From Walter M. Cline's book, "The Muzzle-Loading Rifle Then and Now," Mr. Cline stated,
"A remark was made by one of my mountaineer friends, as a party of us sat around the camp fire one night while on a hunting trip in the Cumberland Mountains, when the conversation turned to the old days, when we all used muzzle-loading rifles. This man, a true mountaineer, said that he "wished there had never been any other gun made except the muzzle-loading rifle, because in that case we would always have had plenty of game."
Also on that same page (p.16 in my copy) it was stated that, "Very few shots were thrown away by men who used the muzzle loading rifle. It was accurate, economical of ammunition, and deadly."
Still is, and though it certainly is a cartridge gun world we live in today as Americans, I don't believe the m.l. guns, flint or percussion, ever really went by the wayside. There just always seems to have been a constant little stream of a "Black Powder Creek" flowing right along, all along. I can only imagine in certain places in the Appalachian country, the m.l. guns are still used commonly. Nothing more than an opinion here.
Two books I've had for quite a few years now, might should be on most any traditional muzzleloading gun buff's shelf. They are; "The Muzzle Loading Cap Lock Rifle," by Ned Roberts, and Walter M. Clines book that I mentioned earlier. They contain stories and info you just can't find anywhere else...and again, that's just my opinion.
On July 4th, 1942, there was a "chunk gun" beef shoot held at Jimtown, Tennessee. Guess who won 1st place? "Sgt. Alvin C. York, of Pall Mall." He got the right hind quarter of the beef (Chapter 14, Ned's book). There must have been some close scores at that shoot, as it's written that, "The record shots were measured with fine dividers, family heirlooms and true antiques, in the hands of three judges well versed in all the fine points of 'greasing your chin' with a hard-won quarter o' beef." Alvin York was awarded 1st choice of the beef "After a lot of exacting work and due deliberation..."