In 1980 I was a big time deer hunter in central Georgia. I was knocking off 3 or 4 deer a year. I had a beautiful scoped German Mauser sporter in 30-06.
Pretty easy shooting deer at 40 yards in that thick Ga. brush with that rig.
But, I had always been interested in old-time things.
I decided to try old-time hunting. The year was 1982, and I ordered a TC Hawken from Dixie Gun Works.
There was no internet, I didn't know anybody who hunted with black powder. There was no muzzleloading season in Georgia. Georgia would not have a muzzleloading season until 25 years later.
I decided to shoot the way Davy Crockett did, with black powder and the patched round ball. Sabots hadn't been invented yet, but there were conicals on the market. I just wanted to see what deer hunting Davy Crockett style would be like.
I just got my load info from the Dixie catalog, I had no other source for muzzleloading hunting info.
If this proved ineffective on deer, I would leave the muzzleloader at home, and go into the woods with the Mauser.
Well, my TC Hawken was one beautiful gun. I got 3 inch groups at the range.
I took my beautiful muzzleloader into the woods, and I shot a 4 pointer at 40 yards, lung shot. That deer didn't make 50 yards, fell over dead!
Hell, they always ran 100 yards when hit with the 30-06.
I thought, maybe Davy Crockett wasn't so dumb, after all.
From then on, I would use the muzzleloader on some hunts, and the Mauser at other times.
If I was hunting a logging road with a 150 yard shot, I took the Mauser.
In 1986, I bought a kit from Dixie for their Tennessee Mountain Rifle.
I put that gun together, it was even more beautiful than the Hawken!
And, I killed 2 deer, and 3 more hogs with the Tennessee Mountain Rifle.
Well, when I got to be 50, my eyes weren't so good. I had a hard time seeing deer in the brush.
I couldn't get good groups with my muzzleloaders.
But, I had really gotten into muzzleloading! I had to have a scope.
Not going to scope up my black powder guns, that would be a sacriledge.
So, I went over to the Dark Side, and I went whole hog.
I got the Savage. Now I shoot a smokeless powder muzzleloader, with plastic sabots, and a plastic stock.
What an accurate, hard hitting rifle!
Like the man said, "The only interesting rifles are accurate rifles."
I am not accurate with my black powder guns, so they are just not as interesting to me any more.
I could do without the plastic stock, I do plan to get a walnut stock.
I tossed the plastic Savage ramrod, and made up a ramrod, with supplies from Dixie, hickory ramrod with brass jag. I figure, this way I have some wood and brass on my rifle.
I do agree with y'all who say that inlines are cheating. Muzzleloading season was designed for old time guns with iron sights. I even like the original Pennsylvania rules, flintlocks only!
The reason Game and Fish allows inlines during black powder season is money.
They can get ten times the hunters into the woods, using inlines, and that means more money for Game and Fish.