Scopes on muzzleloaders?

[Holy Canvas]

Someone earlier had said that Pyrodex shouldn't be used. Give me a break. Like Pyrodex gives the shooter some huge advantage over real Blackpowder. Have you ever even shot a muzzleloader?

I'm for keeping it the way it is right now. Why change it? I don't have an inline, but I could see myself buying one in the future to use for the regular rifle season. However, for the ML season, I prefer patched roundball and one of them new fangled sidelocks, as my Flintlock buddy would call it.

[PerchJerker]

Quote:

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I think the State should do away with the blackpoweder season if they allow scopes. The season was created to give users of a more primitive weapon more time to try to harvest a deer. I have a flint lock and a traditonal cap and ball rifle. In-line muzzelloaders were not what they had in mind when setting the season up. They are basically approching a modern high power rifle in perfromance and accuracy upto 200 yards. I think the are fine to use during the regualr seasons and use your scope. But the muzzelloader season should still be for traditional black poweder non scopped rifles IE: flintlock or sidelock.

Mwal

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I'm going to disagree with a couple things in your post mwal.

For one, I don't agree that "muzzleloader season" was ever set up to be a "primitive firearm" or "blackpowder" season. I think that's just a convenient argument with no basis in fact --- it's a muzzleloader season.

Personally I like the idea of the State going to a primitive firearm or blackpowder season, but if they do then I think they shouldn't allow any of the modern improvements like pyrodex or triple 7 or sabots or fiber optic sights. I don't want the current muzzleloader season changed to a primitive weapon season, but I would be for adding an additional season for primitive firearms only.

Also, you say inlines are basically approaching modern high power rifles. No way. Modern high power rifles are MUCH more powerful than muzzleloaders, especially at the 200 yard range mark you mentioned. I'm not saying MLs won't shoot that far or won't be accurate that far, but they'll be more like slug guns and not like high power rifles. I don't think muzzleloaders are 200 yard deer guns because of how little energy the bullet has at 200 yards, but that's not really the point. They're still muzzleloaders and still 1-shot deals, and I think that's the point of having a muzzleloader season.

[Holy Canvas]

Perchjerker,

I don't want the rules to change at all. But if you think it should be all or nothing, why would you say no Pyrodex, Trip 7, or what have you, only black powder. No, I'm not talking pellets. These powders are easier to clean, so they shouldn't be allowed? I've seen a lot of stats and the "better performance" by these powders is negligible over black powder. If these weren't allowed, ML hunters would be spending a lot more money buying powder, and a lot more time trying to find it.

[PerchJerker]

All I'm trying to say is the arguement that scopes shouldn't be allowed because muzzleloader season is "supposed to be for primitive weapons" doesn't make sense to me. If you want muzzleloader season to be primitive weapons then I think it should pertain to all aspects, not just to the sight. And personally I wouldn't be against having a primitive weapons only season as long as it wasn't in place of the current muzzleloader season.

You're not correct when you say pyrodex's performance is only negligibly better than blackpowder. Pyrodex is cleaner burning and easier to find than blackpowder, and it is harder to ignite, burns hotter, burns more evenly, and propels the bullet faster (and flatter) than plain black powder. In all those regards it is an improvement over blackpowder, so again I just don't understand the logic where pryrodex and 209 primers are allowed but scopes aren't.