Howdy. What do you prefer or use. I know some states have certain regs on the use of inlines. Here in MD we can use whatever we want. I have a traditions pro break open inline, 209 ignition, hardwoods/nickel with a 28" fluted barel toped off with a 2-7 leupold. This gun is a dream to shoot, load and clean with a one piece stainless breech plug. I have used flintlocks through inlines. I would have to say i prefer the inlines. Some people say there to modern that they shouldn't be aloud. I love useing them and will continue as long as the law allows it. What do you prefer

I hunted with a sidelock for a great many years but then my wife suprised me one Christmas with a brand new Rem700ML. Not the cheap one either, full Stainless Steel, Camo stock... its one sweet rifle. Anyway I started shooting it and came to love it. I still love my caplock but when the season rolls around I tend to reach for the Rem more often than not.

As for inlines not being primative, Germany had one in 1734... 100 years before the "Hawkin" rifles we now emulate came to be.

IMO, the single greatest revolution in muzzleloaders todate is the advent of reliable coilsprings. Before that people used flat springs that broke often, lost their tension and went out of alignment very often and were the cause of most failures. I dont think there is a true replica made today that uses flatsprings, even 1830's hawkins repros use coilsprings.

LOL sorry... that's one of my most favorite tangents


-DallanC

Howdy. I didn't know Germany had one in 1734. Now i have a great argument. Thanx for the fuel

I actually was very anti-inline before my wife gave me the Rem700ML. Upon shooting it and finding out there really wasnt any different I did alot more research and found out all kinds of interesting things that dispelled all the myths I had come to rely on.

Did you know civil war snipers made verified kills at 1000 yards? The longest verified kill with a black powder projectile is right at 1650 yards? All of this done with rifles of old so there is little more modern equivilents can add to the mix other than possibly a higher average quality of produced rifles.

PS: I'd have to check the date but I think it was right around 1740 one of the Princes in Germany had a Cartridge based rifle, the casings were in steel but it did work.


-DallanC

Here in Pennsylvania, there is an altlerless deer muzzleloader season in mid-October and just about any type of muzzleloader is permitted. Same with the sights and a lot of folks are jumping on the in-line bus.

After Christmas, the primitive (flintlocks of .44 or larger with iron sights) are required. My preference are the .50 or .54 flintlocks. They are reliable, if you use a Lyman frizzen and a knapped flint. Even my T/C flintlocks were retrfitted with Lyman frizzens. All the best...
Gil

Howdy. Hey Dallan i sall a show on the history channel about civil war snipers. It is incredible to think they made shots at that distance with the weapons of the time. It just goes to show ya a good gun is only as good as the man pulling the trigger!!!!!

shrpshtrjoe wrote:

Howdy. I didn't know Germany had one in 1734. Now i have a great argument. Thanx for the fuel

FWIW, just a comment about using that as reference rationale...a psuedo inline design was attempted yes, but it didn't work or catch on and become anything...in fact, there was even an earlier attempt to make an inline flintlock prior to that...saw a museum photo of it...but same results.

Other than to comment that someone tried those things as experiments, those examples couldn't actually be used as though they were bona fide representations of firearms in actual use during those times.

ie: Man dreamed of flying for gosh knows how long but it didn't happen till the 20th century...

Started out with a Rem M700ML inline. Hunted with it one season. Then the following year Colorado outlawed inlines for hunting during the primitive season. Got a Thompson "Express" nad hunted with it for a year. Then Colorado decided inlines were OK. So now I have and use both.

The Thompson has dual folding "Express" sights, just like Dangerous Game rifles. Pretty cool except the second sight is over the target at 200 yards with every load I've tried. It also had the absolute worst trigger I've ever tried to squeeze. Finally took it apart and smoothed things up with a Dremel tool I got as a christmas gift. Much better.

The Rem M700ML is almost perfect except for the breech plug. Right now it is frozen in place and will have to go back to Rem to get replaced. Made sure I lubed it up with Bore Butter before replacing it last time, not sure what happened.

roundball wrote:

FWIW, just a comment about using that as reference rationale...a psuedo inline design was attempted yes, but it didn't work or catch on and become anything...in fact, there was even an earlier attempt to make an inline flintlock prior to that...saw a museum photo of it...but same results. Other than to comment that someone tried those things as experiments, those examples couldn't actually be used as though they were bona fide representations of firearms in actual use during those times. ie: Man dreamed of flying for gosh knows how long but it didn't happen till the 20th century...

Actually, Jean Samuel Pauley had working "inline" muzzleloaders in 1812 as well. There is a great article on this by Bryce Townsley in Buckmasters magazine 1/1/97.


-DallanC

Underhammers! Old fashioned enough for game departments everywhere, and ignition that rivals the inlines.

I personally prefer flintlocks as they are what I consider true primative rifles.They were the top technology for hundreds of years.Once it was discovered that a certain chemical mixture would ignite when struck{as in a percussion cap or primer} things started happening pretty fast in firearms development.Its hard to imagine but in about 100 years it went from flintlocks to semi and fully automatic weapons being the pinnacle of technology.I dont see much difference between a percussion sidelock and an inline. Both give quick ignition and are equally capable of accuracy given a good barrel and identical sights.The biggest difference IMO is that most inlines are easier to clean and maintain.I dont have a problem with inlines but they dont appeal to me at all.

As to what I prefer, I LOVE FLINTLOCKS!!!!

I use all of them, but for most hunting here in NC around my home I use my flint. Other areas and states I use percussion & in-lines. In fact I will be hunting in Minnesota and will be using 2 in-lines. The reason for this is that the area I will be hunting in the general gun season is a shotgun only area. In shotgun only areas you can use pistols or muzzleloaders also. So I will be using a .54 with a scope. On Nov 26th their muzzleloading season opens, scopes or optical sighting devices are not allowed so I will be using an in-line .50 that I have set up with a Williams Reciever sight (peep) that I have converted into a Ghost Ring. With this rifle I can keep a consistant 3" group at 100 yards, not bad in my book with my eyes the way they are.

As far as my opinion on Muzzleloading seasons, its very simple:

If it is a "Primitive/Traditional Weapons" Season then I have to say that this needs to be for "Traditional (Common of the Period) Rifles only, patched round balls or cast full caliber mini balls/maxi balls (no sabots or ultra modern projectiles), open/metalic sights only and traditional ignition (ie. flint, percussion cap & musket cap. No shotgun priming.).

If the season is a "Muzzleloading Season" then if it loads from the front then anything goes. Lets just stay away from lasers as most states already do.

I'm putting a flintlock on my Christmas wish list and see what happens I havent tried the flintlock yet and would really like the challenge. I have seen some really nice custom flintlocks that cought my eye. Until then I will stick to the caplocks and in-lines.

I'm with Flint on the definition .
I prefer the flint or percussion over inline , as I am of the thought that inline isnt proper ..
But then I spose I'll have to get rid of my compound bow eh??
Jack

Inlines are for lazy Primitive hunters. (this will get this forum humming)