Are your modern guns collecting dust?

[Smokey]

What is it about traditional muzzleloaders?

It appears to be a recurring story around here. A person owns and shoots modern firearms. Then, the person discovers traditional muzzleloading and never looks back. Did that happen to you?

[Butler Ford 40]

Kinda sorta.  My first muzzle loader was a Thompson Center Hawkin 50 cal. percussion.  I will shamefully admit the only reason I bought it was to extend deer season to a period where there were FAR FEWER hunters in the woods.  I grew to enjoy it almost as much as my centerfires, almost.  My partner in crime at the time got a Traditions Kentucky rifle.  We spent a lot of Saturday afternoons at the gravel pit without much cash layout (Uncle Sam didn't pay as well in those days so that was pretty important to us).  That developed into percussion revolvers, Walkers to be exact. We PCSed to different assignments and my at new duty station there wasn't a lot of interest so the TC went to the back of the closet.
I enjoy shooting.  Muzzle loader, Black Powder cartridge, smokeless long range, centerfire cast bullet, handgun and most of all, backyard shooting with my grandkids, most of which started shooting after their third year.
I can't say that I like my muzzle loaders to the exclusion of others but I sure do like shooting them!

[Fyrstyk]

For me, it was a gradual thing.  I truly love squirrel hunting, and have hunted them since I was 14.  I went thru the phases of shooting them.  Started out with a scoped .22 rifle.  When that got so that it was getting too easy I switched to a .22 pistol. Then a single shot pistol, and then I tried a .32 caliber percussion gun with open sights.  The challenge was back, and I enjoyed the hunt more even if I didn't take as many squirrels.  I now hunt them with a .32 flint lock and am having the time of my life.  I also changed my deer hunting to the use of a muzzle loader almost exclusively.  I still hunt deer, during bad weather, with a handgun, but I enjoy taking them with a muzzle loader best.  Most of my centerfire rifles have not been out of the safe in over 6 years.

[dmarsh]

If its a gun I love it and shoot it no matter what the ammo.   

[Ohio Joe]

What is it about traditional muzzleloaders?

It appears to be a recurring story around here. A person owns and shoots modern firearms. Then, the person discovers traditional muzzleloading and never looks back. Did that happen to you?

Yes and no...

I probably make the same amount of Range trips with my old Muzzle Loading Firearms as I do with my Rimfire Firearms... My Centerfire cartridge guns get very little use... I just get more enjoyment from the ML's and Rimfire... 

[Bigsmoke]

The last time I shot a center fire rifle (smokeless) was in May of 1980.  About the same time that the ash from Mt. St. Helen's drifted over us.
Figured that was an omen from the gods that I shouldn't be shooting them darn things.  Sold that old .30-30 a few years ago and haven't really missed it a bit.  I do have a Winchester 94 Trapper model in .45 LC, but have never fired it.  Will probably wind up selling it one of these days.
But yes, after I got involved with black powder, I have had little desire to shoot smokeless guns.

John (Bigsmoke)

[Ironhand]

My first gun was a pump 12 gauge, my second was a. 54 CVA Hawkin. Unless its rainy I take a BP to the woods.

BP guns are more challenging, more interesting and I can work on them myself.

Except for serious social violence, I prefer BP guns

Ironhand

[ridjrunr]

My smokepoles get way more rangetime, partly cuz its funner, partly I have no ware to hunt. I miss chasing birds with my 870’s. If I had a place to hunt it would be with bp with that exception.

[One Shot]

My BP cartridge guns get used a fair bit as do my MLs at least weekly. My CF bolt guns do not except a LR 7.62 precision rifle that I shoot at least monthly to stay proficient.

[Oldetexian]

I agree. My 308 and my SKS both mostly stay in the safe now. The only occasion that brings out the 308 is when I have not been able to put any meat in the freezer during the archery or ML season for some reason. Other than that my flinter is all I want to shoot. ( And fortunately, I have had no need to bring out the SKS.)

[PetahW]

.

I've always used different firearms for different situations, but my frontstuffer experience varied.

In the mid-1960's, after I was discharged for the military, I got into sidelock muzzleloaders.

However, once the modern inline muzzleloaders became commonly available, I bought several different inline guns (in different years, buying/selling).

Then, about 25 years ago, feeling that I had taken my fair share of game over the years, also started to feel that the modern/scoped muzzleloader's gave me an unfair advantage - so, I sold my inline(s) and went back to sidelock guns, both flintlock & percussion.


.

[Nessmuk]

I have 3 modern handguns  and 3 modern rifles. I practice  with them annually .
I also own  7 BP single shot pistols, 4 BP revolvers, 12 BP rifles that shoot at least twice a week. (Not all of them, of course, usually  2 per session)

Does anyone  else carry a BP revolver for conceal carry? I carry a little .31 cal pocket revolver.

[Fyrstyk]

I sometimes carry my .36 caliber derringer as a concealed gun.It is small and flat and fits easily in a pocket.

[Smokey]

... after I got involved with black powder, I have had little desire to shoot smokeless guns.

Bigsmoke's post is most consistent with the stories I heard. For the most part, it looks like all of you keep a modern cartridge gun in the shooting rotation. So far,  black powder seems to be the preference, but one of those who replied shoot ONLY sidelocks.

[JB67]

I  started with a Henry .22, graduated to a Winchester 94 in 30-30, and moved into military surplus cartridge guns. Then I watched a video from Black Powder Maniac Shooter, and got a used CVA Frontier carbine. I was hooked! I dumped my milsurps and have 2 Traditions Kentucky Rifle kit guns, one flint, one cap.

But the cartridge guns still have their place. Specifically my Winchester levers. There's something about reloading for and shooting a 109-year-old Winchester 1892 carbine.