Let's Get Back To Muzzleloading - Traditional & In-Line / What's your feelings about scopes on traditional muzzle-loaders?

[Mofish]

Sorry, but I don't use that sort of language and don't drink beer. I guess I'll just keep with my primitive shooting and keep trying to ignore the guys trying to modernize hunting and shooting.

 

[muzzleloader48]

Sorry, but I don't use that sort of language and don't drink beer. I guess I'll just keep with my primitive shooting and keep trying to ignore the guys trying to modernize hunting and shooting.

No need for you to be sorry for anything. We are individuals. You do what you need to do and be who you are. :thumbs up:

 

[Badger154]

Just say no to scopes.

 

[muzzleloader48]

Well I do love certain scopes on my CF rifles, from reflex to tactical. I don't use them on my ML's....yet! However, as we get older, and even with glasses or contact lenses, the scope may be a necessary tool. When you put it up for the season, you can take it off and you have the aesthetics of your ML back.
Ya does what ya gots to does to make the hunt sporting and successful.

 

[Marty1]

... However, as we get older, and even with glasses or contact lenses, the scope may be a necessary tool. When you put it up for the season, you can take it off and you have the aesthetics of your ML back.
Ya does what ya gots to does to make the hunt sporting and successful.

 

[Newtire]

Really....what does it matter? You do what you have to do to hunt or shoot.
A scope on a flintlock or side-lock takes away from the aesthetics of the gun, however, if it takes a scope to use your favorite gun, use it. As far as an inline....again, if it takes a scope to get ya where ya want to be, do it!! You're the one hunting, you're the one shooting. Good luck...end of session.

BTW: if you are chastised for your choices...tell'em to f#$%k off and have a great day and a beer. :cheers:

One time I had a guy tell me that they didn't allow apertures in their shoots. I was at my range and their group were guests. I told him that I wasn't there to shoot with them anyway and told him "No thanks" when he offered to let me shoot anyway. He offered to buy my gun. It belonged to my great grandpa and came equipped with that sight. It also had a palm rest which he said that they didn't come with. I looked for his horse but he had a Ford Super Duty. Some people are just too arrogant for me. I don't do well with most clubs. Maybe guys like him are one reason. My favourite guns are flintlocks, go figure!

 

[Philgumbo]

Scopes bring in the light which can help you in low light conditions, like the last five minutes of legal hunting time. Last deer I took was with a muzzle loader, but had I not had a scope on it, I would not have been able to be as sure of my shot as well, as it was getting darker. Had a not have had the scope, I probably would have not been able to take the shot in good conscience and I would have lost that opportunity. I had venison in the freezer that year because I had a scope. This purist crap is nonsense. And the deer dropped right in its tracks!

 

[Mofish]

Scopes bring in the light which can help you in low light conditions, like the last five minutes of legal hunting time. Last deer I took was with a muzzle loader, but had I not had a scope on it, I would not have been able to be as sure of my shot as well, as it was getting darker. Had a not have had the scope, I probably would have not been able to take the shot in good conscience and I would have lost that opportunity. I had venison in the freezer that year because I had a scope. This purist crap is nonsense. And the deer dropped right in its tracks!

Nonsense ???? Because a person tries to hunt in a traditional method using vintage type weapons ? Maybe if a guy added a thermal scope it would be considered appropriate ?

 

[muzzleloader48]

Okay, seems we have a battle that can be settled fairly easily.

If you feel you need the scope to get the job done and take the game without wounding it....you do what is ethical, not aesthetic.

Now here is the kicker: I guarantee you that if back in the day, if scopes were technically and financially available and affordable, those muzzle-loaders would have had them on. If they were as accessible to those men and women back then, they would have more than likely used them. In this Country, once those babies became more affordable, technically advanced, reasonably smaller than the one's in the Civil War, we jumped on them like white on rice for our CF smokeless powder rifles and pistols.

Again gents, it's just a matter of choice and need. At 71 even with my glasses on, at dusk if I have a shooter, I have to be able to see a clean shot, or the game lives another day. NOW HUG AND MAKE UP

 

[MattRaymond]

To each his own. I like my small collection of sidelocks as well as my one scoped in-line. I have used both styles for target shooting, load development, and hunting. I scoped my in-line because I felt that I was leaving a bit of accuracy on the bench without it. I doubt I could hit my mark at 200 yards with that gun with the fiber optic sights it came with...and they were nice Williams sights! With the simple 2x7 scope, I can hit a 200 yard target most every time, I could probably even push more distance out of it. It’s light and handy in the woods , has a padded sling and to be honest, it feels more natural to be up in a tree stand with the in-line than it does with a flintlock. Load development is nearly the same as my sidelocks and the in-lines can be just as finicky. But when you find that one sweet load that shoots the best, and most consistently, it’s a sense of accomplishment. Both styles are fun to shoot. There’s nothing wrong with having a peanut butter AND jelly sandwich, vs a peanut butter OR jelly sandwich. It’s OK to enjoy both...

 

[afishhunter]

I'll never put optics on my sidelock ML.
1) They don't look right.
2) On a traditional sidelock, optics and anything electrical (such as a Red/Green Dot sight) are forbidden when hunting during the ML seasons.
3) I don't like or use scopes on my not ML arms, either.
4) My hunting shots are all well under 100 yards. I don't need a scope since I'm not taking any long range shots.

I might put on a peep site or a "ghost ring" rear sight and globe front sight. Those are legal on a sidelock in the ML hunting seasons.

FWIW, I have less than zero desire to switch to a inline ML. ((a) They don't come in my preferred .54 caliber, and (b) they are not legal during the ML seasons here, either.)