Original Intent, Nostalgia vs. Progress, and Legitimacy.
Original Intent.
No, I wasn't around 200+ years ago. But, I can read the written works of our Founding Fathers and, through their words, get a pretty good handle on their original intent, without being a psychic. If you prefer a "living, breathing" interpretation, from our modern leaders (Bill Clinton, perhaps), then I guess that's; Our freedom, your choice.
Reminds me of the example often used by Dr. Walter Williams, a noted scholar. Allow me to paraphase;
Let's you and me sit down and play some poker, and the rules be "living". After you bet all your money, I'll inform you that today's interpretation says that my 2 pair, beats your full house.
Hell of a way to play a game, conduct a hunting season, or base a legal system. In fact, our legal system is not based upon interpretation, but rather "Precedence". You know, when you look BACK at the way the law was intended to be enforced. Every now & then, a judge will come up with a NEW "interpretation". But, in the vast majority of cases, this new interpretation is reversed on appeal. (Just ask the US 9th Circuit.) Precisely because of the law's original intent.
But, I digress . . . . . .
Now, I (and alot of traditional muzzleloaders) WAS around 20+ years ago, and therefore can speak with some first-hand authority, when it comes the original intent of these special muzzleloading seasons.
Nostalgia vs. Progress.
These special seasons were set aside with the express purpose of EXEMTING THEM FROM PROGRESS. They were spawned by nostalgia. A time capsule, if you were. Not an mechanical engineering exercise to see how far modern science can push the closed-breach envelope.
Sometimes I get the feeling that in-line shooters are trying to educate me about the wonders of modern technology, as if I didn't know any better. I know that round lead balls are aerodynamically inferior to boat-tailed-polymer-ballistic-tips. I know that loose black powder is harder to load and clean than pyrodex and smokeless. I know that flintlocks are more prone to moisture contamination than encapsulated primers. I know that scopes can help me aim at longer ranges and in lower light. I know. Believe me, I know.
Yet, we traditional muzzleloaders chose to ask for a season, NOT INSPITE of these limitations, but rather BECAUSE of them! To challenge ourselves, to make it hard, to miss the trophy of a lifetime due to a "flash-in-the-pan", or to maybe, just maybe, collect the trophy of a lifetime, even if it's only a doe, by overcoming the obstacles that muzzleloaders throw up in front of us.
Now, I'll admit it. We (traditional muzzleloaders) BLEW IT!!! When we asked for a special season, we never imagined that some shooters/manufacturers would go so far to stretch, manipulate, and change the spirit of the muzzleloading season. Boy, were we wrong.
Legitimacy.
Imagine, right now, that there were no special muzzleloading seasons. If a bunch of in-line shooters tried to lobby the various state game commisions for a special "muzzleloader" season, they would be laughed at. Why? Because the modern in-line does not differ, significantly, enough from a modern centerfire, to warrant a special season. Even when I hunt with one of my centerfires, rarely is more than a single shot necessary. I'm not bragging, it's the same with all of the other modern rifle hunters that I know. The only things that really make a difference are: faulty ignition and limited range due to open sights and low velocity/blunt projectiles.
Have you noticed that, in some locations, in-line muzzleloaders are replacing modern repeating shotguns with slugs, when hunters are given the option? Something is way out of wack here!
Modern in-lines are not a legitimate line of firearms. They are simply mutants, resulting from improperly crafted regulations. An evolutionary dead-end. A hundred, or even a thousand, years from now, Winchester 70's, Remington 700, Leupold Scopes, etc. will be looked upon as great examples of 20th Century sporting arms. Traditional muzzleloaders will still be remembered and respected as the weapons that forged a fledgling nation. In-lines will be remembered not at all.
Rocks, spears, bows, flintlocks, caplocks, centerfires, they all may be merely rungs on man's ladder of hunting tools, but the discriminating hunter can tell the difference.