Primitive weapon or not?
Forgive me for being a little long winded here. Well, I certainly never said my Encore was a "primitive weapon", surely it is not. Not as compared to a real blackpowder muzzloader (without a scope, modern propellants, 209 primers inline, etc).
I wasn't trying to compare the two, just get some advice on a modern muzzleloading rifle (which happens to be a T/C Encore .50 cal).
But if you think about it, a real primitive weapon would be something like a spear, recurve or long bow, and the like. Those are true primitive weapons. As we all know, many years ago, along comes the blackpowder rifle (with rifling and iron sights, round lead balls, etc). Awesome invention. That changed the way everyone hunted and defended themselves. It wasn't a primitve weapon to them back then. It was a modern and productive weapon. Thats why everyone got one that could afford it. Why? Because it was so much more accurate, more effective at longer range and had more knock down power than a spear or arrow. It was a better weapon and everyone wanted one. I guess to each his own when you get right down to it. Times change and now we have modern weapons that are more reliable, more accurate, etc. Some may say, even a better weapon than the old smoke poles? That is not for me to say. But it is the same as back then, when the blackpowder rifle replaced the bow and arrow.....
I do respect the real blackpowder muzzeloaders and might just get one myself one of these days. But after shooting my T/C Encore at the range, I was amazed at the group and its accuracy. It is nice to be able to hit what I am aiming at (especially at a long range). By the way, I did use real blackpowder (Goex, 130 grains). I also feel it is more fair to the game I am hunting to make a quick, clean kill (using a scope for precise aiming point). Guess it really gets down to what we feel is important to each one of us. For me, hunting whitetails is my passion, period. Bow, muzzleloader (of any kind), centerfire rifle. Hell, I would chuck a rock at 'em if they had a rock season. I just want to be in the woods each fall and hunting deer, whatever season it is they offer.
Now that is just my humble opinion. Thanks for everyone's advice and opinion and good luck to all who go hunting this fall.