and his minions do not have limited range firearms. They have rifles that are every bit as effective at hundreds of yards as most of the average deer cartridges.
In a number of states, very traditional organized state muzzleloading associations have managed to maintain control on the effectiveness of the modern in-line hunting rifles by forcing state game departments to enact regulations that dictate the use of bullets, powders and sights that make a modern in-line little more effective than a traditional side-hammer percussion rifle.
Good for them Toby, they are PRESERVING the sport the way it was intended. The key words in that statement are modern in-line hunting rifles.
Performance and effective are Toby's buzz words. That is the foundation on which he is putting his reputation and the base in which he is making his money.
And there are thousands of you in this boat who have grown weary of this traditional control of regulations that prevent you from shooting and hunting with the loads and accessories you want. Fortuantely, there is now change in the wind.
Yea Toby thousands that have no conceince for why primitive seasons were created in the first place. Thousands that have no concern for those that went to a lot of hard work to create a season where those that chose to could hunt in the manner of their ancestors. Thousands whose actions will put an end to the primitive seasons that many of us enjoy.
Toby states that he responds to all correspondance that is derogatory to his cause with (in part);
So, ask yourself, will the game department in your state side with a very small, niche group of fanatical traditional muzzleloading hunters who want it all for themselves...and chance losing $5...$10...$15 million in Federal funding every year...or to adopt muzzleloading regulations that embrace ALL muzzleloading hunters, traditional and modern, allowing ALL muzzle-loaded hunting rifles, traditional and modern, shooting ALL variety of hunting projectiles, traditional and modern, and fitted with ANY suitable hunting sight, traditional or modern?
You forgot one option Toby, the most important one;
When you threaten people they tend to dig their heels in and fight back back.
Instead of maintaining the standards that is primitive hunting or caving to your whiney ass cry baby for profit temper tantrum the States can simply choose to eliminate muzzle loading seasons all together.
That is an option I suspect that some will take.
Lastly Toby writes;
Traditional or Modern? That should be entirely the choice of the shooter and hunter...not mandated by a very small faction of the sport that seems to be stuck in a time warp. - Toby Bridges
Hey Toby wake up your dreaming what part of TIME WARP is the reason for the seaon DON"T YOU UNDERSTAND?
Well heres to you you Toby, whether you realize it or not you are doing more harm to the sport than you can ever hope to imagine.
Toby I reject your premise that denying scopes for those with tired old eyes is an act of discrimination. If you adhered to the limited range concept that established the seasons in the first place this would not be an issue. You just want to amke a ton of money for Knight Rifles in hopes that you will benefit financially as well. Thirty pieces of silver is never enough is it Toby.
This is all about you Toby using the disabilities act is just a tool to further your own reputation and bank account.
You make you living on writing about effectiveness and performance at long ranges. The mores states that you can threaten into submission results in more revenue for you and your sponsors.
As I stated before my sight is not what it was when I wore a younger mans clothes either, but I still have no problem using my traditional muzzle loaders with open sights at the ranges that they were desighned for.
It is my opinion that you are a self serving pompous ass that wants what he wants and to hell with everyone else. I think you are doing this for your own selfish reasons the primary being greed.
Yours is just a publicity stunt perpetrated as a shill for Knight Rifles in order to increase the profits for that company and all others that contribute to you travisty.
A publicity stunt that will result in many states eliminating separate muzzle loading seasons altogether.
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